The authorities in the European countries, especially those in the CEE, have to encourage operators to buy new rolling stock, as their fleets of vehicles are aged and need gradual replacement. If not, cities will later have to allocate significant finances to ensure comfortable and safe transport.
In Europe, the number of trams and light rail amounts to 20,000, almost half of which is owned by the EU-15 countries (49%), 43% by new member states and 8% by the countries outside the EU-27, shows the most recent study of ERRAC (European Railway Research Advisory Council) and of UITP, “Metro, light rail and tram systems in Europe”, elaborated with complete data for 2009.
As compared to 2004, the new countries have known a slight growth, while third countries have shrunk their rolling stock fleet. From 2004, the most significant reduction in the number of rail vehicles for all Europe (5,000 vehicles) has been caused by new tendencies of buying longer and multi-modular vehicles. Statistics show that the EU-15 countries own the most modern and the newest vehicles, and, compared to 2004, a strong development in the acquisition of new vehicles has been noticed all over Europe.
For 2010-2030, the rolling stock fleet has to be replaced with around 9,500 new vehicles. Investments are estimated at EUR 11-15 Billion (with EUR 1.2-1.5 Million per vehicle). Rolling stock research and development were estimated at 1.5% of the cost amounting to EUR 170-210 Million.
Under the circumstances, it is necessary that the authorities would focus on granting financing for rolling stock and to encourage the increasing market share of public transport, budgets for 2014-2020 have to include rolling stock acquisition projects. “To develop public transport, it is necessary to invest in new rolling stock. The authorities have to understand that public transport requires investments and has to identify new financing opportunities similar to those in West-European cities”, declared Hans Verner Franz, Chairman of the European Metropolitan Transport Authorities (EMTA).
In Central and Eastern Europe, the fleet of urban rail vehicles is obsolete and needs new vehicle types to meet mobility needs. Starting with 2016, the cities should only focus on buying environmentally friendly vehicles to replace the rolling stock fleet. “The European Union does not discriminate the financing of rolling stock acquisition projects, but first of all, they have to be encouraged by local authorities. I would have to mention that over the next 7 years, the Connecting Europe Facility will not be an instrument for financing such acquisitions, so we have to use the ERDF for the acquisition of vehicles, so EU can allocate rolling stock money, but projects have to be competitive”, declared Vicenc Pedret – Cusco, Economic Advisor, DG MOVE, while attending the conference “Railway passenger transport on the sustainable mobility agenda”, organized by Club Feroviar and the Romanian Railway Industry Association (AIF).
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