Alpine Crossing Exchange
Relieving the Alps of heavy goods traffic
The Alpine Crossing Exchange is generating great interest
The Alpine Crossing Exchange is generating great interest at both an Alpine and a European level. Here, we regularly post notable opinions on the Alpine Crossing Exchange.
Dr. Axel Friedrich,
internationally active environmental expert specializing in sustainable development in the transport sector
internationally active environmental expert specializing in sustainable development in the transport sector
"The Alps are particularly threatened by climate change. Noise pollution and the loss of biodiversity have also reached unacceptable levels. We must make use of every possible opportunity to improve this situation. The measures taken so far are nowhere near sufficient. We urgently need additional, more effective instruments. As a new demand management tool, an Alpine Crossing Exchange could be used to specifically target the causes of the problem. This concept, which was developed in Switzerland, should be implemented across the entire Alpine region. It could perceptibly lighten the burden on the sensitive Alpine environment."
Jürgen Weiss (ÖVP)
President of the Federal Council (Small Chamber of the Austrian Parliament)
“Transport capacity is a scarce commodity, which cannot be increased at will by additional trucks and train wagons. The contruction of additional transport infrastructure is also reaching its limits, so we have to ask ourselves how we are going to manage this rare commodity. If you are convinced that state-controlled management measures are both unsuitable and harmful for the market, this inevitably leads to market-economy instruments. Their efficiency is to a great degree based on true costs, which, as a sustainable approach, must also take account of harmful consequences for the environment. This prevents unnecessary traffic and also creates incentives for the transfer of freight from road to rail. The Alpine Crossing Exchange can make an important contribution here. Because of the 2007 Austrian Government Programme and the belief in the Alpine Crossing Exchange it embodies, Austria is taking part in some European preparatory work. This is a project which no single country can implement on its own, but which needs a common approach by at least the most important transit countries. In the recently formed government’s new programme, Austria declares that it intends, together with other Alpine countries, to continue to support activities within the framework of the Zurich Process as well as a practicable implementation of their results in EU transport policy. I would like to thank the Swiss Alpine Initiative for having enriched transport debates, which can often go round in circles, with the innovative impetus of a Crossing Exchange and for being a commendable thorn in our side.”
President of the Federal Council (Small Chamber of the Austrian Parliament)
“Transport capacity is a scarce commodity, which cannot be increased at will by additional trucks and train wagons. The contruction of additional transport infrastructure is also reaching its limits, so we have to ask ourselves how we are going to manage this rare commodity. If you are convinced that state-controlled management measures are both unsuitable and harmful for the market, this inevitably leads to market-economy instruments. Their efficiency is to a great degree based on true costs, which, as a sustainable approach, must also take account of harmful consequences for the environment. This prevents unnecessary traffic and also creates incentives for the transfer of freight from road to rail. The Alpine Crossing Exchange can make an important contribution here. Because of the 2007 Austrian Government Programme and the belief in the Alpine Crossing Exchange it embodies, Austria is taking part in some European preparatory work. This is a project which no single country can implement on its own, but which needs a common approach by at least the most important transit countries. In the recently formed government’s new programme, Austria declares that it intends, together with other Alpine countries, to continue to support activities within the framework of the Zurich Process as well as a practicable implementation of their results in EU transport policy. I would like to thank the Swiss Alpine Initiative for having enriched transport debates, which can often go round in circles, with the innovative impetus of a Crossing Exchange and for being a commendable thorn in our side.”
Prof. Dr. Udo Becker
Technische Universität Dresden, Chair for Transport Ecology
Technische Universität Dresden, Chair for Transport Ecology
“‘The Alpine Crossing Exchange is a realisable, efficient and effective instrument of transport policy.’ This quote from the 2004 research report on the Alpine Crossing Exchange is still valid – it is even more valid today, for the more scarce finances become and the more threatened the climate, the more we need attractive and efficient solutions. I unreservedly support the idea and the concept.”
Prof. Dr. jur. LL.M. (Harvard) Heribert Rausch
Professor Emeritus in Public Law, specifically environmental law, at the University of Zurich
“In transport policy, the majority of politicians only think about the hardware, such as the road and rail infrastructure, but not about the software. This is backward thinking. Intelligent software can reduce the number of empty trips and senseless transport. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is an innovative logistics solution.”
Professor Emeritus in Public Law, specifically environmental law, at the University of Zurich
“In transport policy, the majority of politicians only think about the hardware, such as the road and rail infrastructure, but not about the software. This is backward thinking. Intelligent software can reduce the number of empty trips and senseless transport. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is an innovative logistics solution.”
Franck Riboud
CEO Danone / President of the Transalpine Lyon – Turin Committee
“With more than 30,000 employees in Europe, the Danone Group is one of the biggest users of rail freight. As President of the committee for a new Lyon-Turin rail link, I support the introduction of a policy to transfer transalpine freight traffic from road to rail, to accompany the development of the Lyon-Turin link. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is one possible accompanying measure and I therefore support the work of the Zurich Group which, in October 2006 in Lyon, opted for an in-depth feasibility study of the ACE.”
Prof. Wilfried Puwein
Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), Vienna
“I suggested a crossing exchange for transalpine freight traffic back in 1989. For an economist, it is self-evident to treat a rare commodity – in this case the quality of the environment in the Alpine valleys affected or the “acceptable” number of transit trips – as such. The state must create a market for the use of this limited resource, in which the rights of disposal can be traded. Free trade then creates the necessary price signals that ensure that the scarce transport capacity is used in an optimum manner”.
Michel Dubromel
Head of Transport and Sustainable Mobility at France Nature Environnement FNE, Member of the Board of Directors of SNCF, the French national railway company
CEO Danone / President of the Transalpine Lyon – Turin Committee
“With more than 30,000 employees in Europe, the Danone Group is one of the biggest users of rail freight. As President of the committee for a new Lyon-Turin rail link, I support the introduction of a policy to transfer transalpine freight traffic from road to rail, to accompany the development of the Lyon-Turin link. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is one possible accompanying measure and I therefore support the work of the Zurich Group which, in October 2006 in Lyon, opted for an in-depth feasibility study of the ACE.”
Prof. Wilfried Puwein
Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), Vienna
“I suggested a crossing exchange for transalpine freight traffic back in 1989. For an economist, it is self-evident to treat a rare commodity – in this case the quality of the environment in the Alpine valleys affected or the “acceptable” number of transit trips – as such. The state must create a market for the use of this limited resource, in which the rights of disposal can be traded. Free trade then creates the necessary price signals that ensure that the scarce transport capacity is used in an optimum manner”.
Michel Dubromel
Head of Transport and Sustainable Mobility at France Nature Environnement FNE, Member of the Board of Directors of SNCF, the French national railway company
“Switzerland has shown us the way with its introduction of a distance-based charge for heavy goods vehicles in 2001. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is a practical solution tailored to the economic constraints in the transport sector. It promotes the transfer of freight traffic from road to rail in order to combat air pollution in sensitive mountain areas.”
Andreas Wabl
Climate Protection Officer for the Austrian Federal Chancellor (2007-2008)
“Climate change is having a greater impact on the Alps than on other regions. Temperature increases here are twice as high as average and the impact is felt more rapidly and tangibly in this sensitive ecosystem. Transport is one of the main climate culprits – its CO2 emissions continue to rise, while other areas have achieved reductions. Transit traffic through the sensitive Alps, which is increasing sharply, is also having a considerable direct impact, which must be addressed with concrete measures. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is an excellent measure in the fight for a massive reduction in CO2 emissions.”
Andreas Wabl
Climate Protection Officer for the Austrian Federal Chancellor (2007-2008)
“Climate change is having a greater impact on the Alps than on other regions. Temperature increases here are twice as high as average and the impact is felt more rapidly and tangibly in this sensitive ecosystem. Transport is one of the main climate culprits – its CO2 emissions continue to rise, while other areas have achieved reductions. Transit traffic through the sensitive Alps, which is increasing sharply, is also having a considerable direct impact, which must be addressed with concrete measures. The Alpine Crossing Exchange is an excellent measure in the fight for a massive reduction in CO2 emissions.”