Brussels emphasizes the crucial role of the Gotthard tunnel
Published: Monday, Sep 2nd 2024, 11:10
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The European Commission has emphasized the crucial role of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in the European rail network. The complete reopening will strengthen the rail transport axis between the North Sea and the Mediterranean in particular.
The base tunnel plays a crucial role in the North Sea-Rhine-Mediterranean multimodal transport corridor, a spokesperson for the European Commission told the Keystone-SDA news agency on request. The corridor runs through eight countries, namely Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and connects "economically strong regions".
According to the spokesperson, the complete reopening of the tunnel following an accident in August 2023 will "significantly increase the capacity of the rail infrastructure along the heavily congested corridor". This will contribute to the efficiency, sustainability and integration of European transport networks.
Report calls for checks on certain types of bikes
The European Railway Agency has drawn up a report on the accident, which was caused by a broken wheel on a freight wagon. The spokesperson said that this would help to ensure safety in European rail transport.
The publicly accessible report highlights possible defects or signs of wear and tear of the wheel type in question as well as similar wheel types. It also states that railroad operators should take improved risk control measures for the wheel types mentioned.
©Keystone/SDA
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