OREANDA-NEWS. February 27, 2012. Data collected by CER on the performance of the rail passenger and freight sector in 2011 show a continued recovery of rail freight in all regions across Europe and small, but gradual – in rail passenger transport.

Latvia is among the most remarkable leaders in the trend as the amount of rail  freights operated  by State Joint Stock Company Latvijas dzelzcels (Latvian Railway) increased by 10 million tons and reached 59,4 last year. In 2011 freight operations in Latvia have reached 20% compared to the same period in the previous year, while there is no increase in rail passenger sector – with 25 500 passengers carried by rail last year. The tendency of increase in the sector is quite moderate in other CER countries as well.

“As a result of economic crisis and due to some other circumstances many of our neighbouring countries experienced decline in freight operation sector. Latvia didn’t  have a significant decline in the rail sector even during hardest years of economic crises. Therefore it was easier to recover and strengthen the rail freight operation sector.  We are very proud to be among leaders according to freight operation data in Europe,” says Ugis Magonis, President of Latvijas dzelzcels.

The performance of the European rail freight market increased by 4% in 2011 compared to the same period in the previous year. Increase by tonne-kilometres is - 4,4%.

Increase in passenger operations in Europe is defined as moderate as the growth is 0,1% in the sector. But passenger-kilometres even show decrease by 0,4% compared to the same period in the previous year.

CER experts consider that this data show a continued recovery in rail operation sector and this serves as evidence that Europe has undergone the hardest period of the global economic crisis.