Rail services will restart this year on several branch lines in Hungary which were among many closed down by the previous Socialist government in a “rationalisation” of the state railway MAV.
Rail funding was cut at the same time by £124 million, provoking protests from trade unions and the public.
After a railway strike last year, the centre-right opposition party Fidesz said it would reverse the closures if it won the election.
When it swept to power in April 2010, it announced plans to reopen rail lines and said it was part of a plan to increase the mobility of the rural population and boost local economies.
The new government’s decision affected 32 villages and 53 railway stations served by 130 miles of railways, only a fraction of the 38 lines closed or suspended by the former government since 2007.
The new government said maintaining rail was expensive but that the closures would lead to even more expenditure.
In December 2010, services will re-start on lines between Fehergyarmat and Zajta, Alsokocsord and Csenger, Abaujszanto and Hidasnemeti, Komlo and Godisa, Borgond and Sarbogard, and Almasfuzito and Esztergom, said National Development Minister Pal Volner.
Zoltan Schvab of the Ministry of National Development, said: “The coming years’ railways policy will not be about closing the railway lines. It will be about providing a service.
“The last new line was built and opened by our government 10 years ago. What we started then, we would like to continue.”
A trade union spokesman said: “We welcome the decision and hope that the remaining lines will be reopened soon. The lines had previously been under-used because of poor quality tracks and rolling stock, and a passenger-unfriendly timetable.”
The unions have signed an agreement on staffing and operation of the repoened lines but the new government is also said to be considering splitting MAV into three parts.
Information from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2010/08/articles/hu1008011i.htm