Technika a trh

34-35_CD_c_en.qxd

6.9.2023

18:50

Page 35

rail transport

"Thanks to this new contract, passenger

rail transport services will be ensured in

the territory of the Moravian-Silesian Region with an overlap to the Olomouc, Zlín

and Žilina Regions in Slovakia and the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland for the next

10 years. In addition, this will solve the

pressing issue of maintaining old vehicles

that no longer meet the new stringent

ECM requirements without simply replacing them with, for example, other older

vehicles that are not even available on the

market. The Moravian-Silesian Region is

striving to significantly reduce energy

consumption and CO2 emissions in transport. As rail transport is the backbone

mode of transport in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the Region focuses in particular on the acquisition of new low-emission

light rail vehicles, which, in addition to

traction-dependent vehicles (e.g. EMUs),

also include vehicles with hybrid propulsion (electric/battery) or alternative fuel

(hydrogen). We do not want to purchase

new diesel vehicles in the future, as these

cannot even be financed from subsidies.

We will only use electric, hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles," said Radek Podstawka, Deputy Governor for Transport of the

Moravian-Silesian Region, adding that intensive negotiations with the carrier have

been underway for more than a year.

The result is the provision of basic transport services that will be environmentally

and economically friendly for the region.

He pointed out that the Moravian-Silesian

Region had acted with due care in concluding this public service obligation contract and had fulfilled all its legislative obligations. An indisputable advantage is the

usability of battery cell vehicles even if

progress is made in electrifying the region's key railway lines, or e.g. eliminating

backup bus transport during voltage outages. The possibility of future vehicles entering Poland (after their "Polonisation") is

also worth mentioning.

The aim of ČD is to assist individual regions in implementing their low-emission

transport development strategies. This is

achieved both by introducing modern

electric units with the support of electricity recovery, but also by developing systems with alternative drives. In the case of

the Moravian-Silesian Region, the first

hybrid battery units will now be introduced in the Czech Republic, which will enable direct emission reductions by replacing ecologically unfriendly diesel

vehicles. With this step, the Moravian-Silesian Region confirms its long-term direction to become a modern, ecological and

attractive region, especially for residents

and tourists. North Moravia is thus gradually becoming a place where ČD can start

to fully implement its Clean Mobility strategy and its vision of becoming the lowest

carbon footprint carrier in the Czech Republic by 2030.

New direct connections

in the Moravian-Silesian Region d

From December 2024:

• direct trains without change on line S8

Ostrava– Studénka – Příbor

– Kopřivnice – Štramberk – Veřovice

From December 2025:

• direct trains without change on line

Krnov – Opava – Ostrava – Havířov

– Český Těšín

• direct trains, the "Ostrava ring"

on line Ostrava-Svinov – Havířov

/Bohumín – Český Těšín

– Frýdek-Místek (– Ostrava-Svinov)

– in full range after double-tracking of

the Ostrava – Frýdek-Místek section,

• direct trains Ostrava – Suchdol nad

Odrou – Nový Jičín,

• direct trains Ostrava – Suchdol nad

Odrou – Budišov nad Budišovkou.

The main benefit of the trains on the

new lines will be the deployment of comfortable low-floor vehicles to replace older trains and to take advantage of the

speed of the corridor lines. This will significantly increase the number of connections in the region, which will offer barrierfree travel (80%), air conditioning, Wi-Fi

connection, train information system and

vacuum toilets. Passengers can enjoy this

comfort practically throughout the entire

region.

The new trains will also be equipped

from the factory with the European Train

Control System (ETCS) and other safety

features and will have no problem meeting the stringent ECM conditions set for

the maintenance of railway vehicles. ČD

will also retrofit other vehicles in the region

with the mobile part of ETCS, e.g. electric

units of the 471 series or the existing RegioPanter units.

The new vehicles will be equipped with

check-in terminals, i.e. "validators" used

for self-service ticket purchase. Counting

technologies will be installed in the boarding area of the trainsets and their test

operation will take place already this year.

In total, the national carrier will invest

nearly CZK 4 billion in 24 new trains. It is

certainly worth mentioning that the new

transport model will achieve economies

of scale, where the assumption of acquiring a total of 24 new vehicles will be replaced by 46 vehicles with an operating

age of 40 years or more, which are no

longer envisaged in the transport model,

with an emphasis on the use of hybrid/alternative drives. The modernisation of the

existing vehicles, including investment in

the installation of ETCS, will cost CZK 430

million. The contract between the national carrier and the regional authority will

now be in gross mode. The value of the

ten-year contract is CZK 18 billion.

Two new three-car electric RegioPanter

units, purchased with the support of the

OPD2 operational programme, will be

another reinforcement in the modernisation of transport in the Moravian-Silesian

Region already this June. They will run on

passenger trains between Opava and Ostrava-Svinov.

The recently modernised 811 series railcars and 012 trailers will remain in the

Moravian-Silesian Region even after the

deployment of the new vehicles on the lines in the region and will gradually replace the 810 series railcars. Thanks to the

new contract, other older vehicles such

as the 163 series electric locomotives and

460 units will also gradually disappear

from the tracks.