Germany: Reducing Track Access Charges Increases Societal Welfare, According to a New Academic Report
A new academic study shows that falling track access charges increase societal welfare. Conversely, higher track access charges have a negative impact on it. Germany already has the highest track access charges in Europe, with a further increase of around 20% by 2025. Reducing track access charges to marginal cost level is the most economically efficient measure to increase rail transport.
Reduzierung der Trassenpreise erhöht die gesellschaftliche Wohlfahrt, so eine neue Studie
Eine neue akademische Studie zeigt, dass sinkende Trassenpreise die gesellschaftliche Wohlfahrt erhöhen. Umgekehrt haben höhere Trassenpreise negative Auswirkungen darauf. Deutschland hat bereits die höchsten Trassenpreise in Europa, mit einer weiteren Erhöhung von etwa 20% bis 2025. Eine Senkung der Trassenpreise auf Grenzkostenniveau ist die wirtschaftlich effizienteste Maßnahme zur Steigerung des Schienenverkehrs.
Open Access Long-Distance Rail Outperforms Clockface Timetables in Enhancing Societal Welfare
In the light of the EU Commission's proposal for a Regulation on the Use of Railway Infrastructure in the Single European Railway Area (SERA), a new academic report has been published by Professor Thomas Ehrmann of the University of Münster in Germany. This report critically examines the concept of clockface timetables, using data and empirical evidence from Sweden, Spain and Switzerland as well as assessing its implications for Germany under the proposed "Deutschlandtakt".
Enrico Letta’s Report on the Future of the EU Single Market Says the Right Things about Rail
After over 400 meetings and visiting 65 cities, the President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta has issued a report on the future of the EU Single Market and presented it to EU leaders.
It clearly highlights the obstacles that still prevent the Single European Railway Area from leading the way towards sustainable, affordable free movement of people across the Union.
Joint letter: We can make travelling by rail cheaper by reducing rail tolls
An alliance of rail operators, ticket vendors and civil society, committed to make rail more affordable, calls upon the the Member States to:
- Reduce rail tolls for trains with high capacity. Passenger trains should aim at offering as many seats as possible per train to incentivise a high load factor;
- Reduce rail tolls for night trains and cross-border trains;
The alliance also calls upon the European Commission to:
- Revise the Single European Railway Area Directive (2012/34/EU) to set incentives for lower rail tolls for the segments mentioned above. The upcoming guidelines4 will not be sufficient to achieve change. Legislative action is needed to stop excessive tolls.