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The Commission for Railway Traffic RailCom conducted a survey of freight railway companies for the first time to gather their assessments on non-discriminatory network access and the services of local delivery. The response rate of 90% and the numerous comments indicate that these topics are of central importance. Although the surveyed companies are mostly satisfied with the situation, there is potential for improvement in various areas. To continue the dialogue, RailCom is introducing a “Round Table”.
(Bern) A total of 18 out of 20 freight railway companies (EVU) with a valid network access permit operating on the Swiss standard gauge network were surveyed. The survey focused on the interaction of the EVU with the infrastructure operators (ISB) – particularly in the areas of capacity planning, route usage, and network access conditions. On the other hand, it addressed the provision of non-discriminatory access to local delivery services in freight transport by rail according to Art. 6a of the Freight Transport Ordinance (GüTV).
EVU Mostly Satisfied, Need for Action in Some Areas
The freight railway companies are mostly satisfied with the issues of non-discriminatory network access. For example, the transparency of the regulations in the service catalog, the handling of the directive rights in case of operational disruptions, and the treatment of any complaints regarding the billing of basic and additional services in the route price were positively assessed. Nevertheless, there are some points where they still see a need for improvement, including the emergency concepts of the ISB for managing operational disruptions. RailCom will follow up on these suggestions.
In the general assessment regarding non-discrimination in access to the Swiss rail network, about 89% of respondents stated that access is “not or not at all discriminatory”. The remaining 11% rated access as “somewhat discriminatory” to “very discriminatory”. This result reflects, among other things, the traditionally good operational cooperation between the railways. However, it also shows that there are still areas that require action.
Regarding local delivery services, the majority of the surveyed EVU that use such services reported that access to these has improved since the implementation of Art. 6a of the GüTV in 2020. Furthermore, about 82% of the EVU indicated that their requests for local delivery services had been rejected at least once – in most cases due to a lack of resources.
Introduction of a “Round Table”
The assessment of the EVU is important as it provides valuable insights into the state of non-discrimination in the railway industry. To maintain the dialogue with the EVU, RailCom is introducing a “Round Table”. This takes up a suggestion that was expressed in the survey.
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