NEWS:
Rail operators against increasing railtax. (copyd from
http://www.railion.nl/settaal.asp?taal=GB)
Managing Directors of cargo companies took their grievances to the Lower House
At around one oclock on Wednesday 30 November, four locomotives belonging to the Netherlands largest rail cargo operators (ACTS Nederland BV, Rail4Chem Benelux BV, ERS Railways BV and Railion Nederland NV) arrived at The Hague Central Station. Aboard were the managing directors of the companies, who feel their future is seriously threatened by the extortionate increases in railway tax that the Ministry of Transport, Public Works & Water Management proposes to implement in 2006.
Although the scheduled increases have already been proven to have detrimental effects on everyone involved, the Ministry still refuses to listen.
The four company directors therefore proceeded from Central Station to the Lower House, where they presented a document to Mr Pieter Hofstra, Vice Chairman of the Permanent Transport Committee.
This move by the rail cargo operators marks the start of a campaign next week to draw attention to the Ministrys refusal to listen. Between 18:00 and 19:00 hours, goods trains throughout the Netherlands will sound their horns to add force to the motto: Wake up, there in The Hague!
The document that the rail cargo operators presented to Mr Hofstra describes a number of examples of the practical effects that the proposed railway tax increases would have.
The increases in question vary from 35% to 260%, depending on the weight of the train. The consignments of ore and coal carried from the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam to the German hinterland are to be hit hardest. However, both the transport of steel and lime for the Dutch steelmaking industry and container trains from Rotterdam to Veendam and Southern Europe will also face increases which will raise the entire cost of transport by 3 to 12% in some cases. This amounts to a sum of around 5 million euros for the sector as a whole.
In a market where transport charges have steadily been declining during the past few years, while energy costs rose unabatedly, the rail carriers can simply no longer absorb such increases themselves. In order to survive, they will therefore have to include the full cost of railway tax in their rates. And given that prices in the transport market are largely dictated by East European road hauliers, this would prove fatal to the rail operators competitive position. A recent survey commissioned by none other than the Ministry of Transport, Public Works & Water Management*) shows that the proposed railway tax increases would cause the rail cargo operators to lose some 20% of their market volume.
The same report also shows that this decline in demand means that railway tax revenue would ultimately prove lower than if the increases were to be implemented gradually. The question therefore remains: who would actually benefit from such disproportionately large increases?
And last but not least, this railway tax increase would also have a highly detrimental effect on the Betuwe routes flying start. After all, reduced rail transport in 2006 would also entail reduced rail transport in 2007. And this would only place unnecessary pressure on the financial prospects of the Betuwe route.
*)Gebruiksvergoeding Spoorgoederenvervoer 2006-2007 - Policy Research Corporation 18-07-05
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Now something else....
Yesterday I was able to spot the oldest EMU + 2 coaches we have in Holland.
Here the C9002 "Jaap" + 2 coaches just before arriving in Haarlem.
And here the same consist in their second run passing Naarden-Bussum station.