Now unions and politicians turn on Fret SNCF
Single-wagon services revamp under attack
Having been slammed by French shippers for downgrading its single-wagon services, Fret SNCF has now come under attack on the same issue from a lobby group of railway workers’ unions, environmental protection associations and left-wing politicians.
On Tuesday, they staged a demonstration near the French Assembly in Paris to demand the suspension of the state railway unit’s plans to reduce its single-wagon network by two-thirds and call for the opening of a public debate on rail freight transport.
The demonstration was supported by French Senator and Green Party member Jean Desessard, who claimed the cutbacks would result in an additional 1-2 million trucks on already heavily-congested French roads.
He said the Green Party was in favour of “an immediate moratorium” on Fret SNCF’s single-wagon plans and warned of “catastrophic consequences” for the environment with the “destruction of 6,000 jobs” if they went ahead.
Desessard added that the introduction of an HGV tax – for which provision had been initially made in a French state programme of sustainable development measures but subsequently shelved – would have generated sufficient funds to allow Fret SNCF to continue its current single-wagon activity.
He said: “In the field of freight transport, as in the case of many others, the state no longer wishes to provide a service of general interest.”
A delegation from the demonstration was received in the office of the Minister of the Environment, Jean-Louis Borloo, whose porfolio also includes transport.
Today, a steering committee set up to pilot the state-initiated Rail Freight of the Future programme, unveiled last autumn, is expected to convene its latest meeting, chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and attended by rail unions, SNCF and shippers.
During the meeting, oponents of Fret SNCF’s single-wagon plans will have an ideal opportunity to get their message across.
However, Pierre Blayau, head of SNCF Geodis, dismissed the criticism “as contrary to reality”, and warned that the reform will not be suspended.
On Tuesday, they staged a demonstration near the French Assembly in Paris to demand the suspension of the state railway unit’s plans to reduce its single-wagon network by two-thirds and call for the opening of a public debate on rail freight transport.
The demonstration was supported by French Senator and Green Party member Jean Desessard, who claimed the cutbacks would result in an additional 1-2 million trucks on already heavily-congested French roads.
He said the Green Party was in favour of “an immediate moratorium” on Fret SNCF’s single-wagon plans and warned of “catastrophic consequences” for the environment with the “destruction of 6,000 jobs” if they went ahead.
Desessard added that the introduction of an HGV tax – for which provision had been initially made in a French state programme of sustainable development measures but subsequently shelved – would have generated sufficient funds to allow Fret SNCF to continue its current single-wagon activity.
He said: “In the field of freight transport, as in the case of many others, the state no longer wishes to provide a service of general interest.”
A delegation from the demonstration was received in the office of the Minister of the Environment, Jean-Louis Borloo, whose porfolio also includes transport.
Today, a steering committee set up to pilot the state-initiated Rail Freight of the Future programme, unveiled last autumn, is expected to convene its latest meeting, chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and attended by rail unions, SNCF and shippers.
During the meeting, oponents of Fret SNCF’s single-wagon plans will have an ideal opportunity to get their message across.
However, Pierre Blayau, head of SNCF Geodis, dismissed the criticism “as contrary to reality”, and warned that the reform will not be suspended.
Click here to email the editor and comment on this story
Receive our FREE news email bulletin click here
- 13 − 15 March 2012
- 22 − 23rd March 2012
- 25th April 2012 for 12 weeks.
- 12 − 14 June 2012
