DB and the Channel Tunnel

[John Ashworth]

Deutsche Bahn Channel Tunnel plan opposed by RMT

Posted: 13th August 2010 | Railnews

THE German state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn has taken a step towards running international services to London, by announcing a test run of an intercity train through the Channel Tunnel. But the test is being bitterly opposed by the RMT union.

DB chief executive Dr Rudiger Grube revealed plans to run an ICE-3, the newest version of the ICE model, through the Tunnel in October.

It is already known that DB is preparing to run services between London and Cologne and/or Frankfurt by 2012, a move made possible by the introduction of open access on international lines in Europe on 1 January this year, which ended Eurostar's monopoly between London and Paris/Brussels. Deutsche Bahn is also expected to bid for the infrastructure of High Speed 1 itself, which has been put up for sale by the government.

But the RMT said it would oppose the use of German trains through the Tunnel on safety grounds, claiming that a single ICE, at 200m, would be too short to comply with safety regulations. One rule is that trains must be at least 375m long so that one coach is always alongside an emergency exit into the parallel service tunnel.RMT general secretary Bob Crow said the union would fight any 'watering down' of safety standards. He added: "If those standards are tampered with simply in order to appease EU diktat it would be a major scandal with potentially lethal consequences.

“We are being sent a clear signal that European liberalisation takes precedence over staff and passenger safety in the Channel Tunnel as far as the EU are concerned and if the ConDem Government allow this outrage to be bulldozed through they will show themselves to be totally impotent when it comes to dealing with the European Union.”


RMT warns of safety risks on Euro rail link as Deutsche Bahn are set to begin test runs of non-compliant trains from October

Publication Date: August 13 2010
RMT

Rail union RMT warned today that tests using a Deutsche Bahn ICE (Inter City Express) train in the Channel Tunnel in October this year could open the door for other European operators to serve the UK and bring in a major dilution of current safety standards.

Under current safety regulations trains running through the Channel Tunnel must be at least 375 metres long – the DB sets, known as the ICE-3, are only 200 metres long. Current regulations also stipulate that trains must have inter-connecting fire doors to enable in-tunnel evacuation. The DB trains do not, creating an immediate and obvious safety risk. The trains also fail to match up with the escape system operational in the Channel Tunnel.

Eurotunnel, which owns the Channel Tunnel, have confirmed that the tests would be taking place, but have said that the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) is the arbiter for safety. RMT are warning that they may be prepared to dilute safety in the interests of expanding privatisation and liberalisation to comply with EU directives.

DB are also expected to bid to buy out the High Speed Line (HS1) between Folkestone and London which is up for sale in a desperate ConDem flogging off of a public asset for which the Government is hoping to raise around £1.5 billion even though it cost at least £7 billion to build. DB is certain to want to run competing rail services to London before the Olympics in 2012.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“RMT will fight any watering down of safety standards on the Channel Tunnel High Speed Rail Link – if those standards are tampered with simply in order to appease EU diktat it would be a major scandal with potentially lethal consequences.

“We are being sent a clear signal that European liberalisation takes precedence over staff and passenger safety in the Channel Tunnel as far as the EU are concerned and if the ConDem Government allow this outrage to be bulldozed through they will show themselves to be totally impotent when it comes to dealing with the European Union.”

[John Ashworth]

Channel Tunnel in German high-speed train test

1 September 2010 Last updated at 14:34 GMT
BBC

The German railway, Deutsche Bahn, says it will test a high-speed train in the Channel Tunnel between France and Britain sometime around 19 October.

Currently, only Eurostar is allowed to operate trains on the route and the move could widen rail competition.

Eurostar is owned by railways in the UK, France and Belgium, which are responsible for running the service in their own territory.

The German railway has asked repeatedly for access to the tunnel.

A profitable route for its high-speed ICE trains could be between the financial centres of London and Frankfurt.

Deutsche Bahn is also interested in expanding its network elsewhere in Europe, including a possible service from Frankfurt to Lyon and Marseille in southern France, but has met resistance from the French national railway SNCF.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn recently completed its takeover of the British company Arriva, which operates buses and trains across 12 European countries, for 1.8bn euros ($2.3bn; £1.49bn).

On Tuesday, the French and German transport ministries released a joint statement saying they had agreed to work together on changes to European rules covering rail and air transport.

As well as Germany's national rail services, Deutsche Bahn runs Chiltern Railways and rail freight services in the UK.