Luxembourg, 10/08/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment bank (EIB) granted a loan of EUR 105 million to AAE Wagon Finance for the acquisition of maximum of 7000 modern freight wagons, including intermodal transport wagons for containers and road vehicles, for the European railways. Rail freight for good should record an annual average growth of 2.5% underlines the EIB, which feels that the volume of rail freight could reach some 300 billion tonne-km by 2010 against 237 billion in 1997.
"The EIB is very pleased to be financing the investment as its supports EU policies to modernise transport systems and to encourage the transfer of freight traffic from road to rail. This will help reduce energy consumption, decongest road network, reduce noise and pollution and increase transport safety", commented the Bank's Vice-President, Peter Sedgwick.