European Commission joins Shift2Rail partnership

The EU puts it support behind the public-private undertaking to improve European railways.    The European Commission has become part of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership committed to the research of Europe’s railways and the investment of 1 billion euros ($1.26 billion) over the next six years.
   The partnership will work until 2020 “to deliver new technologies that will help to increase the quality, reliability and punctuality of rail services while also slashing their costs and facilitating cross-border travel,” according to a European Commission press release.
   A mix of rail equipment manufacturers and infrastructure management firms founded Shift2Rail, and they pledged to each invest at least 30 million euros.   The venture is currently looking for more European members who can invest, as a whole, 200 million euros.
   “Shift2Rail is a unique opportunity to develop strategic technologies and solutions that will radically improve the quality of EU rail transport for passengers and freight customers. Such innovations are vital in complementing the commission’s work on the 4th Railway Package,” Siim Kallas, the commissioner in charge of mobility and transport, stated. “At the same time, Shift2Rail will help to strengthen the competitiveness of European businesses and retain Europe’s leadership in the global rail market.”