A Green MEP came to rail's rescue when the Polish Government planned to divert European money away from rail to build high-speed roads.

Michael Cramer raised the issue with the European Parliament's transport committee and the Transport Commissioner.

Mr Cramer was alerted by the Polish environmental organisation Zielone Mazowze and the European Passengers Federation, to which Railfuture is affiliated.

The money was intended to promote environmentally friendly transport but Poland's prime minister had indicated that funds could be diverted away from the rail projects.

EPF's chairman contacted several MEPs and the European Commission, expressing concern at the reports, especially in view of the deteriorating condition of much of the Polish rail infrastructure.

Mr Cramer was able to get a ruling that the "cohesion" funds could be moved from one project to another only if there is a change in the national operational programme, which must be approved by the European Commission.

Mr Cramer has practised car-free living in Berlin for 30 years. He gets around the city by bicycle or with buses, trains and taxis.

In Poland money is needed to upgrade the existing rail network but also to develop high-speed rail.

Railway authority PKP wants a Y-shaped 225 mph line that will connect Warsaw to Lodz and Kalisz where it will split into two branches, one to Wroclaw and the other to Poznan.

Construction is planned to begin around 2014, last five years and cost £4.2 billion, with part of the cash provided by the European Union.

Alstom will supply 20 tilting trains to run on the new line and through to Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

But there is chronic underfunding of rail infrastructure, warned the the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies.

The CER is hoping European transport ministers meeting in Poland today (6 September 2011) to clear the way for more private capital and state funds to finance transport infrastructure.

Rail traffic is increasing while investment is decreasing, exacerbated by the economic crisis and national budget cuts.

The CER said the financing problem is particularly acute in central and eastern Europe.

Levels of investment in rail infrastructure are significantly below those of western Europe, and large amounts of available funds are being spent on road infrastructure.

Rail projects give good social returns. The financial returns, however, come over a long period, often 30-60 years.

Rail users always pay upfront while road users do not pay directly for their use of expensive road infrastructure.

CER executive director Johannes Ludewig said: “The social returns of rail projects are unequivocally high and it is up to governments to finance and promote them.”

Information from EPF and CER.