THE GLOBAL AND THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE

OF THE LJUBLJANA TRANSPORT NODE

Miran Gajšek, M.Sc.

City of Ljubljana

Head of the Department of Urban Planning

Contents

1. Ljubljana transport node in history

2. Transport node in theory and practice

3. Global level

4. European level

5. Slovenian level

6. Conclusions

7. Sources

Summary

The Ljubljana railway junction (LRJ) is on the bilateral 3SI Priority Interconnection List. However, development of the railway interconnection of two core TEN's (Baltic – Adriatic, Mediterranean) with the Ljubljana Rail – Road terminal and Ljubljana Airport needs a multilateral approach. The Ljubljana transport node, coined »The Ljubljana Gap« by W. S. Churchill, together with the Port of Koper represents a global transport node. It lies at an interconnection of two core TEN's and is an hours’ drive from the Port of Koper, part of the North Adriatic Port Association, (Venice, Trieste, Koper, Rijeka). The planned second railway track Koper–Divača, (listed amongst 19 priority projects of the EU – China Connectivity Platform) will be completed by 2025. The Three Seas Initiative can shift the EU policies towards east, towards more direct links between the Baltic Sea and Adriatic Sea, representing a necessary equilibrium inside the „two-speed Europe“ and, e.g. between the North Atlantic alliances and the Belt and Road Initiative …

Summary

The significance of the Ljubljana transport node in the EU is the interconnection of two core TEN’s together with three TEN’s terminals: railway, aviation and maritime. The TEN‘s Baltic – Adriatic is even more important; the planning, constrution and management partnership between Baltic Sea and North Adriatic Sea is strongly needed. Last but not least, this is exactly the idea of Three Seas Initiative…

The municipal detail plan for the Rail Road Terminal was adopted by the City of Ljubljana in 2018. The municipal detail plan for the Passenger Center Ljubljana was adopted in 2006. Both sites are ready for public, private and public-private investment. Adoption of national detail plans for the Ljubljana railway, motorway and airport junctions, are of imperative importance.

Ljubljana transport node in history

1. The oldest wooden wheel in the world, (5200 years), Ljubljana marshes.

2. Jason and the Argonauts, coming from the Black Sea, fled by Danube, Sava and Ljubljanica, establish Nauportos; take the ship to river Soča or Timav, 1200 B.C.; (by Pliny the Elder).

3. Amber road Baltic – Adriatic; (from Bronze Age to 5.B.C.)

4. Roman road Aquilea – Emona – Celeia – Poetovio (1 B.C.). …

5. Main road, Austro-Hungarian Empire, (Hauphandelsstrasse): Trst – Postojna – Ljubljana – Kamnik – Motnik – Celje – Maribor - (Ptuj), (14. – 15. stoletje)

6. Southern Railway, Südbahn, Južna železnica …

Ljubljana transport node in history

• K.K. PRIV. SÜDBAHN GESELLSCHAFT; Kaiserlich Kőniglich Privilegirte Sudliche Staats-, Lombardisch, Venetianische und Central-Italienische Eisenbahn-Geselschaft.

• Presidend of Board was Graf Franc Zichy. Vicepresidents was Baron James Rotschild and Duke Galliera. Headquaters were in Vienna, tree Board members: James Rotschild, Lionel Rotschild and Anzelm Rotschild. Company Statute was confirmed on 30. 11. and 9.12. 1858.

• Together 3133 km, 1396 in function, 1105 km in construction, 632 planning phase.

• In the mid-19 century the Monarchy newspapers received instructions not to mention the privatisation the Southern Railway too much …

Ljubljana transport node in theory and practice

Theory of circular causation: ... „transport can cause urban development and on the other hand urban development can be the cause of increased transport“ … (Johnston, Gregory, Smith, 1994);

1. Ljubljana: Passenger Centre Ljubljana - PCL, (Slovenian Railways, Trigranit); and Rail Road Terminal Ljubljana, (Mercator, BTC, City of Ljubljana, Slovenian Railways, Kompas MTS).

2. Aeropolis Ljubljana: four phases of development

3. Port of Koper, DARS, Intereuropa, SŽ Tovorni promet, Splošna plovba;

4. 9 Enterprise Zones in Ljubljana: Technology Park Ljubljana, BTC City …;

Global level Together with the Port of Koper and second track Koper – Divača Ljubljana transport node can be globally important.

1) Ljubljana is: the Capital city of Republic of Slovenia, the European Green Capital 2016 …

2) Ljubljana is the junction of two core TEN‘s (Baltic – Adriatic, Mediteranean)

3) Port of Koper is one of the largest car and RO-RO terminal in the Mediterranean Sea. Euroipethe (754.000 vehicles in 2018).

4) „Venice and Trieste together with Rijeka and Koper might become a real and powerfull alternative to Pireaus,“ … „ … jointly formed in 2010 the North Adriatic Port Association – NAPA,“ (Fardella, Prodi, 2017)

5) Second track Koper – Divača is listed between 19 priority projects: EU China Connectivity Platform (European Parliament, Directorate General for Structural and Cohesion policies, 2018)

Global level

1. European Union, TEN‘s, President Juncker Programme; (European Parliament elections 26. May 2019)

2. North Atlantic cooperation, (Weststream)

3. Three Seas Initiative, TSI

4. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

5. Russia; (Northstream, Northstream 2, Bluestream, Southstream – cancelled)

6. United Nations HABITAT III Conference, Quito, 2017: Urban development: public – private partnership, blending financing, the flagship role of the capital and regional cities …

Global level

1. Winston Churchill, UK prime minister, mentioned twelve times the Ljubljana Gap in his book The Second World War (The Teheran conference [The Second World War: Volume V, Closing the ring; Ljubljana Gap, 304, 358] and the Yalta conference [The Second World War: Volume VI, Triumph and Tragedy; Ljubljana Gap, projected advance through, 53-4, 57, 91, 140, 209, 305, 663-4; 234]). „Alternatively, I preferred a right-handed movement from the north of Italy, using the Istrian peninsula and the Ljubljana Gap, towards Vienna.“ The idea arose in the second half of the second world war as the alternative to Allied troops landing in Normandy, France. Finally, President Stalin was strongly against, and President Roosevelt did not agree with the landing in the North Adriatic Sea.

2. TEN‘s Baltic – Adriatic is conecting the „Danzig corridor“ and the „Ljubljana Gap“, two outstanding features at the beginning and the end of the second World War

European level 1. Ljubljana is on the crossroads of two core TEN‘s

2. Core Rail - Road Terminal Ljubljana (OPPN Železniška tovorna postaja, adopted on the City of Ljubljana Council meeting, 2018)

3. Core Airport: Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana, Project Aeropolis,

4. Core Port: Port of Koper, (Venice, Trieste, Koper, Rijeka – North Adriatic Port Authority - NAPA);

5. Two core TEN‘s are going through the teritory and aquatory of the Republic of Slovenia congruently; on the TEN‘s map this an exception, not the rule, so it‘s representing a competitive advantage of territory and aquatory of the Republic of Slovenia.

Slovenian level

1. Ljubljana railway junction, LRJ, Three Seas Initiative Priority Interconnectin List: State detail plan for the Ljubljana railway junction, project was frozen in the year 2010, nevertheless the Pre-feasibility study was successfuly finished and officially confirmed, (The Sleeping Beauty; well, who is the handsome prince?!). The City of Ljubljana is supporting the deepening of both tunnels, the freight one and the passenger one; the northern railway bypass is not acceptable. State detail plan for the project Tivolski lok has to take into account, inter alia, the LRJ.

2. Ljubljana motorway junction: State detail plan of the Ljubljana motorway junction, (preparatory work finished on march 2019, official letter from the Ministry of transport already prepared, Ministry of Environment and planning will manage the process …).

3. Direct railway connection towards the Brnik Airport; already confirmed the alternative at the regular meeting between the Ministry of Infrastructure and the City of Ljubljana, march 2019; State detail plan will use the existing regional railway towards Domžale and Kamnik, between Rodica and Šmarca will decline towards the Airport Ljubljana, connecting to the existing Gorenjska main railway near Kranj.

ODLOK O OBČINSKEM PODROBNEM PROSTORSKEM NAČRTU 412 ŽELEZNIŠKA TOVORNA POSTAJA; PREDLOG.

OBMOČJE OPPN PRIKAZANO NA ORTOFOTO

POSNETKU

Izdelovalec prostorske dokumentacije:

LUZ – Ljubljanski urbanistični zavod d.d.

ODLOK O OBČINSKEM PODROBNEM PROSTORSKEM NAČRTU 412 ŽELEZNIŠKA TOVORNA POSTAJA, PREDLOG

ARHITEKTURNO ZAZIDALNA SITUACIJA Izdelovalec prostorske dokumentacije:

LUZ – Ljubljanski urbanistični zavod d.d.

Conclusions

1. To upgrade the Ljubljana railway junction (LRJ) from bilateral to 3SI Priority Interconnection List

multilateral level.

2. To plan, to construct and to manage the Ljubljana railway junction as the Ljubljana transport node.

3. Ljubljana transport node is geostrategically very important on the European level. Through two core

TEN‘s is covering all internationally important Slovenian territory and aquatory.

4. Ljubljana transport node, together with the Port of Koper and, with the second track Koper – Divača

(finished by the year 2025) and reconstructed railway up to 160 km/h towards Ljubljana is potentially

important on the global level. Ongoing project „Second track Koper – Divača“ is of foremost importance

for Slovenia, for the European Union and for the Three Seas Initiative.

5. Ljubljana transport node can represent very good investment investment opportunity into the transport

infrastructure for public, public – private and private investment; „blending financing“ is a respective tool.

6. State detail plans: 1) Ljubljana railway junction, 2) Ljubljana motorway junction, 3) Ljubljana – Airport

Brnik direct railway (along the existing regional railway Ljubljana – Kamnik).

7. 3SI Priority Interconnection projects have to be implemented throuh existing EU macroregional

strategies.

Sources • Churchill, Winston Spencer., 1948,1953: The Second World War (Volume V, Closing the

ring; Volume VI, Triumph and Tragedy; HoughtonMifflin, London.

• Mohorič, Ivan, 1968; Zgodovina železnic na Slovenskem, Slovenska Matica, Ljubljana.

• Fardella, Enrico; Prodi, Giorgio; 2017: The Belt and Road Initiative Impact on Europe: An Italian Perspective; Institute of World Economics and Politics; Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing.

• European Parliament, Policy Departement, Structural and Cohesion Policies; 2018: Research for TRAN Committee: The new Silk Route – opportunities and challenges for EU transport; Brusselles.

• BTC Today, Julij Božič,

• aeropolis.www.web

THANK YOU !

miran.gajsek@ljubljana.si