Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on The role of railway stations in the cities and conurbations of an enlarged EU
Date: 2006-02-14
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: European standard, common transport policy, rail network, railway station, town, transport infrastructure, urban centre

11.4.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88/9

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on The role of railway stations in the
cities and conurbations of an enlarged EU

(2006/C 88/03)

On 10 February 2005, the European Economic and Social Committee, acting under Rule 29(2) of its Rules
of Procedure, decided to draw up an opinion on: The role of railway stations in the cities and conurbations
of an enlarged EU.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 31 January 2006. The rapporteur
was Mr Tóth.

At its 424th plenary session, held on 14-15 February 2006 (meeting of 14 February), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 139 votes to 2, with 4 abstentions.

1. Recommendations

course, the indirect effects as well as the direct effects of such
projects must be taken into account.

1.1
The European Economic and Social Committee urges
that its recommendations should be included in the material
being developed in response to the currently ongoing review of
the White Paper on European transport policy for 2010: time to
decide (COM(2001) 370).

The maintenance and development, not only of railway
1.9
stations in large cities and of those serving international traffic,
but also of railway stations used by people living in particularly
disadvantaged regions, should be made a priority.

1.2
An in-depth examination of the place of international
passenger railway stations within the railway infrastructure is
needed, particularly given their multiple roles as urban
amenities and as part of railway networks and of Europe's
architectural heritage.

2. Introduction

1.3
There must be broad consultation of the public and of
expert opinion on the needs to be met by stations, taking into
account 21st century technological and technical developments.
Options for regulatory arrangements must be worked out at
regional, Member State and EU level, based on actual needs and
with due regard to the subsidiarity principle.

international

EU legislation must take account of public expectations
1.4
of
railway stations with regard to general
improvements in passenger safety and protection from terrorist
attacks.

1.5
Railway station development projects are of particular
importance, given the role of such projects in helping to
promote social and economic cohesion in the new Member
States.

To put it succinctly, stations are a kind of shop window

2.1
for railway transport.

2.2
The 2001 White Paper on European transport policy for
2010: time to decide (COM(2001) 370) left the overall aims of
EU transport policy fundamentally unchanged, except in that it
transport
placed greater emphasis on developing modes of
capable of easing the burden on road transport systems and
made transport policy more customer-oriented.

Railway stations play a key role in the free movement of
2.3
goods, persons and services. They can help to ensure that
passenger transport is available to all, and is as fast, efficient
and smooth as possible. The smooth functioning of the internal
market, the cutting back of red tape and a level playing field
for competition are possible requirements for this to happen.

1.6
Options for funding structured development of interna-
tional railway stations through public-private partnerships and
other appropriate channels should be studied, with the involve-
ment of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

2.4
An EU transport policy is an important means of
achieving economic and social cohesion, particularly with
regard to ensuring fair competition,
improving the safety of
transport, and from the point of view of environmental issues.

1.7
It is important that railway stations should primarily
fulfil their basic function as transport interchanges, rather than
becoming centres for other activities such as shopping and
business.

1.8
Railway station development projects must help to
retain existing jobs, while boosting the creation of new jobs. Of

2.4.1
On the subject of revitalising the railways, the White
Paper notes that the railway transport sector is complex in
nature. On the one hand, there are high-performance high-
speed rail networks serving their passengers from modern
stations; on the other, there are antediluvian services, often
into dilapidated and unsafe stations,
releasing passengers
together with a mixture of
lines and crowded long-
distance trains, which sometimes arrive late.

local

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Official Journal of the European Union

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2.4.2
The White Paper suggests using investments to encou-
rage integration of the high-speed train network with air trans-
port, particularly with regard to stations handling airport
traffic. At several points, the document refers to the role of
stations in providing services to facilitate passengers' journeys,
particularly with regard to baggage transport.

first

the EU's

Adoption of

2.5
and second railway
packages (1) has enabled continuous progress in the liberalisa-
tion of freight transport and harmonisation of quality stan-
dards. The EESC hopes that the third railway package will
deliver similar results. The European Union still needs to adopt
and implement measures in the field of passenger transport.
The recommendations set out in this opinion tie in with the
development of standards for international passenger transport
and application of such standards within Member States.

3. The regulatory environment

3.1
The European Communities have adopted various regu-
lations and directives on railway transport, such as the regu-
lation establishing a European Railway Agency (2), and the
infrastructure (4), allocation of
directives on railway safety (3),
capacity (5),
interoperability (6)
the
Community's railways (7). The above legislation is at best only
of incidental relevance to railway stations.

development

and

of

Directive 2001/16/EC). Promoting interoperability involves
harmonisation in technical areas such as railway electricity
supply networks and safety networks, as well as harmonisation
of certification requirements for engine drivers. The current
competitive disadvantage of railways has partly to do with the
fact that trains are held up at the borders of certain countries
due to differing technical standards (e.g. gauge, technical modi-
fications to locomotives, changeover of train crews).

3.3
Directives focussing on the rights and safety of passen-
gers are particularly relevant to the subject of railway stations
(e.g. 2001/16/EC). These include the directives in the third
railway package, which are aimed at enforcing passengers'
rights, partly by ensuring that tickets (which should be refund-
able, wherever possible) can be purchased conveniently and in
good time; when purchasing tickets, passengers must be aware
of the conditions applying to a given type of ticket and of
other relevant information. The directives also aim to improve
passenger safety, both in city stations and in trains, which
outside peak hours are often the scene of violent crime. The
introduction of higher safety standards and the availability of
help by railway staff working in stations and on trains in
dealing with unpleasant incidents would certainly encourage
more people to use railways.

3.4
The EESC is closely following the Commission's work,
and in the field of rail transport it has produced opinions on
issues such as social aspects, financing considerations, metropo-
litan regions and trans-European transport networks (8).

3.2
The Commission is primarily concerned with harmo-
nising technical standards (e.g. standardising the height of plat-
forms to enable persons with reduced mobility to use them —

(1) First

railway package: Directive 2001/12/EC – OJ L 75 of
15.03.2001, p. 1 – EESC opinion – OJ C 209 of 22.07.1999, p. 22;
Directive 2001/13/EC – OJ L 75 of 15.03.2001, p. 26 – EESC
opinion – OJ C 209 of 22.07.1999, p. 22; Directive 2001/14/EC –
OJ L 75 of 15.03.2001, p. 29 – EESC opinion – OJ C 209 of
22.07.1999, p. 22.
Second railway package: Directive 2004/51/EC – OJ L 164 of
30.04.2004, p. 164 – EESC opinion – OJ C 61 of 14.03.2003, p.
131; Directive 2004/49/EC – OJ L 164 of 30.04.2004, p. 44 –
EESC opinion – OJ C 61 of 14.03.2003, p. 131; Regulation (EC) No
881/2004 – OJ L 164 of 30.04.2004, p. 1 – EESC opinion – OJ C
61 of 14.03.2003, p. 131; Directive 2004/50/EC – OJ L 164 of
30.04.2004, p. 114 – EESC opinion – OJ C 61 of 14.03.2003, p.
131.
Third railway package: COM(2004) 139 final, COM(2004) 142
final, COM(2004) 143 final, COM(2004) 144 final, COM(2004)
140 final and SEC(2004) 236.

(2) Directive 2004/881/EC – OJ L 164, 30.4.2004, p. 1 – EESC

Opinion – OJ C 61, 14.3.2003, p. 131.

(3) Directive 2004/49/EC – OJ L 164, 30.4.2004, p. 44 – EESC

Opinion – OJ C 61, 14.3.2003, p. 131.

(4) Directive 2004/881/EC – OJ L 164, 30.4.2004, p. 1 – EESC

Opinion – OJ C 61, 14.3.2003, p. 131.

(5) Directive 2001/12/EC – OJ L 75 of 15.3.2004, p. 1 – EESC opinion
– OJ C 209 of 22.7.2002, p. 22, and Directive 2004/51/EC – OJ L
164 of 30.4.2004, p. 164 – EESC opinion – OJ C 61 of 14.3.2002,
p. 131.

(6) Directive 2004/50/EC – OJ L 164, 30.4.2004, p. 114 – EESC

Opinion – OJ C 61, 14.3.2003, p. 131.

(7) COM(2004) 139 final, amending Directive 91/440/EEC on the

development of the Community's railways.

4. Railway stations and intermodality

4.1 Railway stations as intermodal interchanges

4.1.1
The impetus to reverse the gradual sidelining of rail-
ways in urban life came from high-speed trains such as TGVs,
HSTs and ICEs and also from the Trans-European Networks
(TENs), which were conceived in parallel to these, during the
same period. Once railway transport became feasible over
distances (600-800 km) for which flying had been the only
real option until then, there was a change not only in the
number of passengers using stations but also in their composi-
tion, thus enhancing the value of railway stations for cities.

4.1.2
The second factor which could bring change to
railway stations as transport interchanges has less to do with
the role of high-speed trains than with changes in the function
of suburbs in conurbations, where mono-functional dormitory
towns could give way to multi-poled, multifunctional urban
areas. All of
together with an awareness that road
building cannot necessarily keep up with suburban commuter
car traffic, have focused attention on the need to integrate
for example through
urban and suburban public transport,

these,

(8) CESE 130/2005, CESE 131/2005, CESE 119/2005, CESE 120/2005,
CESE 257/2005, CESE 1426/2004, CESE 225/2005, CESE
968/2004.

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cooperation between transport companies, coordination of
timetables, fares and ticketing, and shared use of passenger
transport facilities. At the same time, one of the lessons of the
societal unrest experienced in the suburbs of Paris in late 2005
is that many different tools must be used continuously over
time in the interests of social cohesion, and that the relevant
processes are not yet over.

4.1.3
Suburban railways are an important part — and in
some cases even the backbone — of such networks. In view of
this, railway stations are ideally suited to playing a key role in
systems for providing passengers with information and serving
as mobility centres in complex and intersecting transport
networks.

4.1.4
Although high-speed trains do not usually stop at
railway stations served by suburban trains, a tendency to
encourage integration has brought the two processes together,
and in newly built or renovated stations modern and high-
quality intermodality between international and national lines,
and also between the latter and urban transport, is emerging as
a basic requirement.

4.2 Defining trans-European intermodality standards

The standards and requirements to be met by railway
4.2.1
stations are being developed.
In the past, railway stations
helped to bring nations together and to shape national identity.
This common sense of identity was not formed by the physical
structure of the railway network, although tracks and rails were
an essential part of it, but by stations, by rules, models and
standards.

4.2.2
Harmonisation of TEN railway stations is not the goal.
Nowadays, European identity should be expressed by setting
standards for services, and not by standardising buildings. One
of the most important of these standards should concern devel-
opment of intermodal connections in such a way as to preserve
the diversity of local instruments while complying with quality
requirements on provision of information to passengers in a
multilingual Europe and helping them to complete their jour-
neys. Three areas deserve special mention: the quality of infor-
intermodal
mation provided to passengers,
connections, and development of the role of mobility centres.

standards

for

4.2.3
Although these quality requirements for user-friendly
services should be adopted as European recommendations or
guidelines for the TEN stations concerned, they should not be
seen as a prerogative of the network, and there must be full
compliance with the subsidiarity principle. Obviously, it should
not be a problem if other stations and interchanges apply the
standards thus developed, as, rather than undermining the
quality of transport services, this should actually enhance it.

5. Models for development

5.1
International comparisons show that practically no two
countries are the same in terms of starting points for railway
station redevelopment,
initiated by various combinations of
top-down government action and market developments, and
motivated by a range of urban development and transport
needs.
railway
In Great Britain, where redevelopment of
stations was entrusted solely to the market, these changes were
restricted to: (a) railway sites, (b) central London, (c) the prop-
erty boom period, and (d) construction of new office buildings.

the modernisation of

5.2
In Switzerland an environmentally-aware programme
the railway
has been launched for
network and public transport, including S-Bahn (suburban rail
network) systems (in Zürich, Basel, Bern). Although the rail-
way's financial problems meant that commercial use had to be
made of property in the vicinity of stations, this was done not
by means of selling off properties but through programmes,
drawn up jointly in cooperation with the railways and taking
into account the interests of developers, municipalities, govern-
ment and railways.

5.3
In Sweden, development was initiated by the railways
(which have been privatised, but not split up) in partnership
with local authorities. The aim was to create modern travel
centres, with trains, buses, taxis and car parks all under one
roof. Both local authorities and various other modes of trans-
port were affected by these arrangements.

In France,

5.4
the main impetus has come from the
centrally-taken decision to build up the TGV network, repre-
senting an opportunity to develop links with Paris. The local
level was involved in the process of lobbying for stations.

In the Netherlands, the railways and environmental and
5.5
transport authorities announced a programme in 1986 to
concentrate activity in the surroundings of railway stations, in
keeping with the principle of compact urban development and
of support for public transport. Before privatisation of the rail-
ways, it was extremely difficult for the railways and local autho-
rities to get other partners on board.

The above examples show that, from the very start,
5.6
planning must reflect the role of stations both as interchanges
(the transport dimension) and as an embodiment of
‘local’
values (the urban dimension), rather than a one-sided approach.
Similarly, the needs of the market and financing considerations
must be balanced by a wider view reflecting the interests of
cities and networks, to help prevent situations in which short-
term economic interests take the upper hand, or, at the other
extreme, visionary plans fail
to take financing issues into
account. Specialised studies suggest that it is easier to reach
consensus when stations are built on new sites (Lille); other-
wise, the many interests and counter-interests which already
exist are often a barrier to progress.

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6. Development trends in the EU

6.1
There are good reasons in favour of cross-sectoral coop-
eration in the European Commission, providing officials with
an overview of projects financed by Structural Funds within
each specific sector. Such an overview will enable analysis of
EU funding by sector, so that
the amount of expenditure
within each sector/area of activity can be determined.

Indeed,

6.2
It seems important to keep sight of the impact which
the contradictory blend of traditional and modern character-
ising modern rail travel has had on the development of high-
speed railways.
in the process of breaking out of
railway networks, high-speed networks have
conventional
attracted a great deal of attention. Given that development of
such networks is extremely costly, it is possible that they may
have diverted funding from other projects. For example,
in
France the condition of some sections of the conventional
railway infrastructure has, as a result of TGV projects, deterio-
rated to such an extent that speed limits have had to be intro-
duced in many parts of
the network. As a result, both
passenger and freight transport is seriously held up; it is deba-
table whether this is compensated for by the faster journey
times enjoyed by passengers on high-speed trains.

6.3
Developing conventional railway lines and encouraging
more people to use them is a much more effective means of
supporting the objectives of social cohesion and the integration
of backward regions, given that high-speed trains merely rush
through such regions, without offering any scope for their inte-
gration into transport networks. As well as building high-speed
lines, it would sometimes be more useful to upgrade conven-
and infrastructure. The
services
tional
primary interface between such development or renovation and
passengers is the railway station.

railway transport

7. Redevelopment of railway stations

that major

There is a serious danger

7.1
investments
governed by short-term interests — and indeed pure property
speculation — could jeopardise the real contribution which
railways can offer passengers and cities, for example in the case
of operating losses by railways being used to justify the selling-
off of valuable city-centre properties, leading to the construc-

Brussels, 31 January 2006.

tion of office buildings and shopping centres on former railway
sites. In view of this, the following considerations should be
taken into account:

Direct connections between city centres are vital not
7.2
only for high-speed trains but
international routes,
including all sections of the trans-European transport network.

for all

Development of a dense network of public transport
7.3
links providing smooth connections between railway stations
and all parts of the city is particularly called for in city centres.

7.4
Railway stations serve as mobility and information
centres for the various forms of transport which make up the
transport network.

Connections should also be developed between city-

7.5
centre railway stations and the city airport.

7.6
Valuation of railway property should also take account
of its role in the urban landscape and its logistical role, in order
to ensure maximum long-term gain for cities.

Experience shows that the distinction between transport
7.7
functions and those related to the urban landscape is gradually
becoming blurred, and that railway stations are emerging as
both profitable and attractive public spaces by incorporating a
wide range of urban services.

instances

successful

7.8
That said, existing main stations are not necessarily the
best locations for future high-speed railway stations. Judging by
the most
the best way of
combining the energies released by regeneration of the railways
and urban development
is to establish new urban centres
within cities, but as an alternative to traditional city centres
(however, it should also be noted that the most frequently cited
examples, such as Lille, are all special cases, with circumstances
that could hardly be reproduced elsewhere).

to date,

7.9
Past experience generally suggests that the State, local
authorities and private capital can, in cooperation with the rail-
ways, put in place development projects involving modernisa-
tion of international railway stations in such a way as to reflect
a wide range of interests.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND