October 19th 2011
CER Conference
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here among these distinguished panelists and guests. I would like
to thank you for the opportunity to co-organize this event and thank the CER for their
continued efforts in representing the railway sector. I appreciate the attendance of
Minister Andrzej Massel and president of the PKP PLK management board Zbigniew
Szafrański.
As you probably know I am active in several aviation issues in the European Parliament.
I am engaged in the Single European Sky, SESAR, Air traffic agreements, Airport
security charges and air passenger rights.
Thus, I was asked to come and speak here today about whether or not high-speed
railways and aviation will work separately or can create a common transport system?
To do so we must ask ourselves a few questions.
The first question we need to ask is “can High Speed Railways and air transport coexist
or are they forever competitors”? Secondly, “is it possible to determine when it is best to
travel by High speed train or by airplane?
To answer the first question: It would greatly benefit us to begin thinking about how
these two modes of transport can come together in one location to form a centralized
transport hub where railway and air transport could be complimentary to each other.
I am convinced that these two components are capable of working as one to effectively
perform the task of moving passengers and goods efficiently throughout Europe. It is
quite evident that Airports, such as the one in Amsterdam - Schiphol, illustrates the
possibilities of air rail coexistence perfectly.
Many people ride the train to the Amsterdam airport to catch a plane. Likewise, many
people catch a train after their flight has landed. This airport demonstrates the
effectiveness of transportation balance very well. I liken this idea to that of a bicycle
wheel, where every hub needs to have its spokes. In our example the role of the spokes
acts as the access ways for high speed trains.
I am confident that the balance between these two methods of transport is what will
propel the future of transportation in the EU. A few days ago, when I was travelling
through Europe my plane was seriously delayed. On the Internet I could not find any
alternatives to assist me in reaching my final destination.
At that moment I started to think about putting together two timetables - utilizing planes
and high speed rail. In the future it would allow for not only the customer to find the most
efficient connections but also give the passengers the opportunity to book and pay for
the total combined ticket.
My second question was how to determine when it is best to travel by High speed train
or by airplane?
In my opinion air transport is, and will remain, an important part of the European
transport spectrum. Aviation allows EU citizens yet another option for travel that
perhaps may be more suitable for traveling further distances. Some experts consider
that the 800Km mark is the actual point that it is more advantageous to take high speed
rail rather than an airplane.
We tend to travel by train when it is of a short distance like that of London to Brussels,
because we can save time by not having to travel to airports which are located outside
of cities, where as train stations are mostly in the city centers. Also we save time by
avoiding the check-in counter, security control, and luggage drop-off etc.
On the other hand there are some areas in Europe where because of the terrain it will
not be possible to construct the high speed rail network. Hence the position of the air
carriers will remain unchanged in these regions.
In my opinion, a combination of rail and air, along with other modes of transport, can
make for a well-organized transportation system that will exceed environmental
expectations, as well as lend the opportunity to meet the needs of EU citizens.
Last year we witnessed how the balance between rail and aviation has its advantages in
times of emergency or natural disasters. We all remember the Kaos that ensued
following the eruption of the volcano in Iceland. In fact, I am willing to bet that many of
us in this room were faced with the task of trying to get somewhere and we couldn’t.
I agree with many of my colleagues in the European Parliament that we have to have
an alternative mode of transport which protects us form the paralysis we experienced
last year. The natural alternative in such a situation is of course high speed railways.
It is very interesting with what is happening in Poland these days. We are currently
working toward the implementation of the “Y” Shaped High Speed system and are
greatly anticipating the day when that system will connect with the rest of the EU high
speed rails. In this context I am very interested in how the “Y” shaped High Speed
system will affect the development of the centrally located airport in Lodz.
As members of the TRAN Committee, I can say that we have made great strides in
implementing policies that have, and will, vastly improve the high speed rail system and
air travel.
In addition, we must be careful to make sure that all the necessary resources are
utilized to assure an equal balance between both high speed rails and aviation
methods, to help sustain a complimentary and efficient transport system in Europe.
As we all know, throughout history Railway stations and airports were not only
separated by many kilometers but were also staunch competitors. In this modern age I
think it wise to break down this barrier and move them closer together not only in
proximity but also in cooperation for the better good of our citizens, because simply put,
"trains are planes without wings".
I do believe that the previously mentioned idea regarding centralized hubs is the way of
the future for European transport. These days it is all to common to think of a hub in
reference to an airport, however, I think we can modernize this title by implementing a
true multi-complimentary transport hub including aviation and high speed rail transport.
The aforementioned idea of uniting the plane and rail timetables will be a significant
step forward.
In conclusion, I would like to stress one more time that I strongly support the
development of the high speed rail system in Europe, and I strongly advise in merging
this system with existing air transport systems.
Thank you very much and I appreciate your attention.