Since 1995, European countries have invested 66% more in highways than rail connections. “We spend more money on means of transport that emit the most greenhouse gases,” says Joeri Thijs, spokesperson for Greenpeace.

Greenpeace Central en Eastern Europe requested a study by the Wuppertal Institute and think tank T3 Transportation. That study revealed that over the last thirty years, European countries invested about 1 500 billion euros in roads and highways and ‘hardly’ 930 billion euros in rail infrastructure.

More roads, fewer rails

The Greenpeace report indicates that the European road network became 60% longer, which equates to 33 000 additional kilometers, while the rail network shrank by 6,5% or 15 650 km. For some countries, such as France and Germany, that decrease is more than 10%.

In Belgium, where the road network was already very dense, we now pay the price for those extra roads and lanes through more traffic jams and emissions.  According to Joeri Thijs, investments to increase capacity, such as Oosterweel, do not solve the traffic jam problem. “On the contrary, extra capacity attracts more traffic.”

Alternative to the car

Road transport is responsible for almost one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions within the EU. So, according to Greenpeace, it’s a trend we must reverse as soon as possible. The European transport sector emitted 15% more greenhouse gases in 2019 than in 1995.

“When we look at the figures for Belgium, our country is not the worst student in class regarding rail investments,” Thijs explains. “Yet, we can and must do much better. Additional investments in public transport is necessary if we want to offer people an accessible, reliable, sustainable, and affordable alternative to the car.”

Subsidy flows

Greenpeace calls on European political leaders to finally shift the priority of investments from road to rail. Additional resources should make affordable ‘climate tickets’ possible for domestic public transport and European routes.

“We also need to shift subsidy flows, such as unfair tax benefits for air traffic,” Thijs says. “Airlines still do not pay VAT on kerosene, while train tickets are taxed.”

Finally, there are still some ‘quick wins’ possible. “In France and Spain, for instance, many old regional rail connections have been abolished while the infrastructure is still there. Better coordination between countries and railway companies could easily put those tracks back in use,” Thijs concludes.