A new report reveals how European countries are cutting railways and building roads.
Europe’s railway network has declined dramatically over the past three decades, while investment in roads has risen, new research warns.
But with the funding gap between the two narrowing, could there be a light at the end of the (previously closed) tunnel?
The length of Europe’s motorways grew by 60 percent between 1995 and 2020, or 30,000 kilometres, according to research by the German Wuppertal Research Institute and T3 Transportation commissioned by Greenpeace.
Meanwhile, railway lines have shrunk by 6.5 percent, or 15,650 kilometers, and more than 2,500 railway stations have been closed.
The figures reveal how governments are prioritizing cars over railways, warns Lorelei Limousin, chief EU climate campaigner from Greenpeace.
“Millions of people outside cities have no choice but to own a car to get to work, take children to school or access basic services, or live in areas with little or no public transport,” she said.
“This is a direct result of governments dismantling local and regional rail networks while pouring money into roads.”
However, there is a slight upside to real-world research: the funding gap is narrowing.
Between 1995 and 2018, European countries spent 66 percent more on roads than on railways. During the years 2018-2021, European countries spent 34% more on road expansion than on railway extension.
However, the disparity is still shocking, Limousin commented.
“Governments and the EU must stop the dismantling of our train lines, reopen disused tracks, invest in railways – and stop huge road subsidies that destroy the climate, pollute the air and make people’s lives miserable,” she said.
Which European countries have invested in public transport?
Trains are one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel. Cars and vans are responsible for 72 per cent of transport emissions in Europe, while railways account for just 0.4 per cent.
But governments continue to pour money into polluting car infrastructure.
The EU27, Norway, Switzerland and the UK spent almost €1.5 trillion on road infrastructure and just €930 billion on railways over the period 1995-2020.
Ten countries have reported a net increase in the lengths of their railway networks since 1995. They are Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.
The bulk of rail closures occurred in Germany (down by 6,706 kilometres), Poland (down by 4,660 kilometres) and France (down by 4,125 kilometres). Despite this, these three countries still account for the longest total network lengths, followed by the UK and Spain.
Between 2018 and 2021, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom invested more in railways than roads. Other countries spent more on roads than railways. In Romania, the funding gap was particularly stark, with the government spending 12 times as much on roads as it did on railways.
Motorways grew most in Ireland, Romania and Poland, and least in Lithuania, Latvia and Belgium. In 15 of the 30 countries analysed, motorway length more than doubled, including Spain, Norway and Greece.
advertisementWhat do researchers think should be done to improve the European railway network?
Several European countries have launched cheap public transport fares in a bid to cut emissions. More than three million people have purchased the German Deutschlandticket at €49 per month.
But cheap prices are not enough. Greenpeace urged policymakers to pump money into railways, public transport and bike lanes, diverting them away from highways and airports.
Researchers believe more than 13,500 kilometers of closed railway lines could be reopened “relatively easily.”
“European countries are committed to reducing poverty in the areas of energy and transport, and
“They are committed to the Paris Agreement.”
advertisement“Therefore, from a social and environmental perspective, transportation infrastructure financing priorities must change accordingly.
