The other companies making up the new association are state-owned rail company Renfe, Euskotren, a public railway company controlled by the Basque Government, and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia. Iryo, meanwhile, is a consortium between Spanish airline Air Nostrum and train company Trenitalia.
Overall the association aims to contribute to changes and regulatory improvement in the Spanish rail industry, support and defend the rail transport mode for its environmental and social values, and promote policies and regulation changes that support the modal transfer from other means of transport to the train.
The association will work closely with public administrations and national and international bodies which look after rail transport, as well as other actors in the transport, mobility and tourism sectors, to achieve its aims. In addition, it will carry out studies and report on regulatory proposals that affect them.
Among the first actions in the association’s roadmap are the continuity and deepening of the measures carried out to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on demand and the implementation of measures to stop and reduce the cost of energy, among others. With regards to high speed rail, the association will also work around a firm proposal to adapt the current system of fees to a new model that promotes the common goal of reaching 50 million annual travelers in high speed.
The association also intends to work toward improving the competitive position of the train as a more sustainable means of transport that uses 100% renewable energy. The association will contribute to the development of green taxation to promote sustainable modal change, demand sectoral solutions for the current energy crisis with measures equivalent to those deployed for road transport, accelerate the approval of the regulation of energy saving "white certificates" and develop measures in favor of the modal change required to achieve the reduction objectives of emissions committed at national (PNIEC) and European level.
Pere Calvet, general manager at FGC said, “The train is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to fight against climate change. This fight challenges us all and requires solid alliances to face it through the commitment of companies, administrations, and society. At Ferrocarrils we are activists against climate change, and we want to lead all those initiatives that help promote the use of the train and contribute to the decarbonization of the planet.”
Carlos Bertomeu, president of iryo and president of the Spanish Association of Passenger Railway Companies, emphasized that “having representation is essential to jointly and in a unified manner defend the common interest of passenger rail transport operators and promote and develop the railway as an axis of sustainable mobility.”