Road Transport Will Continue to Dominate European Freight
The chairman of the European Parliament's Transport Committee has conceded that road transport will remain the major player in the future of European freight.
MEP Brian Simpson, chairman of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee has claimed that road transport will continue to enjoy the lions share of the European freight market.
“I am not looking for a massive shift in modality,” says Simpson, “We are never going to get 60%-70% of freight on rail. A more realistic goal is 20%.”
The European Rail Freight Survey 2008 estimated European rail freight has a market share of 15% and, after a steep decline caused by the recession, this is expected to be maintained in 2012.
Simpson says lorries are more efficient for certain loads. “Trains are not interoperable. It’s a technical issue. As soon as rail hits a border there’s a problem with different electrics and signalling systems.”
Earlier this year (CM 24 March) the European Commission’s Transport White Paper set goals to shift 30% of road freight to rail or water by 2030 and 50% by 2050. However, the 2009 European Rail Freight Survey identified rail’s “worsening competitiveness compared with road freight”.
Original story taken from Roadtransport.com
