Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiNThematic network on EU-wide technical harmonisation

and standardisation of light rail vehicles

Client: European Commission, DG Research5th Framework Programme, Sustainable Growth

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiN

The Consortium

• Co-ordinator: TransportTechnologie-Consult Karlsruhe GmbH

• Initiators and Head OrganisationsUITP and UNIFE

• Further main partnersAtkins Denmark, Sémaly, AEA Technology Rail, Die Ingenieurwerkstatt

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiN

What is the LibeRTiN Light Rail Thematic Network?

• Within this Light Rail Thematic Network (TN) a group of 5 consultants plus UITP/UNIFE will work together to achieve greater harmonisation of technical standards and legislation/regulation for light rail systems (including tram-train) at the European level. In a TN the input of external experts plays a very important role. This input should be generated by participation at meetings or simply by exchanging e-mails and reading or commenting on documents.

• A TN is generally open for every expert who is able to contribute. Resources to cover travel cost are available.

• A TN is not a normal EC-research project!

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiNGeneral conditions

• LibeRTiN takes forward the AEAT/TTK-study Obstacles to Internal Market in Rail Mass Transit (OIM Report). This report is electronically available as a pdf-document (download under www.LibeRTiN.info).

• LibeRTiN originated from the MARIE-Initiative of UITP and UNIFE (MARIE: Mass Transit Rail Initiative for Europe, aims at harmonising the characteristics of the urban rail systems in Europe and particularly light rail systems in order to improve the competitiveness of the railway industry, reduce production costs and serve the needs of European urban transport users more effectively)

• LibeRTiN will give significant input to the European Railway Reseach Advisory Council (ERRAC) in the area of light rail

• LibeRTiN will propose new technical standards and legislation/regulation for light rail systems/components based on an iterative survey and intensive discussions with experts all over Europe.

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiNGeneral conditions

• Duration of LibeRTiN: 30 months starting from 1st September 2002

• All public information is available under: www.LibeRTiN.info

• One of the major aims is consensus building between operators, the industry, national authorities and experts in the LRT-domain

• Resources for travel and carrying out specified tasks are available for external experts, from the project budget.

• The LibeRTiN consortium has already identified several topics which can be subject to detailed harmonisation exercises during the lifetime of the TN.

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiN

• The European Standardisation Authorities (CEN, CENELEC, ETSI) will be closely involved from the beginning because any technical standards drafted by LibeRTiN will need to be introduced into their activities.

• The results of LibeRTiN are expected to be adopted at European level and in the longer term will strongly influence future design, development and application of light rail systems in the Enlarged European Union!

Light Rail Thematic Network

LibeRTiN - phases of onsensus building

Phase 1 (September 2002 - April 2003), thematic focusing phase (finalised): For the first round of consensusbuilding the OIM-report will be sent (in month T1), with an explanatory letter containing specific questions in regardto the 28 topics to the already determined TN members, to all UITP-members active in the field of light rail, to allrelevant UNIFE-members and to CEN, CENELEC and ETSI. The objective is to obtain a first general feedback ofthe possible acceptance and relevance of the OIM-results.

Phase 2 (May 2003 - May 2004), intermediate consensus building phase (finalised): About five Cluster work-shops will take place in the second round of consensus building. The inception report is the basis for this phaseand will be sent with individual explanations (for each of the 4 member groups) to the relevant external members(as reviewed in the thematic focusing). The external members will be invited later in this phase to cluster work-shops to discuss their views and opinions about the selected topics. In the meantime the Libertin contractors(mainly the consultants) will advance the investigation and undertake further work on the project deliverables topresent to the Cluster workshops. The results of these workshops will be investigated further in this phase by theLibertin contractors and will lead at the end of the phase to an intermediate consensus building report. This reportwill reflect the view of the majority of members of the UITP- and UNIFE-committees and give orientation in regardto the proposals of standards to be produced at the end of phase 3.

Phase 3 (T13 – T24), final consensus building phase (ongoing): This third phase of LibeRTiN is vital for thesuccess of the project, as the proposals made by the different groups will now have to be formed into tangible re-sults. These can UITP/UNIFE recommendations, proposals for new or ammended standards or other reports valu-able for the LRT domain. To achieve this, a similar process as in previous phases will be applied in phase 3 but onthe basis of the intermediate report and more detailed work in order to produce and to reach consensus.