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A new study suggests 60% of European railfreight customers expect demand to decline over the next year. But as Keith Barrow discovers, there are deeper concerns about the long-term prospects for the industry.

Mr Alain Flausch, CEO of Brussels Transport (Stib), sets out his priorities as the new president of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). David Briginshaw was at the UITP Congress in Vienna to hear what he had to say.

THE International Association of Public Transport (UITP) issued a bold challenge to its members at its 58th congress in Vienna, Austria, last month: double public transport's market share by 2025. The big issue is, of course, how this can be achieved, particularly in the current economic crisis.

NATIONAL Express (NE) is to be stripped of the British Intercity East Coast passenger franchise (NXEC) by the Department for Transport (DfT) after NE confirmed funding will run out later this year.

MAURO Moretti, CEO of Italian Railways (FS), says a mechanical failure in the first wagon of a freight train carrying liquid petroleum gas, which derailed and exploded at Viareggio last night, is the probable cause of the accident which has so far killed 16 people and injured another 50.

TAIPEI has reached a milestone in its ambitious plan to double the size of its metro network by 2014 with the opening of the 14.8km Neihu line. The city's mayor Mr Hau Lung-pin officially inaugurated the 12-station fully automated metro line, which is an extension of the Muzha Line from its former terminus at Zhongshan Junior High School to Songshan Airport, Jiannan Road, and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre.

NEW operators are set take over Melbourne's commuter rail and tram networks from the end of the year after the state government of Victoria decided not to renew its contracts with Connex and Yarra Trams. Metro Trains Melbourne, a consortium of MTR Corporation, Hong Kong, and Australian partners United Group Rail and John Holland has been chosen as preferred bidder to operate the commuter rail network from December, while KDR, a consortium of Keolis, France, and Downer EDI, Australia, will run the tram network.

THE ALGERIAN government has selected a consortium of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Turkish partner Ozgun Construction to carry out two major railway projects at a total cost of more than $US 3 billion.

HELLENIC Railways Organisation (OSE) is to be split into operating and infrastructure companies as part of a massive restructuring plan unveiled by the Greek government on June 23. OSE will continue to manage real estate, while Trainose will be responsible for train operations and Ergose will be the infrastructure manager.

A COLLISION between two trains on Washington DC Metro's Red Line on June 22 killed at least nine people and injured more than 70.