Change of perspective required
Hupac expects further significant growth in combined transport in the coming years. With the European Green Deal, greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector are to be reduced by 90% and railfreight traffic volumes doubled by 2050.
However, in order to shift more freight traffic from road to rail, Switzerland must change its focus from the Alpine transit routes to the entire north-south corridor, Hupac says.
The Swiss intermodal operator maintains that there is an urgent need to increase capacity in the Rhine valley south of Mannheim and supports the concept of a continuous double track and electrification of the Wörth-Lauterbourg-Strasbourg line well before 2030.
Nevertheless, the four-track expansion on the right bank of the Rhine will not be completed until after 2040 - that is too late for the modal shift, Hupac adds.
It is equally important to quickly improve power supply on the Bellinzona-Luino-Gallarate and Domodossola-Novara/Gallarate lines so that all trains can run with 2000 t in future. (ben)