Brussels, 09/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) and Eurelectric, the Union of the Electricity Industry, have joined forces to urge Europe's politicians to support electrification of surface transport. It is a vision that supports a modal shift to rail, with goods being transported by rail for medium- and long-distance journeys, the deployment of electric road vehicles, and the expansion of electrified public transport services in urban areas. The two associations believe that, for passenger transport, the technology already exists: greater use has to be made of rail, public transport, such as trams, and light-duty electric vehicles. Electrification of surface transport would help achieve the mobility goals set out in the Transport White Paper published by the Commission earlier this year. (MD/transl.rt)