Railway congress: problems and solutions
On October 24 – 25, Railway congress, the largest Russian transport forum, was held in Moscow in the State Kremlin palace, RZD-Partner reports. Five thousand delegates discussed the prospects of the Russian Federation Railway Transport Development Strategy till 2030. The project of the document was prepared by the RF Transport Ministry and OAO RZD with the assistance of the ministries, departments and federal districts. The Development Strategy of one of the most important economy branches has no analogues in the world practice.
Addressing with a welcoming speech to participants of the Congress, the RF President Vladimir Putin reminded that railwaymen were a basis of the national economy in Russia’s hard times and they helped the Russians to rub through a difficult stage of development.
At the same time, as the President noted, today consumers of railway services - customers of commercial transportation and passengers – make new, high demands to the railway transport work. And they have the right to think that it will be available and safe, and that they will get high-quality service. Such requirements should be key tasks for the branch.
Words of the President were not a revelation for the participants of the Congress. Such a problem has been on the agenda of railway sector for a long time.
But how can it be solved? Depreciation of the Russian railways basic assets critical size. Railway traffic can stop and paralyzes all Russian industry. That was the reason for the elaboration of the long-term program of railway transport development. It means realization of the innovative plan of Russia development, fulfillment of transportation requirements of the industry and people, stimulation of Russian machine building development, increase of the competitiveness, modernization of railways and rolling stock, creation of transport conditions for Russian economy growth acceleration.
During the plenary session and four working sessions, various aspects of the Strategy carrying out, variants of interested parties’ participation were considered, problems of financing and legislative maintenance were discussed.
We know well that railways development is a long-term process, investments into an infrastructure are enormous and concerned with many industries’ development. Technologies and capacities do not appear in one day, today Russian railways face with the lack of modern rolling stock. Other problems are the lowest level of transport provision in many regions and absence of transport approaches to prospective deposits.
“Refusal of a railway transport development in Russia would lead to delay of Russian economic growth”, V. Yakunin said at the Congress. “It is very important that the Russian Federation Railway Transport Development Strategy till 2030 got the support of Heads of the Federal Regions and the RF Government which approved it on September 6.
The RZD-Partner.Ru has already informed that the basis of the Strategic development is the macroeconomic parameters fixed in the Concept of long-term social and economic development of Russia. Programs of important branches development, such as energy and transport machine-building and international experience in the field of technical reequipment of railways are considered. According to the existing plans of social and economic development of the Russian Federation – energy and innovation - two variants of railway transport Strategy carrying-out were elaborated: minimal and maximal. Thus, a target variant is the maximal one which is focused on the innovative plan.
The Strategy includes also two stages of railway transport development. The first one is to be carried out in 2008-2015, it envisages radical modernization of the sector’s production basis with the purpose of the removal of all capacity restrictions and fulfillment of a growing demand for cargo and passenger transportation.
Carrying out of the second stage of strategic development (2016 - 2030) should increase the Russian transport cardinally due to the dynamical expansion of RZD’s network, opens new prospects of development for regions and economy sectors and stimulates additional points of economic growth.
“Today we can “look into the future”, appreciate the efficiency of these investments and results of the Strategy realization”, V.Yakunin noted. “In our opinion, they will be very important for all the interested parties. It is our contribution to the progress of Russia and the worldwide progress”.
What will the state get from realization of the Railway Strategy? Probably, first of all, infrastructural conditions of long-term innovative economic development will be created, the transport unity of the country will be provided. The main result for the regions will be acceleration of social and economic development, increase of employment level, living standards and mobility of the population. It will provide direction of the Russian cities development.
Consignors will also win from the Strategy realization. The geography of transport service will extend, there will be an opportunity of a choice between various classes of services. The Strategy carrying out will allow to increase the level of passenger service.
It is possible if one condition is observed. Unification of efforts of all the parties interested in the railway transport development: the states, regions and private business, including OAO RZD.
Addressing with a welcoming speech to participants of the Congress, the RF President Vladimir Putin reminded that railwaymen were a basis of the national economy in Russia’s hard times and they helped the Russians to rub through a difficult stage of development.
At the same time, as the President noted, today consumers of railway services - customers of commercial transportation and passengers – make new, high demands to the railway transport work. And they have the right to think that it will be available and safe, and that they will get high-quality service. Such requirements should be key tasks for the branch.
Words of the President were not a revelation for the participants of the Congress. Such a problem has been on the agenda of railway sector for a long time.
But how can it be solved? Depreciation of the Russian railways basic assets critical size. Railway traffic can stop and paralyzes all Russian industry. That was the reason for the elaboration of the long-term program of railway transport development. It means realization of the innovative plan of Russia development, fulfillment of transportation requirements of the industry and people, stimulation of Russian machine building development, increase of the competitiveness, modernization of railways and rolling stock, creation of transport conditions for Russian economy growth acceleration.
During the plenary session and four working sessions, various aspects of the Strategy carrying out, variants of interested parties’ participation were considered, problems of financing and legislative maintenance were discussed.
We know well that railways development is a long-term process, investments into an infrastructure are enormous and concerned with many industries’ development. Technologies and capacities do not appear in one day, today Russian railways face with the lack of modern rolling stock. Other problems are the lowest level of transport provision in many regions and absence of transport approaches to prospective deposits.
“Refusal of a railway transport development in Russia would lead to delay of Russian economic growth”, V. Yakunin said at the Congress. “It is very important that the Russian Federation Railway Transport Development Strategy till 2030 got the support of Heads of the Federal Regions and the RF Government which approved it on September 6.
The RZD-Partner.Ru has already informed that the basis of the Strategic development is the macroeconomic parameters fixed in the Concept of long-term social and economic development of Russia. Programs of important branches development, such as energy and transport machine-building and international experience in the field of technical reequipment of railways are considered. According to the existing plans of social and economic development of the Russian Federation – energy and innovation - two variants of railway transport Strategy carrying-out were elaborated: minimal and maximal. Thus, a target variant is the maximal one which is focused on the innovative plan.
The Strategy includes also two stages of railway transport development. The first one is to be carried out in 2008-2015, it envisages radical modernization of the sector’s production basis with the purpose of the removal of all capacity restrictions and fulfillment of a growing demand for cargo and passenger transportation.
Carrying out of the second stage of strategic development (2016 - 2030) should increase the Russian transport cardinally due to the dynamical expansion of RZD’s network, opens new prospects of development for regions and economy sectors and stimulates additional points of economic growth.
“Today we can “look into the future”, appreciate the efficiency of these investments and results of the Strategy realization”, V.Yakunin noted. “In our opinion, they will be very important for all the interested parties. It is our contribution to the progress of Russia and the worldwide progress”.
What will the state get from realization of the Railway Strategy? Probably, first of all, infrastructural conditions of long-term innovative economic development will be created, the transport unity of the country will be provided. The main result for the regions will be acceleration of social and economic development, increase of employment level, living standards and mobility of the population. It will provide direction of the Russian cities development.
Consignors will also win from the Strategy realization. The geography of transport service will extend, there will be an opportunity of a choice between various classes of services. The Strategy carrying out will allow to increase the level of passenger service.
It is possible if one condition is observed. Unification of efforts of all the parties interested in the railway transport development: the states, regions and private business, including OAO RZD.