REIF

REIF (Regional Infrastructure for Railway Freight Transport – Revitalised) aims to promote rail freight transport by improving the connection of regional railway systems to major European corridors. In the Central Europe area, rail freight transport is losing market share, and to reverse this negative trend, investment programs focusing on major corridors are currently underway. Complementing this initiative, REIF seeks to increase the modal share of rail freight transport through mitigation measures.

Specifically, REIF addresses critical challenges related to the lack of connectivity at the regional level by developing and applying tools to analyze regional potential for rail freight transport, identifying infrastructural bottlenecks, and proposing effective measures to preserve vulnerable connections or even rehabilitate closed lines. The project implements eight pilot actions that test innovative approaches to overcoming various discontinuities in regional railway networks within the participating regions.

Additionally, REIF examines the conditions required to activate new rail services, aiming to create regional action plans that define priorities and potential policy measures. Partners also develop regional strategies based on project outcomes, which will be integrated into regional policy instruments. Regional capacity-building workshops will train a pool of regional administration staff to sustain knowledge of the policy field within institutions.

REIF’s innovative approach is based on enhancing coordination and governance within and between regional contexts, with a particular focus on the transnational dimension.

The project includes the following activities:

• Analysis of rail potential in the involved regions
• Analysis of infrastructural bottlenecks
• Pilot actions to promote rail freight transport in participating regions
• Market analysis and demand assessment for rail freight in the involved regions
• Identification of policy measures and regional strategies with specific action plans
• Organization of training workshops to enhance rail transport planning skills for regional technicians and policymakers

ITL is involved in all project activities and implements them in Emilia-Romagna in close collaboration with regional authorities. This includes a baseline study, an analysis of the potential for rail freight transport and services, a catalog of identified bottlenecks in infrastructure and services, and a priority list of actions and policy measures. This will enable the region to develop a roadmap for implementing new infrastructure and services and integrating project results into policy instruments.

ITL also tests innovative solutions to address deficiencies in rail freight infrastructure and services through the implementation of three pilot actions in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region. It is responsible for organizing a partner workshop and the Transfer Conference, which brings together over 100 international stakeholders to promote the implementation of the transferability plan.