Unlike America, where political leaders and decision makers are often corrupted by special interests who oppose high speed rail, political leaders and officials in other countries are expanding high speed rail passenger service. The latest example comes from the European Union where EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas recently announced a series of transportation goals which included the phasing out of carbon emitting automobiles in city centers by 2050 and replacing short haul airline flights with high speed rail links between all the major cities in Europe.
While the goal of banning all gasoline powered automobiles in city centers will be achieved by market forces when consumers buy more hybrid and all electric motor vehicles in the coming decades, the expanded rail service and elimination of short haul flights between major cities in Europe will be the most politically challenging. In stark contrast to the United States however, where the Florida governor recently cancelled a high speed rail line between Orlando and Tampa, European leaders are at least offering ideas at how to offset the negative effects of increasing prices of petroleum, while at the same time looking at ways to make their transportation infrastructure more efficient and less dependent on fossil fuel based energy sources.
Supported by statistics which reveals that a new high speed rail line recently opened between Madrid and Barcelona now has over 50% of the market share of travel between those two cities, EU Transportation commissionerSiim Kallas and other EU policy makers have evidence that consumers are more willing to take a high speed train as opposed to a short haul airline flight.
Although the recent data showing that high speed rail commands over 50% of the market share between Barcelona and Madrid may be attributed to the increase in airfares as a result of the recent rise in oil prices, the increase in market share for the high speed rail line could also be a sign that more consumers prefer the benefits that rail service offers over airline service. Part of the reason why European discount airlines like Easy Jet and Ryan Air are able to offer such low air fares is due to the fact that these airlines fly into smaller airports located sometimes a half hour outside the city center, and charge for nearly every service including using the aircraft toilet.
In addition to the benefit of arriving and departing from a city center and having to pay to use the toilet, rail service also includes the benefits of avoiding the ever increasing security procedures associated with airline travel, travel delays as a result of inclement weather and the flexibility to buy a ticket at short notice without paying a high premium as is the case with airline tickets.Furthermore, rail service does not limit the amount of carry-on bags, is more comfortable than low cost airline seating, and is better for the environment and is a source of new long term job creation.
With the price of oil at 107 dollars a barrel and not expected to go below 100 dollars for the foreseeable future, , it appears that European Union leaders are doing more to prepare for a post peak oil world economy than American political leaders.
By offering the consumer more than just two options of either purchasing an airline ticket or driving a car, high speed rail based travel between two cities can be less expensive, offer the consumer more flexibility, and create more long term jobs for local communities.
