Project information
- CACTUS
- Comparative Analysis of the Combined Transport Usages and Standards
- Project Director: Sandra Gehenot
- Projects Managers:
- Philip Van Den Bosch
- Stefano Guidi
- Status: ongoing project
- Project code: P112
Project description
In 2018, ERA decided to launch a taskforce on the facilitation of combined transport to analyse the integration of rail freight transport with other transport modes, focusing on the rail-road interface, and to propose improvements.
The ERA taskforce conducted a basic preliminary analysis of the relevant UIC leaflets and IRSs, EN standards and ISO standards used in combined transport to identify potential overlaps/duplications, contradictions or areas for improvement.
Also in 2018, UIC and UIRR launched the CACTUS project, involving experts from rail and combined transport operators, which aimed to develop sectoral recommendations to eliminate the contradictions, overlaps and gaps identified through the in-depth analysis and evaluation of all relevant reference documents published by policy authorities, standardisation bodies or industry best practice.
The CACTUS initiative was presented by both associations to RASCOP1 which, at its plenary session in October 2018, decided to consider the results of the CACTUS project as one of its standardisation priorities. The recommendations from this study should also support the activities of the ERA Topical Working Group (TWG) on Facilitation of Combined Transport.
Scope of the comparative analysis
The scope of the CACTUS project is the development of recommendations to eliminate overlaps and contradictions and to resolve outstanding issues and gaps identified in the comparative analysis of the following reference documents published by the stakeholders:
- The relevant international and European legal framework (UN Regulation, EU Directives & Regulations/TSIs),
- All UIC-related leaflets and IRSs,
- All EN standards under the responsibility of the CEN TC 119,
- All ISO-related standards on freight containers.
UIC and UIRR have focused the comparative analysis on the codification system used in combined transport, which includes CT wagons, CT lines and CT ILUs.
Project deliverables
Consortium
