Combined transport is catching up

Chiasso, 22.7.2010 In the first half of the year, the traffic volume of the Swiss combined transport operator Hupac grew by 17.4% compared to the same period in the previous year. Bottlenecks in the rail system are inhibiting further growth. Expansion of the NEAT access routes by 2018 is essential for the shift of high-volume semitrailers.

Combined transport is regaining the volumes lost during the economic crisis. In the first half of 2010, Hupac carried 343,332 road consignments by rail – around 50,000 more consignments than in the first half of the crisis year 2009, but still 30,000 fewer consignments than in the same period of the record year 2008.

The core business of transalpine traffic through Switzerland recorded growth of 12.3%. Many special trains were deployed to cope with the new increase in traffic volume. In the relatively new business area of transit via Brenner, Hupac almost doubled the volume by introducing the Rotterdam <=> Verona and Antwerp <=> Verona connections. This route is particularly attractive for the transportation of high-volume semitrailers thanks to its continuous 4-metre profile. There was also a pleasing trend in non-transalpine traffic on the East-West axis with an increase of 20.2%. The Rolling Highway via Gotthard regained some of the lost volumes with growth of 16.2%.

However, the upturn is being impeded by serious bottlenecks in the European rail system. In recent months, insufficient locomotive and staff resources, building sites and storms have led to critical situations with serious delays and tailbacks across economic areas. "We are working closely with our rail partners to overcome the existing operational problems," says Hupac's managing director, Bernhard Kunz. Yet the current situation also shows how important the close integration of processes between the railways and the combined transport operator is. Hupac's minority shareholding in the forthcoming SBB Cargo International thus represents a chance for a structural optimisation of processes.

Hupac cooperates with various railway companies and campaigns for open rail markets. Experience shows that competition leads to a positive environment and better conditions in rail freight transport. In the core business of Alpine transit through Switzerland, Hupac currently works with SBB, DB/BLS, Trenitalia and Crossrail. It continues to hold a stake (25%) in the Crossrail private railway, which was successfully renovated in recent months. The aim for Crossrail is the further development of traffic on the East-West axis.

Hupac is concerned that the expansion of the access routes to the Gotthard Base Tunnel has still not been tackled. By far the greatest modal shift potential in transit through Switzerland today lies in the segment of semitrailers for high-volume goods. Although the base tunnels at the Gotthard and Ceneri are designed for the rail transport of these so-called P400 trailers, the access routes in the North and South have a lower profile and must be adapted. "Whilst we are recording double-digit growth rates via Brenner, the trend in transit through Switzerland is stagnating," says Kunz. If the funds for the expansion of the access routes are only made available when the Bahn 2030 projects come into effect, it will take decades before the base tunnels can bring the expected benefit for modal shift. The forecast traffic growth would need to be handled by the roads instead of the railways. "If we want to achieve the planned modal shift target, the entire corridor must be expanded to 4 metres in time for the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2018," concludes Kunz.