14/10/2009
RFF Board of Directors: Two important decisions
RFF Board of Directors : Two important decisions ( PDF, 83.8 kb )Hubert du Mesnil, Chairman of Réseau Ferré de France, began by welcoming Fabienne Keller to the Réseau Ferré de France Board of Directors, as decided in a decree dated 7 October 2009, to replace the late Adrien Zeller.
Ms Keller was appointed to the board for her knowledge and expertise on the regional and local aspects of railway issues.
On Wednesday 14 October, the Réseau Ferré de France Board of Directors approved the projects that target the National Railway Freight Commitment signed on 16 September 2009. It also authorised major rail supply contracts.
National Railway Freight Commitment
To put the National Railway Freight Commitment, which was presented on 16 September by Jean-Louis Borloo and Dominique Bussereau, into practice, Réseau Ferré de France, which was closely involved in the preparation stages, is taking all the relevant steps necessary to making it a success. For this ambitious process (which aims to bring non-road/non-air traffic up from the current 14% to 25% of the modal balance by 2022) to be a success, all the involved players must work together: the Government and RFF must cooperate with railway companies, carriers, major sea ports, local authorities, the European Union, etc.
RFF’s Board of Directors approved the projects presented, with a view to applying the National Commitment, and asked the Chairman to study the detailed financing plan and to respect the timetable set by the Government.
Marc Papinutti, the transport infrastructures director for the Ministry for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development, and Maritime Affairs thanked Réseau Ferré de France, whose proposals were used as a framework for the measures set out by the ministers. As the national railway network authority, Réseau Ferré de France will be the key player behind boosting rail freight.
The National Commitment includes the following eight priorities:
1. Setting up an efficient time-phased network of rolling motorways.
2. Doubling combined goods transport capacity.
3. Setting up local railway operators.
4. Developing high-speed freight transport between airports.
5. Creating a "freight-oriented network."
6. Eliminating the network’s bottlenecks.
7. Fostering rail service to ports
8. Improving service to transporters.
The investments under consideration represent around €7 billion before 2020.
Rail supply contracts
RFF’s Board of Directors authorised the following over a total six-year period (4 years + two possible one-year extensions):
granting two contracts to CORUS RAIL France, for an initial total of €351.1 million before tax, and to VOEST ALPINE SCHIENEN, for a total of €138.24 million; organising special tenders with the two abovementioned suppliers and with ARCELOR MITTAL Spain and LUCCHINI S.p.A. as needed; all for an initial total (RFF share) of €589.71 million before tax. The RFF Board of Directors also looked at the study on adapting SNCF’s industrial system and the consequences this type of investment would have on the case, with a total reduction of €8.1 million.
