WRITTEN QUESTION E-4108/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 January 1999)

Subject: Measures under the operational programme for railways in Greece

Although sub-programmes 1 and 3 of the operational programme for railways in Greece refer to work on the Athens-Thessaloniki line and improvements to the Peloponnese network, the plans to modernise the railways in Greece proposed in the recent operational programme adopted by the OSE (Greek Railways Organisation) contain no reference to any measures concerning the Lianokladi-Domokos section of the Athens-Thessaloniki line or the modernisation of the Peloponnese network.

1. Given that the Commission has decided in favour of regenerating the railways, is it satisfied with the above discrepancies?

2. If there is a proposal to renew and modernise the Paliofarsala-Kalambaka line, does the Commission agree to Community funding?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(3 March 1999)

The 1994-99 Community support framework (CSF) for Greece states that: "The significant effort required to improve rail transport will be reflected in drawing up a business plan which will cover both investment and the modernization of the Greek Railways Company (OSE) and its operation. As regards investment during the period covered by the CSF, priority will be given to the Patras-Athens-Thessaloniki link, which is part of the rail Trans-European Networks (TENs). Funding from both the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund will make it possible to move towards completion of the infrastructure of the Athens-Thessaloniki line (civil engineering, signalling, telecommunications, electrification) with a view to guaranteeing in the long term a travelling speed of 200 km/h. By 2000 the Athens-Thessaloniki line will be twin track along 88 % of its length (60 km between Lianokladi and Domokos, which would be particularly difficult and costly to convert, will remain as single track) and the journey time will be 4 hours 20 minutes, as compared to 5 hours 50 minutes in 1994 and 6 hours 15 minutes in 1993".

OSE's business plan has been prepared in the context of the railways operational programme (OP) and approved by the Greek Government. Its implementation is being part-financed by the same OP and an international consultant is being recruited to help OSE by means of participation in a special task force. As far as the Athens-Thessaloniki line is concerned, doubling of the Tithorea-Lianokladi line, including the Kallidromo tunnel, is also part of the railways OP. For the particularly costly and difficult section of Lianokladi-Domokos, alternative possible solutions for the doubling of the line are now under examination, before taking any final decision, in view of the next programming period.

The Commission has not received an application for the Lianokladi-Domokos project to be part-financed under the Cohesion Fund. However, along the trunk route in question the Cohesion Fund is part-financing the electrification of the Piraeus-Athens-Thessaloniki line, the works on the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupolis line, the works on the Evangelismos-Leptokarya Thriassio-Corinth line, the Thriassio Pedio marshalling yard complex, a study on linking Thriassio to the port of Piraeus and the works on the Paleofarsala-Kalambaka line. The total cost of these projects is EUR 898 million, of which the Cohesion Fund is contributing EUR 560 million. The total cost of the works on the Paleofarsala-Kalambaka line is EUR 34 million, of which the Community is contributing EUR 29 million. Any applications submitted by Greece for new projects or for changes to the projects mentioned above would be appraised in accordance with the priority criteria laid down and the financing available under the Cohesion Fund.

The Trans-European Network (TEN) budget heading is part-financing the studies for the Lianokladi-Domokos section (support totalling EUR 1,5 million was approved in 1994). The same budget heading is also part-financing the works to widen the Paleofarsala-Kalambaka line (support totalling EUR 7 million was approved in 1993).