Réseau Ferré de France collaborates with other players involved in the
sector in order to help maintain and develop the national railway network. At national level, the 1997 reforms clarified the roles of each player.
who’s who in the railway sector
The French railway network is structured around a group of companies and bodies that cater to the various organisational requirements: administration, management, operation, renovation, safety, development, etc. As the network owner and manager, Réseau Ferré de France plays a pivotal role among these organisations.
The liberalisation of the railway market in terms of freight and passenger transportation has altered how the system is organised. To ensure a wider range of services, new organisations tasked with overseeing safety and the correct functioning of competition have emerged as part of a rationale of neutrality and transparency.
Structuring of the network
The government defines the network’s general orientations, makes decisions on major works, participates in the financing of projects and the renovation of the network, etc.
The regions are taking on a growing number of responsibilities in the area of public transport. On 1 January 2002, they became regional transport organisation authorities. They make a significant contribution to defining transport policies and financing the development of the network, particularly under State/Region Strategic Plans (CPER).
Network operation and management
Réseau Ferré de France plays a key role within the railway system. As the owner and manager of the French railway network, it decides what targets to apply in terms of traffic management and how the network is run and maintained. Its main commercial activity consists of selling slots, i.e. allotting time periods during which trains can transit from one point to another.
The Department of Railway Circulation (DCF) has since 1 January 2010 been responsible for traffic and circulation management on behalf of Réseau Ferré de France. This independent entity, which forms part of SNCF, guarantees fair and completely transparent access to the network for all railway companies.
Railway companies are responsible for the transportation of passengers and goods. They pay fees to Réseau Ferré de France in order to be able to run their trains on the network. Since the network was opened up to competition, new passenger or freight transportation companies have been given approval to operate on the French railway network. RFF, the network manager, provides them with the slots and infrastructures that allow them to operate, in the same way as the SNCF.
Network maintenance and development
As the project owner supporting network amendments and development, Réseau Ferré de France delegates construction and modernisation work on its infrastructures to representative companies (SNCF, SCET, XELIS, SYSTRA, SETEC, etc.), which must meet its sustainable development requirements.
Réseau Ferré de France also employs companies that specialise in large infrastructure projects to carry out major construction work. As such, Eiffage, Vinci and Bouygues are involved in partnership or concession contracts, notably involving construction projects on high-speed railway lines (LGV).
Delegated by Réseau Ferré de France, activities involving the maintenance and renovation of the existing network are, by law, carried out by SNCF Infra.
Safety and free access to the network
The Public Establishment for Railway Safety (EPSF) works on behalf of the Minister for Transport to ensure compliance with safety rules and consistency in technical conditions and operational safety for all railway companies.
The Railway Activities Regulatory Authority (ARAF), created by the Act on the Organisation and Regulation of Railway Transport in 2009, is an independent administrative authority tasked with guaranteeing equal treatment for all organisations involved in the railway system. It ensures that access to the national railway network is provided under equal conditions for all railway companies, and that the development of competition is not hindered by rules governing the pricing of infrastructures in particular.
European organisations (Commission, Parliament, Railway Agency) also help to define and ensure compliance with the rules imposed on all national companies.
European Infrastructure Managers (or EIMs) are also working on the gradual creation of an interoperable European network. The EIM Association is currently chaired by Mr Hubert du Mesnil, Chairman of RFF.
