Matthias Ruete, the European coordinator for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), stated in the third ERTMS work plan that, despite progress, expansion in EU Member States is proceeding too slowly and unevenly. Ruete believes that the delay jeopardises the expansion targets of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). According to the report, a total of 12,400 km will be equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS) by 2024, which corresponds to 10% of the TEN-T network. Of this, 10,600 km will be on the core network, which is 17% equipped. A further 28,000 km are planned for the TEN-T network by 2030, including 22,000 km on the core network. However, based on current plans, only around 50% of the target for the core network will be achieved by 2030. At the end of 2024, around 8,730 vehicles were equipped with ETCS, which corresponds to 19% of the fleet. Contracts or plans exist for around 13,600 vehicles. However, according to the work plan, this is often not sufficient for the dismantling of national Class B systems, as the rollout must be synchronised between the trackside and the vehicle fleet. The plan provides for stronger governance and coordination, especially across borders, stable financing and network-related, long-term implementation plans instead of individual project-related approaches.
