Page 8 - RFC Rhine-Alpine_Annual Report 2016

6 CORRIDOR RHINE-ALPINE – Annual Report 2016
Executive Summary
of train tracking and ETA information” (ELETA) as the first concrete follow-up measure was strongly supported by Management Board members of RFC Rhine-Alpine.
In June 2016 the annual CEO meeting of of RFC Rhine- Alpine took place. The focus of the presentation and dis- cussions was on the implementation status of the harmo- nisation of terms and conditions in four specific areas as agreed in 2015: timetable validity, cancellation deadlines, availability for ad hoc requests, ad hoc process. The work on the ad hoc process had been postponed due to the discussions on TTR, but was taken up again in 2016. At the end of 2016 all but two of the agreed harmonisation measures had been implemented. Information on the devel- opment was also given to the RAG and ExB.
The discussions with terminals and RUs in the TAG and RAG were intensified in 2016. It was clarified that both advisory groups were open to all potential participants (before: only participants invited by the individual ministries of the ExB) and invitations would always be published on the RFC Rhine-Alpine website in addition to the direct invitation to regular participants.
The TAG started a detailed discussion on the requirements for the use of Train Information System (TIS) by RNE for Terminals. A specific workshop on last-mile information in the TIS resulted in a pragmatic pilot approach driven by the TAG chairman Martin Bangen, Duisport, and DUSS as pilot coordinator. Several TAG members will partici- pate in pilot projects which are also strongly supported by RNE as coordinator of the TIS system. Information will be exchanged with the general ETA project resulting from the sector statement discussion.
Discussions in the RAG continued on cross-border inter- operability and infrastructure development. RFC Rhine- Alpine made the conditions for cross-border interoperability transparent with an overview table on responsibilities and rules on RFC border sections regarding safety certificate, authorisation of vehicles, driver certification, language and tail signal. The transparent overview was highly welcomed by the ECCO group and will also be adopted by all RFCs. It is published on the website of RFC Rhine-Alpine.
In 2016 a special focus in the RAG cooperation was put on the further harmonisation of the braking sheet West and on the use of plates as tail signals. Regarding the braking sheet harmonisation, RFCs and RUs coordinated the iden- tification of national particularities that should be abolished. The RAG chairman presented this to the ExB in November 2016. In the context of these discussions, many national particularities could already be abolished. The Dutch MoT commissioned a study on braking sheets on RFC Rhine- Alpine. As a result, changes will be made in Dutch law to support harmonisation.
A special RFC Rhine-Alpine RAG workshop regarding the use of tail signals took place at the end of 2016 with IMs, RUs and other stakeholder representatives. In this work- shop and as a result of the preparatory discussions on the corridor, Infrabel announced the Belgian plans to change to plates as the predominant solution by the end of 2017. Discussions about the possibility to allow plates at least on the corridor in northern Italy are continuing in 2017.
“Harmonisation between the RFCs made great progress in 2016.”