Although setting a single European transport area reflects in European policies, currently, the railway system is divided, with diverging regulations and standards, while the elimination of barriers is vital to set up an integrated transport system in the EU.
For the development of a single area, apart for the legislative harmonisation, finalization of the European railway infrastructure and adoption of policies favourable to the development of the European market, the transport industry is very important, as it can have a vital contribution in harmonizing the transport system. To this end, the EU pleads for the development of technological innovations and the railway industry is joining efforts for identifying priority axes in the area, just to open the set up of a single European railway system.
“Technical innovations play a very important role in advancing the safety level and increasing the quality of railway transport services. Currently, the railway sector benefits from new technologies and concepts for environment protection measures and the promotion of a single railway transport”, declared the German Minister of Transport, during InnoTrans 2012.
As European authorities want the railway transport to grow over the next decades, the development of technology will help build new mobility demands, the use of railway transport also being encouraged by launching innovative products capable to face these challenges and not just by conveying policies to European citizens. “Railway transport customers want reliable technology to answer their needs and want to benefit from single services across Europe. In this context, modern technology is the answer to these demands”, declared Rüdiger Grube, Chairman and CEO of Deutsche Bahn Board.
To develop a faster and less expensive transfer process towards a more efficient and sustainable European transport system, technological innovation has to act over three major factors: efficiency of vehicles, by implementing an innovative design and of new motors and materials, using greener energies (by introducing new propulsion systems) and a better use of the network and safer operations (through information and communication systems).
Research and innovation policies, next to the railway industry, have to stress the development and implementation of key technologies necessary to the creation of a single, modern and efficient transport system.
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