A SURVEY OF FREIGHT TRANSPORT IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD: PART 1 - EUROPE

This article describes in detail the situation of rail freight in Europe as a whole and in specific European countries. In contrast to rail passenger traffic, rail freight traffic in Europe has suffered a decline during recent years: (1) a 30% fall in Eastern Europe since 1980; (2) a 7% fall in Western Europe since 1982. While rail passenger traffic is expected to grow during the next decade, rail freight traffic has already passed its peak, except for international traffic in transit countries. While the position of German railways in freight became relatively stronger, the French railway system had the sharpest drop but has now stabilised. British Rail's freight traffic reached its minimum in 1986, but has never really recovered. In the Benelux countries, rail freight is set to double. Switzerland and Austria have the highest proportions of international traffic in their freight. The sharp fall in Eastern European freight traffic has been due to new patterns of trade and declining economic activity. The former USSR has about half of the world's rail freight. Key European factors are as follows: (1) international freight is increasing; (2) intermodal freight has enormous potential, but not yet a large actual market share; (3) investment in freight transport is completely inadequate; (4) the role of freight transport needs clarification; (5) European standardisation of rolling stock would reduce freight costs.