What are the missing links in Europe? And how to fix the poor quality of cross-border rail connections?
Currently, ITEM is also involved in cross-border rail projects: that is an Interreg Project on cross-border rail in the Euregio Meuse Rhine (Transit) and an international rail project for Amsterdam. One striking experience: even in a cross-border region with relatively good relations between neighbours and a rather stable cross-border governance system, cross-border rail connections are poor compared to national connections. And improvements are long-lasting and cumbersome. Why is that? And what is the situation in other European border regions?
Jon Worth knows all about it. For more than a decade he has tried to make all of his business trips by train. As a self-employed person based with clients all over Europe that resulted in a lot of complicated journeys, and a fair amount of frustration. But rather than simply getting annoyed about the dysfunction of the railways, from 2021 onwards he has started to work more systematically on railway policy in the European Union. Why – if there are cross border railway problems – has the EU not stepped up to fix them? Today, Jon Worth is probably the expert in Europe with the most comprehensive knowledge on cross-border rail connections. Meaning, he travelled all over Europe to find out what the situation on the border is. In August, he just came back from a rail journey that encompassed another 25 000 km on 168 trains and a mass of experience and lessons learned.
Jon Worth will present some highlights of his journey and an analysis of “typical” border obstacle. He will elaborate on his view on 50-60 European borders where the solutions are simple, cheap and obvious. There will be enough time for a Q&A to discuss with him what is needed at the EU or national level to improve the situation. What about the future of European TEN-T investments, national strategies, ticketing and information systems, competition, consumer rights and other related topics?
