Skip to main content

Europe and Brazil implement open-access railway concession model

Brazil's ground transport agency ANTT and the European Railway Agency (ERA) have signed a memorandum of understanding and are working together to implement ANTT’s open-access railway concession model. The agreement calls for cooperation between regulators and for issues relating to technical requirements and standards to be addressed. Previously, Brazil's railway concessions included both the building and operating of railroads in one contract. Open-access, however, separates the transportation of car
September 30, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Brazil's ground transport agency ANTT and the European Railway Agency (ERA) have signed a memorandum of understanding and are working together to implement ANTT’s open-access railway concession model.

The agreement calls for cooperation between regulators and for issues relating to technical requirements and standards to be addressed.

Previously, Brazil's railway concessions included both the building and operating of railroads in one contract. Open-access, however, separates the transportation of cargo from the building and operating of lines. The new model is expected to open up more cargo handling opportunities, increase logistics efficiency, reduce freight costs, and improve Brazil's competitiveness.

While open-access is already widely adopted in Europe, ANTT launched its model in June, calling for independent railway operators to express their interest in freight transport along a stretch of the Norte-Sul railway built by federal rail company Valec.

The open access model, which is part of Brazil's overall strategy to improve its rail network, falls under the national logistics improvement plan, under which some US$40.9 billion has been earmarked to build and improve approximately 11,000 kilometres of railways.

Related Content

  • Modelling MaaS and making it happen
    June 15, 2017
    Colin Sowman looks at some of the emerging technology being introduced to evaluate and operate Mobility as a Service. The fast-growing interest in Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) has prompted the creation of a host of software systems for those wanting to become a MaaS provider or participate in MaaS offerings. Most recently, at ITS International’s MaaS Market conference, Portuguese company Brisa Innovation announced a name change to A-to-Be to reflect its increasing involvement in the MaaS sector with the lau
  • Aimsun solutions support new planning tool for low-carbon mobility
    March 8, 2023
    The EU-funded HARMONY research project is behind a new planning tool to support sustainable transport policymaking. Aimsun scientific researcher Lampros Yfantis explains the key role of traffic simulation with Aimsun Ride in planning for on-demand mobility and logistics services
  • South Africa's traffic management and enforcement gears up
    February 1, 2012
    Paul Vorster, CEO of ITS South Africa, takes a look at the national enforcement situation in the year when the country gears up to host the FIFA Soccer World Cup. There are four main drivers pushing the growth of ITS-related law enforcement within South Africa. These are: transport operations associated with hosting the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010; traffic management linked to increasing congestion; the development of new public transport systems such as BRT; and vehicle and driver-related crime.
  • A better use for the UK’s commuter railways?
    February 4, 2015
    A new report by think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs looks at an alternative to expanding the rail network in the UK. The report, Paving over the tracks: a better use of Britain’s railways?, by Paul Withrington and Richard Wellings outlines how commuters could pay over 40 per cent less for their journeys and more passengers could enjoy the luxury of a seat if the industry was sufficiently liberalised to allow some commuter railways in London to be converted into busways. The success of the bu