Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-14-Speech-3-360"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060614.21.3-360"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, in the past, only the differences in rail width represented a barrier to cross-border and through trains. Since electrification, the differences in voltage and protection systems have cut the railway network up even more. We desperately need a common electronic protection system.
It looks like a number of variations on ERTMS will become the generally applied standard in 20 to 30 years’ time. The initial investments in ERTMS have been made, and many are sure to follow. The certainty of constant growth is of huge benefit to industry. If everyone wants to apply this system as early on as at the development stage, then this may lead to shortages and prices shooting up. Moreover, there is every chance that at least the first software version will need to be upgraded in the foreseeable future.
People who work for the railway companies need a great deal of preparatory training before they can start using ERTMS safely. For the time being, it mainly comes into its own as a secondary system alongside one of the 20 tried and tested systems. In the Netherlands, this has already contributed to delays in the use of new railway sections. Where ERTMS is applied without support of that kind, this initially leads to major delays and has, consequently, played havoc with timetables. In Switzerland, the average train delay during the first four months was 18 minutes and only then did things gradually change for the better. These teething problems mean that the system has not so far been hailed as a success by the interested parties. That is why, in order to turn this project into a success, we must draw a clear distinction between the experimental initial phase, during which it can be tested selectively so as to build up practical experience, and a fully-fledged phase, at which point we can rely on it 100%.
European Union funding must focus on this experimental phase with a view to making versions 2.3.0 and 3.0.0 reliable and to possible further developments without filling the coffers of industry unnecessarily. Until it can be fully introduced, we must make sure that the tried and tested protection systems are not neglected and prevent a further shrinkage of the railway network from becoming a means of quickly reaching good statistics with ERTMS. The only way we can probably raise the necessary funds is to impose an extra levy on freight transport, as is the case in Switzerland. That is why the previous decision on the Eurovignette needs to be adjusted."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples