Every day, European transport policies focus more on shifting traffic from road to rail triggering the chain development of the railway sector and related industry, together with the positive impact that this transport mode has on energy efficiency, environment and life quality.
Encouraging railway passenger transport through policies and the allocation of funds determines operators to draw new strategies aimed at improving mobility and attracting more passengers by providing quality services. The importance of comfort, of reducing travelling times, of increasing accessibility and of delivering modern services has launched challenges for railway transport operators who are thus persuaded to make massive investments in purchasing rolling stock, to answer to mobi-lity demands and to optimize capacity.
For passenger transport, 2013 is a year marked by new projects on rolling stock procurement, projects which stimulate both the increase in the number of passengers and the reduction of operators’ costs: for example, the acquisition of electric railway vehicles has a real contribution in reducing maintenance and energy consumption costs as they are significantly smaller than diesel vehicles; also, the costs of old electric vehicles are much higher than those of old diesel vehicles.
In this context, at the beginning of the year, Czech Railways (CD) has announced its intention of continuing investing in new rolling stock up to EUR 234 Million. The company will procure RegioPanter trains from Skoda, RegioShark diesel trains from Pesa, will receive the rest of the Regio-Shutle RS 1 trains from Stadler and the last City Elephants from Skoda. Moreover, the company plans to invest in the modernization of its present rolling stock fleet to increase the quality and capacity of transport.
Croatian railway passenger transport operator HZ Putnicki Prijevoz launched in February a tender to buy 12 diesel-electric trains for regional transport. The contract is worth EUR 54.6 Million. At the end of 2012, the Croatian Government announced that grants would be allocated for the procurement of 44 new trains, of which 32 electric trains, as part of a project included in the transport development strategy and aimed to increase the share of railway passenger transport.
Poland and Hungary, important projects
One of the most important tenders is that jointly launched by MÁV Start, the passenger transport division of Hungarian company MAV, and regional operator GySEV.
Thus, at the beginning of the year the two companies announced their intention of purchasing 48 electric multiple-units, of which 42 will be bought by regional operator MÁV-Start and 6 by GySEV. According to MAV, Stadler was the sole bidder, although tender papers had been purchased by 8 train manufacturers (AnsaldoBreda, Bombardier, CAF, Newag, Pesa, Siemens, Skoda and Stadler). If Stadler’s offer proves valid, then most probably the company will deliver the vehicles which will be almost identical with Flirt trains (already operated by MAV and with another 4 in construction for GySEV).
The multiple-units will be equipped with air-conditioning and will be capable to run at speeds of 160 km/h and are different from those in operation because they will be equipped with ETCS Level 2 in the manufacturing process.
There is however a problem with the project: companies want that 85% of the financing would come from European funds, although the tender has been announced without approval from Brussels and the EU has not approved this project for which Hungarian authorities planned to demand financing from the funds allocated until the end of 2015. In the worst scenario, documents could not be approved until the end of 2013 and the manufacturer would begin the construction of vehicles after signing all financing agreements to develop the first vehicle in April 2014 (and the rest of the trains would be delivered by September 2015).
For Poland, 2013 will mark the launch of rolling stock procurement projects for public transportation. PKP Intercity focuses on the acquisition of rolling stock, the projects to be launched being part of a programme for rolling stock renewal worth EUR 980 Million by 2015. Almost 50% of the amount could be financed with European funds, while part of the sum could be covered by loans from financial institutions. The company has already secured EUR 224 Million from the European Investment Bank and continues to negotiate with this bank and with other financial institutions on the allocation of other funds.
Thus, PKP Intercity announced its plans to purchase 10 new diesel locomotives to replace the old rolling stock whose modernisation could no longer be financially justified. The new locomotives will be used on the non-electrified lines in the north of the country and the project is part of the programme for rolling stock modernisation.
Also, PKP Intercity plans to purchase 25 coaches which could be operated on the route Wroclaw-Poznań-Bydgoszcz-TriCity and 20 electric multiple-units. Moreover, the operator also wants to upgrade over 300 coaches over the next period.
PKP Intercity has already a contract with Alstom (signed in 2011) on the delivery of 20 Pendolino trains worth EUR 665 Million used on the route Gdańsk-Warsaw-Katowice-Krakow, to be thus upgraded by the end of 2014. The company hopes to cover half the amount through an EIB credit and the other half from European funds. But just like the two Hungarian companies, PKP Intercity is also confronted with financing problems: EC has not yet decided whether it would grant subsidies for the acquisition of the Pendolino trains as it fears that the Polish operator already has an unfair advantage in the interregional transport market (the Polish Government signed a contract with PKP Intercity in February 2011 on the deli-very of interregional services granting in turn funds worth EUR 58 Million).
In order to reduce costs, improve services and increase the number of passengers, Przewozy Regionalne (PR), the regional transport operator in Poland, has launched a tender on the realization of capital works to electric multiple-units. The contract consists in the modernisation of 44 trains whose interior will be completely refurbished and whose electrical and mechanical systems will also be mended. Trains will be fitted with closed-circuit video systems and air-conditioning and a new traction and braking system. The contract is estimated at PLN 310 Million (EUR 74.5 Million) and will be completed in 18 months.
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