“While the lop-sided nature of the financing market persists, there must be correctional action,” says Mr Nick Brooks, secretary general of the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants (AllRail).

“All rolling stock operators should receive the same financing terms as state-owned rail incumbents, if necessary, with a similar type of state-backed guarantee. This should remain the case until the rail financing market achieves a similar level of maturity as, say, the aviation or bus sector.”

After Railcoop, yet another passenger rail start-up – Midnight Trains – has ended its activities in the face of the high market barriers to entry. This is another stark reminder that the EU passenger rail market remains much more open in legislation than it is in reality.

Après Railcoop, une autre start-up ferroviaire - Midnight Trains – a mis fin à ses activités en raison des importantes barrières à l'entrée sur le marché. Cela nous rappelle une fois de plus que le marché européen du transport ferroviaire de voyageurs reste beaucoup plus ouvert dans la législation qu'il ne l'est dans la réalité.

The AllRail association of new entrants to the rail market said Midnight Trains' announcement was 'another stark reminder that the EU passenger rail market remains much more open in legislation than it is in reality'.

ALLRAIL Policy Officer Salim Benkirane said 'The fact that Midnight Trains’ project was among the cross-border pilots that the European Commission selected should serve as a wake-up call for the new EU Parliament and Commission. How many promising passenger rail start-ups must be sacrificed before action is taken to achieve a genuine Single European Railway Area?'

Salim was interviewed by the British leading TV channel ITV