Latest changes on emta.com
Privatisation in sight for DB German Railways ?
H. Mehdorn, chairman of DB German Railways (€28.2 billion of revenues in 2003), confirmed in June his ambition to privatise the company in 2006, based on the improvement of the financial results of the company in 2003 (loss of € – 177 million vs – 454 million in 2002) and the positive perspectives for 2004.
Free transport by train for Belgian employees
The Belgian Government decided in 2003 that the trip to work by train will be free for employees of the public sector as of 1st March 2004. This decision, whose cost for 2004 is estimated at €15 million, will be extended to private companies in 2005. Companies that will pay for the transport costs of
First « Passenger day » in Berlin-Brandeburg
VBB, the regional transport authority in Berlin- Brandenburg (6 million inhabitants on a 30,000km2 territory) held on 20th June the first “Passenger Day” for users of public transport systems. This initiative aimed to foster the exchange of information between the population, transport companies and public authorities, so as to promote the use of public transport
Green light for new tramway in Edinburgh
Since the closure of its tramway network in 1956, the capital city of Scotland (800,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area) has seen many attempts to reinstate light rail. But it is only in 2003 that the Scottish Executive formally agreed to fund the construction of a modern tramway network. The project, which consists in building
DELFI : a national door-to-door
The DELFI system, that aims to provide doorto- door travel information for public transport users in whole Germany, was launched in 1996 by the German Ministry of transport in co-operation with the Länder (regions). A first version of the system was officially presented on 28th June. Instead of being a new countrywide journey planner, DELFI
London will invest €4.5 billion into public transport infrastructures over the next 5 years
The British government released on 20th July its White Paper about the future of Transport in the UK by 2030. This document, in line with the Spending Review for 2004/2009, supports the Business Plan of Transport for London of almost €4.5 billion of capital investments for the coming 5 years. This announcement is good news
The French State will withdraw from public transport organisation in Paris (Ile-de-France)
The French Parliament adopted on 30th July a law on devolution of powers from the State to local authorities, which contains a chapter on public transport in the region of Paris Ile-de- France (11 million inhabitants). According to this law, the French State, which currently has the majority of stakes in STIF, the regional public
Metro keeps growing in Porto and fare integration under way
One year after the inauguration of its first section (see EMTA News n°9), the metro network keeps growing in the second largest Portuguese metropolitan area (1.5 million inhabitants). The section of 12km (18 stations) inaugurated in December 2002 (Blue line) carried 6 million passengers during its first year of operation, and patronage increased by 30%
New contract for local and regional railways in Rhine-Ruhr
VRR, the public transport authority of the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation (7.2 million inhabitants on a 5,000km2 territory in Germany around Düsseldorf and Essen), signed in July a new contract with DB German railways for the operation of local and regional railway services. The 15-year contract reaches a total value of €6 billion. According to the contract,
Successful fare integration implemented in Seville
Greater Seville includes 22 municipalities for a total population of 1.2 million inhabitants. Achieving greater fare integration between the 10 companies operating transport networks on its 1,300km2 territory has been a major objective of the Consorcio de Transportes del Area de Sevilla, the metropolitan transport authority since it was set up in March 2001. On
EMTA Members
