Today, the members of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Stakeholders Platform and European rail organisations signed a declaration renewing their commitment to the...
Today, the members of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Stakeholders Platform and European rail organisations signed a declaration renewing their commitment to the ERTMS programme, welcoming the ambitious targets in the revised TEN-T Regulation, and welcoming the further strengthening of the role of the EU ERTMS Coordinator, Mr Matthias Ruete. The declaration was signed at the EU stand at the InnoTrans fair in Berlin.
Speaking during the meeting, Kristian Schmidt, Director for Land Transport at the European Commission said: “It’s high time to complete the roll-out of a safe, single European rail traffic management system. With ERTMS, Everything Really Turns Much Simpler! I’m pleased that the signing of this Declaration signals the sector’s commitment to accelerate!”
Matthias Ruete, EU ERTMS Coordinator said: “I am pleased that all stakeholders have come together today to join forces to ensure the roll-out of ERTMS.The roll-out is key for modern and digital European railways.”
The declaration also outlined several key areas for action, including addressing cost drivers, establishing stable and predictable migration strategies, and managing changes with minimal impact on the existing installed base to protect investments. The role of Europe’s Rail System Pillar in supporting specification management by ERA was further reinforced, alongside a commitment to building both industrial and sectoral capacity, laying the foundation for a more attractive rail market. These objectives will form the basis for an updated Memorandum of Understanding for ERTMS, set to be fully endorsed by the entire rail sector.
Josef Doppelbauer, ERA Executive Director said: “We have arrived at stable and reliable system requirements with on-board equipment fully backward compatible with older trackside versions to protect investments.”
The list of signatories include: Kristian Schmidt, Director Land Transport European Commission; Matthias Ruete, European TEN-T Coordinator for ERTMS; Josef Doppelbauer, Executive Director European Union Agency for Railways (ERA); Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking; Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER); Monika Heiming, Executive Director European Infrastructure Managers (EIM); Torsten Lehnert, Vice Chair Association of European Rail Rolling Stock Lessors (AERRL); Nick Brooks, Secretary General of the Alliance of Passenger Rail New Entrants in Europe (ALLRAIL); Enno Wiebe, Director General of the European Rail Industry Association (UNIFE); Dirk Stahl, President of the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA); Michel Ruesen, Managing Director of the ERTMS User Group; François Davenne, Director General of the International Union of Railways (UIC); and Klaus Mindel, General Manager of UNISIG.
About the ERTMS Stakeholder Platform
The ERTMS Stakeholder Platform is not an expert group devising and monitoring specific actions, but it acts at the strategic and decision-making level to streamline overall coordination, to ensure an overall commitment, to define priority topics and to provide a general orientation to achieve progress on these topics. Its purpose is: