The railway will pull Europe again? The first step was taken in Wrocław

Railway transport returns to the tracks of European policy and business as a key element of the green transformation of the economy. CEOs of the largest European Railways and leaders of key industry organizations signed a joint declaration at the top of the European Railway Presidents in Wrocław, appealing to the EU for decisive support of the sector.

The document, which was created on the initiative of Polish state railways, explicitly indicates the railway as a key tool in achieving ambitious goals of the European Union, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 55% until 2030.

Railway is the most ecological, safe and energy -saving means of transport, and investments in it bring measurable economic benefits – emphasize the signatories of the document.

According to the International Monetary Fund, each additional 1% GDP invested in a railway can generate economic growth of up to 1.5% in four years.

The target is noble, but the road, or rather the tracks, are winding

The declaration clearly signals barriers inhibiting rail development, such as chronic infrastructure undercooked, legislative delays and dishonest competition from less ecological means of transport. The authors in a joint declaration call for urgent establishing a solid regulatory frameworkwhich will compensate for the market chances and ensure adequate financing.

If the European Union seriously treats its climate goals, the railway must be a priority, it is a definite message of signatories, who simultaneously declare their readiness to increase cooperation, both in technical terms (today European systems are radically different from each other) and operational to increase their competitiveness and immunity, especially in competition with circular transport.

The declaration will now go to the most important EU institutions and leaders of the Member Statesincluding the chairman of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the European Parliament.

Will the European railway once again become a symbol of her, this time green, development and future? Time will tell; Undoubtedly, for years, and especially in Poland, the railway was forgotten for roads. Now, however, there is a unique opportunity to change this, and the railway has again become synonymous with European economic stability and its ecological responsibility.

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