403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Alona Lebedieva Comments On European Commission Study Estimating ERTMS Deployment Costs At Up To €85 Billion
(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)
Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian industrial and investment group Aurum Group, commented on the findings, highlighting the importance of standardised technical solutions, industrial production and competition among suppliers in implementing large-scale railway infrastructure projects.
ERTMS is a European signalling and train control system designed to replace different national technologies and improve interoperability between railway networks. Its deployment is intended to facilitate cross-border railway operations, enhance safety and support the development of a unified European railway system.
European Commission Identifies Key Cost Drivers
The European Commission study examines several factors contributing to the cost and complexity of ERTMS deployment. These include project-specific technical requirements, national regulations, integration with existing signalling systems and complex engineering and approval procedures.
According to the findings, different national and project-level requirements often lead suppliers to develop customised solutions rather than use standardised products. The study also identifies vendor lock-in as a challenge, as dependence on manufacturer-specific technologies can limit competition and make it more difficult for infrastructure operators to change suppliers.
Commenting on these findings, Alona Lebedieva drew attention to the relationship between technical standardisation and industrial production costs.
“When separate technical configurations are developed for a common standard in each country, some of the economies of scale are simply lost. Instead of producing a standardised product, manufacturers have to adapt their solutions to individual projects time and again, while customers end up paying for this complexity,” she notes.
Cost increases have also been recorded in the installation of ERTMS equipment on rolling stock.
A separate European Commission study covering the period from 2018 to 2022 found that the average cost of retrofitting a railway vehicle with onboard ERTMS equipment increased from approximately €450,000 to €900,000. During the same period, the average cost of upgrading an existing onboard system rose from €200,000 to €400,000.
The studies identify opportunities to improve implementation efficiency through greater technical harmonisation and more consistent deployment practices.
EU Institutions and Industry Discuss Standardised Deployment
On September 28, 2026, representatives of the European Commission, railway manufacturers, infrastructure operators and other industry stakeholders discussed the ERTMS Deal initiative during Connecting Europe Days 2026 in Brussels.
The discussions focused on transitioning from fragmented, project-specific implementation towards a more standardised approach to ERTMS deployment across the European railway network.
The European Commission's October 1 study recommends several measures to address existing challenges, including reducing dependence on legacy national Class B systems, simplifying engineering requirements and authorisation procedures, strengthening project management and expanding the use of modern digital engineering tools.
According to Alona Lebedieva, these recommendations are also relevant to the organisation of industrial manufacturing.
She noted that standardised technical configurations allow manufacturers to organise production more efficiently, reduce the need for individual engineering adaptations and improve the conditions for competition among suppliers.
The recommendations are intended to support more efficient ERTMS implementation and reduce the cost and duration of future deployment projects.
ERTMS Deployment Forms Part of Wider European Railway Investment Plans
The development of ERTMS is taking place alongside the European Union's broader railway modernisation programme.
The European Commission estimates that completing the Trans-European high-speed railway network by 2040 will require approximately €345 billion in infrastructure investment.
In addition to railway construction and infrastructure upgrades, the EU's high-speed rail development plans address technical interoperability, cross-border connections and regulatory harmonisation.
The European Commission is also preparing an updated European ERTMS Deployment Plan. Its wider railway policy initiatives include proposals to strengthen the role of the European Union Agency for Railways in vehicle authorisation and the reduction of unnecessary national technical requirements.
Together, these initiatives aim to improve coordination between infrastructure development, railway operations and the implementation of common European technical standards.
Ukraine Prepares for ERTMS Implementation
The modernisation of Ukraine's railway infrastructure also includes preparations for adopting European railway traffic management standards.
During the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdańsk, Ukrainian officials announced plans to attract approximately €1 million in grant funding for preparatory work on ERTMS implementation in cooperation with the Swedish state-owned development finance institution Swedfund International AB.
The project involves preparing a preliminary feasibility study and developing a step-by-step roadmap for introducing ERTMS on Ukraine's railway network.
Swedfund identifies ERTMS implementation as part of the modernisation of Ukraine's railway infrastructure in accordance with Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) standards and its further integration into the European transport system.
Commenting on Ukraine's preparations, Alona Lebedieva emphasised the importance of incorporating European technical experience into the planning process.
“Ukraine has the advantage that much of this system has yet to be built. It is therefore important to focus on the most standardised solutions from the outset and avoid introducing into new infrastructure the very fragmentation that Europe is now trying to eliminate,” she notes.
The European Commission's latest findings provide additional information for infrastructure operators, railway manufacturers and policymakers involved in planning ERTMS deployment.
The proposed measures focus on technical harmonisation, streamlined approval procedures and more standardised industrial solutions as part of the continuing development of Europe's railway network.
Alona Lebedieva
A new European Commission study identifies fragmented technical requirements and national regulations as key drivers of railway modernisation costs in Europe.
KYIV, UKRAINE, October 8, 2026 /EINPresswire / -- The European Commission published a study on October 1, 2026, examining the costs of deploying the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) across the European Union. According to the study, only around 10% of the Trans-European railway network is currently equipped with ERTMS, while completing its deployment is estimated to require an additional €75–85 billion.Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian industrial and investment group Aurum Group, commented on the findings, highlighting the importance of standardised technical solutions, industrial production and competition among suppliers in implementing large-scale railway infrastructure projects.
ERTMS is a European signalling and train control system designed to replace different national technologies and improve interoperability between railway networks. Its deployment is intended to facilitate cross-border railway operations, enhance safety and support the development of a unified European railway system.
European Commission Identifies Key Cost Drivers
The European Commission study examines several factors contributing to the cost and complexity of ERTMS deployment. These include project-specific technical requirements, national regulations, integration with existing signalling systems and complex engineering and approval procedures.
According to the findings, different national and project-level requirements often lead suppliers to develop customised solutions rather than use standardised products. The study also identifies vendor lock-in as a challenge, as dependence on manufacturer-specific technologies can limit competition and make it more difficult for infrastructure operators to change suppliers.
Commenting on these findings, Alona Lebedieva drew attention to the relationship between technical standardisation and industrial production costs.
“When separate technical configurations are developed for a common standard in each country, some of the economies of scale are simply lost. Instead of producing a standardised product, manufacturers have to adapt their solutions to individual projects time and again, while customers end up paying for this complexity,” she notes.
Cost increases have also been recorded in the installation of ERTMS equipment on rolling stock.
A separate European Commission study covering the period from 2018 to 2022 found that the average cost of retrofitting a railway vehicle with onboard ERTMS equipment increased from approximately €450,000 to €900,000. During the same period, the average cost of upgrading an existing onboard system rose from €200,000 to €400,000.
The studies identify opportunities to improve implementation efficiency through greater technical harmonisation and more consistent deployment practices.
EU Institutions and Industry Discuss Standardised Deployment
On September 28, 2026, representatives of the European Commission, railway manufacturers, infrastructure operators and other industry stakeholders discussed the ERTMS Deal initiative during Connecting Europe Days 2026 in Brussels.
The discussions focused on transitioning from fragmented, project-specific implementation towards a more standardised approach to ERTMS deployment across the European railway network.
The European Commission's October 1 study recommends several measures to address existing challenges, including reducing dependence on legacy national Class B systems, simplifying engineering requirements and authorisation procedures, strengthening project management and expanding the use of modern digital engineering tools.
According to Alona Lebedieva, these recommendations are also relevant to the organisation of industrial manufacturing.
She noted that standardised technical configurations allow manufacturers to organise production more efficiently, reduce the need for individual engineering adaptations and improve the conditions for competition among suppliers.
The recommendations are intended to support more efficient ERTMS implementation and reduce the cost and duration of future deployment projects.
ERTMS Deployment Forms Part of Wider European Railway Investment Plans
The development of ERTMS is taking place alongside the European Union's broader railway modernisation programme.
The European Commission estimates that completing the Trans-European high-speed railway network by 2040 will require approximately €345 billion in infrastructure investment.
In addition to railway construction and infrastructure upgrades, the EU's high-speed rail development plans address technical interoperability, cross-border connections and regulatory harmonisation.
The European Commission is also preparing an updated European ERTMS Deployment Plan. Its wider railway policy initiatives include proposals to strengthen the role of the European Union Agency for Railways in vehicle authorisation and the reduction of unnecessary national technical requirements.
Together, these initiatives aim to improve coordination between infrastructure development, railway operations and the implementation of common European technical standards.
Ukraine Prepares for ERTMS Implementation
The modernisation of Ukraine's railway infrastructure also includes preparations for adopting European railway traffic management standards.
During the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 in Gdańsk, Ukrainian officials announced plans to attract approximately €1 million in grant funding for preparatory work on ERTMS implementation in cooperation with the Swedish state-owned development finance institution Swedfund International AB.
The project involves preparing a preliminary feasibility study and developing a step-by-step roadmap for introducing ERTMS on Ukraine's railway network.
Swedfund identifies ERTMS implementation as part of the modernisation of Ukraine's railway infrastructure in accordance with Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) standards and its further integration into the European transport system.
Commenting on Ukraine's preparations, Alona Lebedieva emphasised the importance of incorporating European technical experience into the planning process.
“Ukraine has the advantage that much of this system has yet to be built. It is therefore important to focus on the most standardised solutions from the outset and avoid introducing into new infrastructure the very fragmentation that Europe is now trying to eliminate,” she notes.
The European Commission's latest findings provide additional information for infrastructure operators, railway manufacturers and policymakers involved in planning ERTMS deployment.
The proposed measures focus on technical harmonisation, streamlined approval procedures and more standardised industrial solutions as part of the continuing development of Europe's railway network.
Alona Lebedieva
Aurum Group
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
You just read:
Alona Lebedieva Comments on European Commission Study Estimating ERTMS Deployment Costs at Up to €85 Billion News Provided By Aurum Group October 08, 2026, 10:06 GMT Share This Article Distribution channels: Banking, Finance & Investment Industry, Business & Economy, Companies, Politics, World & Regional
EIN Presswire's priority is author transparency. We do our best to weed out false and misleading content. The content above is
the sole responsibility of the author who makes it available. If you have any complaints, kindly contact the author above.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any
responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos,
licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues
related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment