The trans-European transport network (TEN-T) plays a crucial role in securing the free movement of passengers and goods in the European Union. It includes all modes of transport and carries about half of all freight and passenger
movements. One of the key objectives of creating a multimodal network is to ensure that the most appropriate
transport mode may be chosen for each stage of a journey. However, for each mode, the infrastructure requirements
and the main problems needing to be addressed are different as this brochure sets out to explain.
By 2020, TEN-T will include 89 500 km of roads and 94 000 km of railways, including around 20 000 km of highspeed
rail lines suitable for speeds of at least 200 km/h. The inland waterway system will amount to 11 250 km,
including 210 inland ports, whilst there are a further 294 seaports and some 366 airports.
Completing the network by 2020 involves the construction of the so-called ‘missing links’, increasing the existing road
network by 4 800 km and rail by 12 500 km. In addition, about 3 500 km of roads, 12 300 km of rail lines, and more
than 1 740 km of inland waterways will be substantially upgraded.
Completing the networks will have a huge impact in reducing journey time for passengers and goods. A 2004 study [1] for the Commission indicated that significant time savings would be gained from the completion of the 30 priority axes/projects which form the ‘backbone’ of TEN-T, through a 14 % reduction in road congestion and improved rail performance. For inter-regional traffic alone the benefits are estimated to be almost EUR 8 billion per year. In addition, freight transport in the EU is expected to increase by more than two thirds between 2000 and 2020, and to double in the new Member States. Freight transport between Member States is expected to show the largest increase overall. Without TEN-T this increase in transport would be impossible to handle, and our rate of economic growth significantly slowed.
Completing the networks will also bring important dividends for the environment. According to the study mentioned above, on current trends, CO2 emissions from transport will be 38 % greater in 2020 than today. But completing the 30 priority axes will slow down this increase by about 4 %, representing a reduction in CO2 emissions of 6.3 million tonnes per year.
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