British engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald is to examine Infrabel’s plans to roll out ETCS across Belgium’s entire rail network by 2022.
The Belgian Mobility and Transport Federal Public Services (FPS) body has awarded contracts to a team of consultants to review and feedback on the planned migration to ETCS.
Mott MacDonald will audit Infrabel and SNCB’s management of the programme and create a training programme for staff, as well as carrying out a cost benefit analysis of the masterplan.
Joost Bolck, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “ETCS is the European standard for future train control and will contribute to more sustainable future travel by improving safety, enabling energy savings, providing higher capacity and creating more durable systems.
“We’re delighted to be supporting its successful implementation.”
Mott MacDonald’s plans to have completed its review by summer 2015.
Even though they are not a “screwdriver/spanner” company (i.e. they do not make or assemble equipment) – their only tools are probably laptops – it is nevertheless good to hear that a British firm is striving to get involved in the European rail network.