by 60% by 2050. According to the general requirements of this roadmap, planned
railway development in the EU member states can be described as follows:
• Implement structural changes that would enable railways to compete effectively
and take a significantly higher proportion of freight and passengers over medium
and long distances.
• By 2030, 30% of road freight transport over 300 km should be transferred to
other means such as railway or ship transportation, and by 2050 it should be
more than 50%.
• Finish the European high-speed railway network by 2050. Triple the length of
the existing high-speed railway networks by 2030 and maintain a dense railway
network in all EU member states. By 2050, most passengers over medium
distance should travel by railway.
• By 2050, link all core network airports (T-ENT) with the railway network,
preferably high-speed; ensure that all major seaports are connected to the railway freight transport and, where appropriate, to inland waterways.
Meeting these goals will require massive development of the railway infrastructure across EU member states, both in towns and their immediate surroundings,
as well as in the open countryside. In the case of the Czech Republic, various kinds
of investments will be needed, from revitalization, optimization and modernization
of railways to retrofitting the existing railways with modern security systems, and
eventually their electrification. Next, we need to take into account the completion of
a basic network of railway lines that will provide connection to the crucial
trans-European lines, linking all regions, connection of Prague international airport
to the long-distance railway network, and solutions for major urban and suburban
linkages (Operational programme Transport 2014).
Railway Ecology Experience in the Czech Republic
Obtaining data on train accidents with wild animals is very difficult. One reason is
probably that these accidents very rarely involve human injuries or property
damage (Steiner et al. 2014). It is common knowledge that many animals are killed
due to railway transport (Kušta et al. 2014b).
In the Czech Republic there is no database where accidents between trains and
animals are recorded. This contrasts with road accidents, where the reported accidents are registered by the Police of the Czech Republic. In case of railways some
data is obtained from employees of Czech Railways, and it is often the only way to
get more detailed information (in particular the exact time and location of the
accident). A site visit will only give data on the location of the accident, not time or
other information. Also, it is not easy to find the carcasses near the track because
they can be thrown into the surrounding vegetation. Most of the studies addressing
this topic struggled with the issue of obtaining input on wildlife-train collision
252
Z. Keken and T. Kušta
railway development in the EU member states can be described as follows:
• Implement structural changes that would enable railways to compete effectively
and take a significantly higher proportion of freight and passengers over medium
and long distances.
• By 2030, 30% of road freight transport over 300 km should be transferred to
other means such as railway or ship transportation, and by 2050 it should be
more than 50%.
• Finish the European high-speed railway network by 2050. Triple the length of
the existing high-speed railway networks by 2030 and maintain a dense railway
network in all EU member states. By 2050, most passengers over medium
distance should travel by railway.
• By 2050, link all core network airports (T-ENT) with the railway network,
preferably high-speed; ensure that all major seaports are connected to the railway freight transport and, where appropriate, to inland waterways.
Meeting these goals will require massive development of the railway infrastructure across EU member states, both in towns and their immediate surroundings,
as well as in the open countryside. In the case of the Czech Republic, various kinds
of investments will be needed, from revitalization, optimization and modernization
of railways to retrofitting the existing railways with modern security systems, and
eventually their electrification. Next, we need to take into account the completion of
a basic network of railway lines that will provide connection to the crucial
trans-European lines, linking all regions, connection of Prague international airport
to the long-distance railway network, and solutions for major urban and suburban
linkages (Operational programme Transport 2014).
Railway Ecology Experience in the Czech Republic
Obtaining data on train accidents with wild animals is very difficult. One reason is
probably that these accidents very rarely involve human injuries or property
damage (Steiner et al. 2014). It is common knowledge that many animals are killed
due to railway transport (Kušta et al. 2014b).
In the Czech Republic there is no database where accidents between trains and
animals are recorded. This contrasts with road accidents, where the reported accidents are registered by the Police of the Czech Republic. In case of railways some
data is obtained from employees of Czech Railways, and it is often the only way to
get more detailed information (in particular the exact time and location of the
accident). A site visit will only give data on the location of the accident, not time or
other information. Also, it is not easy to find the carcasses near the track because
they can be thrown into the surrounding vegetation. Most of the studies addressing
this topic struggled with the issue of obtaining input on wildlife-train collision
252
Z. Keken and T. Kušta