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The declaration urges the European Union and national governments to introduce concrete measures supporting the railways’ own efforts. It argues that only combined action will allow rail freight companies to use the present crisis as a short-term opportunity for the industry’s long term structural benefit. The call was made at the CER/UIC High Level Freight Meeting in Vienna on 24 April by more than 20 chief executives.
The economic downturn is having a major impact on railways, the companies said.
”Railways are already responding to the downturn by cutting or postponing investment and trying new ways of financing investment. However, some railways have only limited investment programmes to cut and are poorly placed to find new sources of funding. They are therefore laying off staff, making further cuts to already inadequate maintenance programmes or accumulating more debts. This could accelerate the vicious circle of decline that railways, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, have experienced over the past few years,“ warned Johannes Ludewig, CER Executive Director.
