Promoting the development of intermodal transport in selected Western countries – conclusions for Poland

The situation on the intermodal transport market in Europe and the layout and structure of connections between its main participants can be presented as follows: 

– in the European Union countries, there is no single and centralized organizational structure that would perform the functions of organizing and managing intermodal transport operations, which is obvious due to the need to comply with the principles of free and fair competition; 
– the leading role in organizing intermodal transport is played by National Intermodal Transport Associations, which act as intermodal transport operators and are simultaneously members of the UIRR (International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport); these associations, by purchasing transport services from railways, organize and supervise rail services in terminal-to-terminal relations; 
– the road carrier is responsible for acquiring transport orders, transporting shipments from the loading point to the terminal, and organizing their delivery from the destination terminal to the recipient using their own fleet or the fleet of partners.

Proper cooperation between rail and road transport is the basis for the success of intermodal transport operators, in accordance with the principle that combined transport will only be able to develop if the interests of both road and rail transport are taken into account.

According to the European Commission, achieving significant structural changes in the freight transport market in accordance with the recommended principle of sustainable transport development will be possible through the implementation of a package of the following measures promoting the shift of part of freight transport from road to rail and combined transport:

1) significant improvement in the efficiency and quality of rail services, including primarily the elimination of delays in the running of block freight trains and increasing the reliability and frequency of rail services, especially those provided in the intermodal transport system;
2) ensuring rail interoperability in the international system by eliminating existing technical, operational, and organizational bottlenecks in international rail freight transport;
3) improving partnerships and cooperation between train operators and rail infrastructure operators, and between them and intermodal transport operators;
4) improving the costs of rail operations and ensuring price flexibility;
5) ensuring long-term financing for rail infrastructure investments;
6) introducing effective and consistent taxes and charges for heavy goods vehicles;
7) effective implementation of basic regulations regarding road freight transport, especially in terms of weight limits, safety, driving times, work and rest periods for drivers, with simultaneous verification of the procedures and sanctions used.

However, one must be aware that railways, without any external help, will not be able to win the competitive battle with road transport. Union experts emphasize that railways will not become a modern branch of transport, worthy of the new century, if conditions are not created for their full and real liberalization, and if rail transport, and consequently combined transport, do not receive the necessary assistance.

Austria
In Austria, comprehensive instruments supporting combined transport are used – from financial support of up to 30% of investment costs for terminals, transshipment equipment, special equipment, and rolling stock, through subsidies for operating costs for railways, to discounts and exemptions from taxes and road usage fees, as well as exemptions from traffic bans, restrictions on the load capacity of road vehicles, or the location of eco-points.
Any financial aid, including that for combined transport, must comply with applicable law, with the legal basis depending on the specific title under which the financial measures promoting the development of combined transport are defined, while respecting the principles of European Union regulations in this regard.
The basic provisions and regulations concerning measures promoting the development of combined transport in Austria, including primarily state financial aid, are contained in the “Program for promoting combined road/rail/ship freight transport”, which was in force until the end of 2002. The program was adopted by the Austrian government in the form of an appropriate legal act and was accepted by the EC Commission due to the compatibility of its solutions with Article 87/3/c of the Treaty establishing the European Community.