Mafex members give their opinion on the importance the railway will have in the future of mobility

REPRESENTATIVES FROM MAFEX COMPANIES PROVIDES US WITH THEIR VISION ON THE ROLE OF RAILWAY AS THE MAIN CHARACTER OF SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY AND WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE NEW STRATEGY OF SAFE, SUSTAINABLE AND CONNECTED MOBILITY.

 

 

LEOPOLDO MAESTU
Managing Director
Alstom Spain and Portugal

“Rail collective transport, with the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger, will play a decisive role in the fight against climate change”.

 

 

 

The health or economic crisis should not make us forget the fact that climate change remains the huge threat to our society. In this context, there is an urgent need to reduce the environmental impact of mobility. And we are only going to achieve this reduction with efficient, non-polluting collective transport systems, such as the railways, without a doubt.

Rail collective transport, with the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger, will therefore play a decisive role in the fight against climate change and in the design of inter and intra-urban mobility.

In coming years we will see new mobility formulas appear, new solutions, both individual and collective, for a demand that, once these “non-mobility” times are overcome, will grow exponentially. However, at Alstom we believe that the railway will continue to play a transversal and central role in this new mobility. The incorporation of new traction systems, such as hydrogen, will help consolidate it as the most environmentally and sustainably efficient means of transport.

The transition towards a more sustainable, safe and connected mobility is an opportunity to boost the industry located in Spain. The Spanish railway sector has a consolidated value chain, talent, capacity for innovation, and an industrial and technological base that allows us to respond to the needs of this new mobility, generating wealth, economic development, jobs, etc.

The crisis generated by COVID has highlighted precisely the importance of strengthening our business fabric through its tractor companies. We must work hand in hand, both the private sector and public institutions, to make the most of the opportunity we now have, to present industrial projects that generate value, wealth, employment; projects focused on sustainability and digitization.

 

 

Carlos Alonso
CEO
Ardanuy Ingeniería

“Apart from providing low or zero-emission transport, railway travel is a key ally in the fight against climate change”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainable mobility is a principle concern on a global level. In Spain, a new strategy is already being worked on in this field to respond to environmental challenges, apart from the opportunities brought forth by the digital transformation in all processes and operations. Furthermore, this roadmap is aligned with the European Green Deal and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Apart from providing low or zero-emission transport, railway travel is a key ally in the fight against climate change. Due to its numerous advantages in terms of efficiency, rail transport will be a fundamental element in promoting a connected and intermodal system that respects the environment.
An investment policy made to modernise of our railway infrastructures, one of the most advanced in the world, will also boost the reactivation of a green economy, in line with current challenges.

While moving forward on this path of change, counting on the expertise of Spanish engineering companies is an added value in the decision-making process when implementing different measures along these lines.

The know-how acquired in the development of the most modern transport networks, both inside and outside our borders, will be of utmost importance in responding to the new mobility model and turn our country into a benchmark for sustainable transport.

 

 

ÓSCAR VÁZQUEZ
Chief Comercial Officer (CCO) at Bombardier Transportation and President for Spain and
Portugal

“Mobility is a key factor for social cohesion and economic growth in any country”.

 

 

 

 

As the means of public transport which generates the least emissions per passenger, and in the fight against climate change, it is crucial that the railway, both in terms of passengers and goods, are positioned as the backbone of sustainable mobility in national transport policy and contribute to achieving the overall objectives of sustainability, which are part of the policies and initiatives promoted by the European Union.

The future is autonomous transport; safe, driverless mobility with automated control systems offering a very high frequency to meet the demand for public transport. But above all, the future is sustainable mobility. We are trying to develop autonomous vehicles that are increasingly lighter, more energy-efficient, generate fewer emissions and are better integrated with the environment, while working on fully integrated transport systems.

Mobility is a key factor for social cohesion and economic growth in any country. We hope that the New Strategy for Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility offers solutions to the real problems of citizen mobility and contributes to increasing the resilience of the sector, prioritizing those investments that bring the greatest social benefit. We value very positively this initiative of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda and we understand that it will make investment in the railroad one of its priorities. The railway sector and the New Mobility Strategy share fundamental pillars: safety, connectivity and social, economic and environmental sustainability; which we are convinced will mean that investment in the railroad sector will play a leading role in the reform programme to access its share of the European Union’s recovery fund.

 

ANDRES ARIZKORRETA
Chairman & CEO
CAF

“The present and near future of the sector involves addressing the development of new green energies”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The railway sector must clearly focus on the development of more sustainable and more environmentally friendly technologies since these will mark the future of public transportation.

The present and near future of the sector involves addressing the development of new green energies such as hydrogen, energy accumulation, automation and the use of new materials, as well as promoting intermodality in transport systems.
It is necessary that the administrations help in the financing and execution of technological and innovation projects, mainly those that may be more relevant in the field of new mobility.

The different stakeholders and the administrations must work together establishing different forms of collaboration to achieve the capacities that allow us to compete and become a benchmark in the strategic sector of the mobility of the future.

 

JOSE MIARNAU
CEO 

COMSA Corporación

 

“We are immersed in a social transformation that will completely change our conception of mobility”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the current context of combating climate change, the railway has emerged as a great solution for the transport of people and freight due to its potential in the process of decarbonisation of the economy. At COMSA Corporación we have been developing railway projects for more than 125 years, so we have always been confident in the role of the railway as a promoter of green, efficient and safe mobility.

We are immersed in a social transformation that will completely change our conception of mobility and that is why it is necessary for all the agents involved in the sector to show our commitment to the development of this infrastructure as a key part of the new sustainable gear. Investment in the railway must be a priority if it is to play a leading role in this process.

 

 

ENRIQUE HORNOS
CEO
ICON Multimedia

“It is essential to create synergies in the industry that will help efficiently to manage urban and interurban transport traffic”.

 

 

“ Mobility, safety and environmental strategies require new solutions that will place the Spanish railway industry at the forefront. The application of new technologies contributes decisively to this objective, although it does not exclude the implementation of other complementary measures undertaken by the Public Administration.

In the face of this, there are many companies that are devoting great efforts (both human and economic) towards this purpose, because we firmly believe in it.

At ICON Multimedia we are aware that the “new reality” we are experiencing has led to a “new mobility”, which has been reduced in favor of private transport. Therefore, for us, as providers of crucial infrastructure services such as Passenger Information Systems, it is essential to create synergies in the industry that will help efficiently to manage urban and interurban transport traffic, promoting intermodality and connectivity, and helping to improve mobility by making it not only more sustainable and accessible, but also safer from a social and health perspective, since a perfectly informed citizen is a responsible and efficient user in his or her journeys.”

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BERTA BARRERO
Head of the Transportation Department
Indra

“A more sustainable mobility requires increasing the competitiveness of the railroad so that it captures a greater market share”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spaniards lose up to 150 hours a year in traffic retentions, 10% of the working day, at a cost of 5,5 billion euros per year. Adding this to the environmental and accident costs, it represents losses of almost 30 billion euros per year derived from the problems of the Spanish mobility model.

A more rational use of the different modes of transport, increasing that of the railroad as the most efficient and clean means of transport, would reduce these costs and generate important benefits in environmental terms.

Regulations that will emerge from the New Mobility Law need to take a stand in this regard, especially in the field of goods and logistics, establishing, for example, a sustainable transport certification.

For a more sustainable, intelligent and efficient mobility, it is also Paramount the global integration of transport, traffic, infrastructure and logistics data.

A more sustainable mobility requires increasing the competitiveness of the railroad so that it captures a greater market share. The key challenges would be to reduce emissions, CAPEX (investment) and OPEX (operating expenses) through new business models, and protect critical infrastructure.

We need solutions that take advantage of the existing rail infrastructure, and increase the frequency of the rail services offered, specifically the capacity of freight transport and commuter services. It is also a priority to improve global safety, also in health terms, with a global management of rail transport that automates and secures decisions.

At the same time, it is key to invest in a progressive digitization of passenger services and in a vision of global, multimodal and integrated mobility, with the railway as its backbone.

 

 

LUIS MANUEL CORRALES 
Director General
Lantania

 

 

“We find very useful having a medium and long-distance railway net for daily use”.

 

 

 

We live in a changing world facing a new paradigm of work. Beyond the introduction of teleworking, new generations of workers have evolved in their motivations for their professional development. They value flexibility, sustainability or social responsibility above many other traditionally highly appreciated aspects, such as financial benefits.
In this context, the role of the railway becomes vital to achieve the flexibility demanded by these new generations of workers and these changing environments.

Nowadays we do not need to go to the offices daily, so having a good railway infrastructure has changed, if we understand it as the need to have a metro or suburban station nearby. We find very useful having a medium and long-distance railway net for daily use. In the coming years we will see many professionals who live far from major population centers, thus helping rural development and sustainability, moving one or two days a week to the offices for which the railroad is a clear backbone.

Investments in infrastructure help the development of the areas over which they exert influence, their inhabitants perceive clear benefits from the moment they are put into operation. Additionally, they are a necessary source of development and work in the present times.

Public administrations linked to investments in mobility play a double role, helping to boost the economy by generating quality work and also giving tools to companies and employees so that their work can be more flexible.

 

IÑIGO PARRA
CEO
Stadler Rail Valencia S.A.

“The railway contributes to social and territorial cohesion and is the most sustainable land transport mode”.

 

 

 

 

The railway contributes to social and territorial cohesion and is the most sustainable land transport mode due to its efficiency, high capacity, and low emissions. But there is room for improvement that will be achieved with the support and financing of the Public Administrations for R&D projects. Rail projects also have the potential to be tractor projects for other industries and can serve to the country’s reindustrialization strategy.
At Stadler Valencia we are aware of our social responsibility towards sustainable mobility and the creation of quality employment. Therefore we constantly strive to provide innovative, sustainable and durable rail vehicles for mainline and urban transport.

The paradigm shift towards the concept of mobility as a right, as well as the need to configure a mobility model that responds to the challenges of sustainability, digitization and safety constitute a great opportunity for the modernization of our mobility system. This initiative is worth a positive valuation on our behalf.

 

JESÚS SÁNCHEZ BARGOS
Country Director
Thales España

“The railway will be positioned as the best backbone alternative for any mobility strategy to achieve decarbonisation objectives”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking into account the sustainable development objectives assumed by the Spanish Government under the 2030 Agenda and in line with ODS 11, being one of its goals providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems, the railway will be positioned as the best backbone alternative for any mobility strategy to achieve decarbonisation objectives, playing a decisive role in the fight against climate change as the means of transport having the least emissions per passenger and as one of the most efficient in terms of capacity .

One of the main challenges to reach a global and sustainable mobility scenario is the incorporation of different actors both from different administrations and civil society and especially from industry, which will require a legal and financing framework that allows clear planning and definition of investments and new contracting models that also support innovation and technological development of transport.

 

LUIS RODRÍGUEZ LLOPIS 
President
IDOM

 

“We consider the entire life cycle of a project, with solutions that are resilient and safe”.

 

 

 

At IDOM, we aim to provide designs and projects that contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. For us, as professionals, this is a social responsibility and a legacy for future generations. We consider the entire life cycle of a project, taking a comprehensive approach to implementing railway projects, with solutions that are resilient and safe, reducing the impact of climate change.

We face climate and energy challenges that, if managed properly, will improve the quality of life for all people. Within an integrated intermodal transport system, railways have the potential to be spaces for clean mobility, providing universal accessibility, connectivity and proximity for citizens. They are a key element in optimizing the use and generation of energy, reducing CO2 emissions. From our point of view, all these aspects make rail the backbone of sustainable, intermodal and carbon-free transport.

Any strategy that is proposed to tackle the climate and energy challenges that we are facing today must be supported by the pertinent authorities and involve all the relevant entities and industry. For its implementation and to achieve the objectives, the most up-to-date knowledge must be available to bring about change as soon as possible. In IDOM we are ready to play our part. We believe it is important to launch and put projects into operation that bring together mobility and the generation with clean energies, alternatives to fossil fuels (H2, wind, tidal wave, …), thereby optimizing not just the structuring of the territory but also the generation and use of sustainable energies.

At IDOM, the global approach we take when designing any railway infrastructure is paramount. Therefore, we understand that this new strategy must be based on the principles of resilience and safety, while making a commitment to a more sustainable future to create hybrid spaces for clean mobility, where the latest technologies offer integrated operation, improving energy efficiency and the experience of the passengers and social inclusion.

AGUSTÍN ESCOBAR

CEO 

Siemens Movility Spain and South-West Europe Region

 

“It is essential that digitalization is the pivot on which this new mobility strategy is based”.

 

At Siemens Mobility we have always defended the role of the railway as the main axis of a more sustainable mobility for the coming years, both in the urban and interurban areas. Rail transport not only means making cities and regions more accessible, it means making them more sustainable and making mobility more inclusive for people, with a lower ratio of noise pollution, accidents or other related risks.

In terms of sustainability, passengers rail transport generates only 0.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions, making it the less polluting transport.

For this reason, we believe that, if rail transport is to be the main axis of sustainable mobility in the future, it is essential its immersion in digitalization, since this will promote greater automation and connectivity between railway systems elements, provide greater availability and reliability as well as an increase in frequency and capacity according to demand. This will allow operators to optimize not only the vehicles operation, but of the entire infrastructure.

At Siemens Mobility we think that the aim of this vision must be one that enables integrated, safe, reliable and sustainable transport, from the first to the last mile. We believe that railway systems must be the cornerstone of a new Mobility as a Service (MaaS), intermodal and passenger adapted, but it is also about making a collective effort to move forward together with other mobility suppliers.

We believe that, in general, the document for discussion in the public consultation process of this new mobility strategy is on the right track. Even so, we demand a long-term commitment and concrete measures, especially in aspects such as the financing of public transport and the promotion of R&D&I.

Regarding the latter, we see the impulse that is being given as very positive, something that we have been demanding for a long time for our sector and which we believe should include public-private collaboration.

In the same way, it is essential that digitalization is the pivot on which this new mobility strategy is based. It is a very good news that the public sector intends to promote, for example, the use of data in an open way for the mobility applications and services development.

Another aspect to consider is the impact on our sector of the Covid-19 crisis, which has marked a turning point and which requires long-term measures.

But we believe that, like all the strategies developed by the Spanish administration, the new Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility Strategy needs specific policies and budget so that the objectives they set can be carried out.

 

CARLOS PALACIO ORIOL

President

Talgo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since her foundation Talgo has been committed to develop efficient, intelligent and sustainable mobility solutions. Our technological quest for the lightest trains has finally been aligned with the need to face the climate emergency, and to do so by ensuring a fast and fair transition to a low-carbon economy.

Rail is the only realistic and immediate response to the need to minimize the carbon footprint of transport in Spain. That is why we are now committing ourselves to an ambitious strategic concept that fully inserts us in a country-wide project, in a radically new industrial chain: the hydrogen economy.

In 2023 we will make available Talgo Vittal One, the first hybrid electric and fuel-cell Commuter/Regional train, which will also be able to operate on secondary and non-electrified lines, and which will provide the connectivity that regions demand and deserve.