Ayuntamiento Square will act as the headquarters of a campaign that aims to raise public awareness of freight rail in the future of sustainable transport.
Many authorities have joined forces to support this European initiative that seeks to raise awareness of the need to create a supply chain free of CO2 emissions, where the train is the central axis.
Valencia, October 2021.- Ayuntamiento Square in Valencia this morning hosted the official inauguration of the “freight via rail” campaign, a traveling European initiative that will tour different Spanish cities.
The CEO of Transfesa Logistics, Bernd Hullerum, claimed that “it is a historic day”, since, for the first time, railway companies, public institutions, clients and institutions that fight against climate change have joined forces. In this regard, he explained that “this campaign has already been launched in Germany, the United Kingdom … It is a European movement, a train that will not stop. We started here in Valencia as it is a strategic place for freight in our country, since it is the corridor with the most rail traffic and as the Mediterranean corridor will be vital for our connection with Europe.”
In Hullerum’s words, “The railway is the key to reducing CO2 emissions from the transport sector, which today account for almost 30% of the total. It is for this reason we have removed this container from the terminals and make it visible.”
With this mode of transport, he added, “CO2 is reduced by up to 80%. External costs are also reduced by up to 50%, which means fewer deaths or fewer road works, for example. It consumes 6 times less energy, is 9 times better in terms of CO2 emissions and 8 times better in terms of air pollution.
Hullerum pointed out that forecasts indicate that in 2030 there will be 30% more goods transported. For this reason he has insisted that “the moment is now, If nothing is done, this freight will be transported by road, meaning 30% more CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. We have a golden opportunity to leave a better world for future generations.” Furthermore, to achieve emission-free supply chains, he explained that the key is intermodality, the combination with the electric truck, a fundamental ally of the train, for last-mile journeys.
In turn, Inmaculada Rodríguez Peñero, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, highlighted in her speech that Europe must lead actions against climate change and fulfil its commitment to be the first climate-neutral continent in 2050 “owing to this commitment, we are here. Backing freight railway is strategic.” However, she clarified that there is still much to be achieved to overcome the current drawbacks “It will be useless to convert our locomotives and tracks to European gauge, if this is not accompanied by improvement and expansion works in France and with a standardised system throughout Europe of all 27 members, and without overlooking the United Kingdom and beyond the borders of Poland. The European Commission must lead this commitment and foster system standardisation, so that the same train can go from Alicante or Valencia to Paris, Vienna or Turin without having to change the locomotive at each border. For Valencians, as an exporting economy, our future depends on this. This is why collaborations must be undertaken with the private sector, coordinating and encouraging private and public investment. This morning’s event in Valencia is an example of how things must be tackled: public and private stakeholders, all together on the same train that must lead us to a future in which our economies become increasingly more sustainable and more competitive So, as the campaign slogan says: Freight via rail.”
Afterwards, Joaquín del Moral, general director of Renfe Freight Division, recalled that one of the main challenges of the company is the protection of the environment, hence 4 out of 5 trains use electric traction and are wholly powered by renewable energy. According to del Moral “to get the freight on the train we must offer agile solutions, be more efficient and competitive. Likewise, the Freight 30 initiative is grounded on the same ethos. We must readdress the balance of the current share of the transport system, increase the railroad’s stake, though with the support of the roadways for the final hauls. We currently operate 4,000 trains per month and the goal is to double this number in a few years. We are prepared to give our customers this service, reduce emissions and external costs and contribute to building an increasingly more sustainable world.”
Thereupon, the Government Commissioner for the Development of the Mediterranean Corridor, Josep Vicent Boira, detailed the evolution of this ambitious project, considered in Europe as one of the priority infrastructures and which will also be key in the fight against climate change. For Boira “Putting freight on the train is the DNA of this route, which will be 100% interoperable with Europe and will also bring major benefits to the Valencian Community, the region that currently transports the most tonnage by road. If by 2030 a freight quota of 30% is reached in this corridor, with origin and destination in Valencia, 137 national trains and 19 international trains would run on a monthly basis. Companies and economic activity are waiting for the train.”
The Deputy Mayor of Valencia, Sandra Gómez, after describing the role of the train in the city, has also stressed that “smart cities must be created that allow us to organise productive activities and human traffic more efficiently within the framework of a new map of mobility of which freight transport must also come to the fore. And this is where the railway has to play a standout role if we want to achieve the targets set by the European Commission so that by 2050, European transport is more sustainable and allows the development of a competitive system that increases mobility and enhances growth and employment. Although by 2030, 30% of road transport must be transferred to other modes of transport, such as the railway, by 2050 this percentage must amount to 50%.”
Gómez reminded us that one of the greatest advances that is being made to put freight on the train are the advances in the Mediterranean Corridor “it is a common demand of all political, social and economic agents and with this we are taking a giant step towards to be one of the best connected cities, not only with our port and our airport, though also at the railway level. Since this project will be essential to complete the role played by the Port in this transport chain.”
When the moment came for the Managing Director of Planning and Evaluation of the Railway Network, Casimiro Iglesias Pérez, came to speak, he provided details of the Plan entitled “Freight 30”. Pérez explained that this initiative consists of 29 actions focused on six priority areas: Infrastructure, capacity management, strategic terminals, rail highways, digitisation, and an aid programme for freight transport.
According to Pérez, one of the most innovative aspects will be eco-incentives in order to promote rail freight and its contribution to reducing emissions. He also unveiled that this document will be able to be downloaded shortly on the website of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Development Agenda.
Finally, the Minister for Infrastructures of the Valencia Regional Government, Arcadi España, has appraised the weight of this region in economic and commercial activity “It is an industrial community, a great exporter of very diverse products (oranges, toys, cars, etc. .). For this reason, the current transport system must see an overhaul, taking into account the criterion of sustainability. To this end, and to advance in environmental matters, it is very necessary that there be a solid alliance between production companies, railway companies and operators and the public administration.”
A campaign with major backing
The launch of this campaign has been very well received by companies and institutions that see in the train the solution to decarbonise transport. In line with their environmental commitments, they wished to make a much-needed proposal a reality, that of caring for the environment in which they carry out their activity, designing an emissions-neutral intermodal supply chain and calling on society to form part of the change.
This has been promoted by the railway company DB Cargo, and in Spain it has as sponsors Transfesa Logistics and Renfe Freight Division, along with Ermewa, Medway,the Port of Valencia and Stadler Valencia. Also collaborating herein are Adif, the Valencia City Council, AM FRESH Group, the European Parliament, the Spanish Railways Foundation, the Department of Territorial Policy, Martinavarro, Public Works and Mobility of the Valencia Regional Government, Logitren, Low Cost Rail, Railsider Logística, SanLucar, The Climate Reality Project Europe, Tobsine España sl and VTG.