Brussels, 26/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - The public hearing organised by the European Parliament's Transport Committee on 24 January discussed the challenges surrounding the unified rail signalling system in Europe (the European Rail Traffic Management System or ERTMS). Launched in the early 1990s, ERTMS aims to replace the 20 existing rail signalling and control systems with a single uniform system focussing on network interoperability, meaning that trains from any country will be able to travel on all European rail track without any technical incompatibility problems.
European ERTMS Coordinator Karel Vinck said the main aim was to create an excellent and competitive trans-European rail service in terms of safety, reliability and punctuality. He said that in order for the programme to be a success, huge support would be required from the European Union, particularly in terms of funding. The unified signalling system is predicted to be able to start on new high speed rail lines in 2007 or 2008. Experts expect interoperability to reach freight corridors around 2012. The most important factor will be success in the experimental Rotterdam-Genoa connection in order to reach critical mass, he said, adding that the system had already been successful in the countries involved but it was now a matter of seeing how it works for cross-border connections. Vinck kept repeating that it would not be possible to go further with firm support from the European Union.
Industry supports the project and has already invested several million euros in ERTMS since its inception, explained Friedrich Hagameyer of UNIFE (Union of European Railway Industries). He said that 20 incompatible systems co-exist at the moment, each of which requires a lot of maintenance and will have to be updated. He said ERTMS was a huge challenge to the rail industry. Jean-Yves Petit, representing transport workers, said he was in favour of technical harmonisation of the railways as long as the human and social side of the picture was taken into account. He drew attention to three vital areas - investment (avoiding the creation of a two-speed railway system); staff (carrying out a prior impact assessment on ERTMS and employment); and safety (ensuring all safety guarantees are respected).