2023-09-21 16:12:26
Published on September 19, 2023 at 12:05 p.m.Updated September 21, 2023 at 8:38 a.m.
This is a study that might cause a new shock, at a time when European countries are investing massively in the ecological transition. A report published by Greenpeace on Tuesday highlights that Europe has built more than 30,000 km of motorways since 1995, while 15,650 km of lines and more than 2,500 stations have closed.
This report, commissioned by the environmental NGO at the Wuppertal Institute and the think tank T3 Transportation, examines investments in road and rail infrastructure from the 27 EU countries, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Strong disinvestment in rail
All of these countries thus spent, over this period of twenty-three years, some 1.5 billion euros to extend their highway network compared to only 930 million in their rail network. Between 2018 and 2021, the difference has narrowed significantly, but remains high, with 34% greater investments in road than in rail.
This disinvestment in rail resulted in the closure at least 13,717 kilometers of railway tracks intended for regional passenger transport, or 87% of the losses. The report estimates that half of them might “be relatively easily reopened”.
“Millions of people outside the cities have no choice but to own a car to get to work, take their children to school or access basic services, living in areas with little or no public transport », denounces Lorelei Limousin, climate campaign manager for Greenpeace EU, quoted in a press release.
Eastern countries pinned
Between 2015 and 2018, only three countries invested less in roads than in rail: Belgium (68% less), Austria (62%) and the United Kingdom (16%). The flat country thus increased its rail network by 7.3%. Conversely, the United Kingdom saw its decline by 3.9%, and Austria by 12.4%.
France has invested approximately twice as much in road as in rail. If we consider the level of investment per capita, France is the eighth country having invested the most in rail and the fifth country which has invested the most in motorways. The French rail network has thus been reduced by 12.9%, twice more than the European average, while the motorway network has gained 3,385 km, the second most important development behind Spain.
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