WRITTEN QUESTION E-2313/99

by Ari Vatanen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Safety of rail traffic in the EU countries

Lorry traffic has grown considerably in the EU countries over the past decades. In 1970 one third of goods traffic went by rail, last year it was only 14 %. The opening of rail traffic to competition is important so that still more goods traffic can move on to the railways. Promoting rail transport would reduce the congestion on main roads and the environmental damage caused by traffic.

It is thought that improving the competitiveness of the railways will alleviate Europe's traffic problems. The liberalisation of competition must not however take place at the cost of train safety, but the maintenance of track, for example, should be separated from the running of trains.

What measures has the Commission taken to guarantee greater safety in rail transport in the EU countries?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2000)

By its nature and as a result of its operational procedures rail is an exceedingly safe means of transport. Even when including all rail related deaths including suicides and level crossing accidents, rail fatality rates per traffic unit are around a quarter of those for road. Passenger fatalities

per passenger-kilometre for rail are around one twentieth of the rate for passenger cars. Similarly employee fatalities for rail freight can be estimated at around one twentieth of the road freight rate. These statistics show that by any assessment rail is considerably safer than road transport and therefore measures that succeed in encouraging the transfer to rail of traffic that currently travels by road could lead to a reduction overall in injuries and fatalities.

It is therefore of considerable concern to the Commission that the market share of rail has dropped to around 40 % of its 1970 level. In 1997, rail's share of all intra-Community surface transport (including short sea shipping) was 8,6 % and its share of land transport was, as quoted, 14,4 %.

Improving the competitiveness of rail and ensuring that the rail industry is able to deliver services that current and potential customers require would offer an important step to encourage traffic that can use rail to do so. The railway infrastructure package, on which the Council reached a political agreement on 10th December 1999, would when implemented provide an important step in creating the conditions to enable this. The text also foresees that safety standards should be laid down by bodies that are independent of a railway undertaking as a safeguard to ensure confidence in the safety procedures.

The Commission is conscious of the need to ensure at Community level that appropriate safety standards are assured. Considerable work has been undertaken by the Commission in two areas towards this end. Firstly the Commission's recent proposal for a directive(1) on the interoperability of conventional rail foresees the establishment of technical standards and the certification of equipment by notified bodies and would oblige Member States to regularly control the operation and use of the certified railway equipment. Secondly the Commission has been carrying out a study into safety regulations and standards for European railways. The final report available shortly will enable an assessment of what further action is needed at Community level.

(1) COM(99) 617 final.