Today, as part of the international logistics exhibition Sustainable Green Logistics Expo taking place at the Fiera di Padua, Fermerci, the association representing the Italian rail freight transport, presented the "Charter of the last railway mile" in which the proposals for the development of the infrastructure of the last mile and for the resolution of critical issues, starting from the need to take into account the specific needs of the main sectors Production. In the agri-food sector - the document specifies - it is in fact, it is essential to guarantee the certainty of delivery times, supported by advanced technological tools; in that automotive industry, the evolution of the automotive industry is essential inland port infrastructure, especially considering the increase in volume of vehicles and spare parts from the Far East; in the chemical transport system is urgently needed to strengthen the transport system on currently plagued by long waiting times and costs High; Finally, in the metallurgical industry, it is necessary to provide incentives for the adoption of high-speed transport modes lower environmental impact, with delivery times that are more in line with operational needs.

The Charter also highlights the need to intervene on the first of all by proceeding with the refinancing of the rule provided for by art. 47-bis, paragraph 6 of Law no. 96/2017, which converted Decree-Law no. 50 of 24 April 2017. "This law, in the past - explains the document - has allowed the operator (RFI) to take effective action on the last mile of the railway network. In addition, the refinancing of the 2017 rule would be even more effective following the decision of the European Commission State Aid SA.102422 (2022/N) - Italy Support for sustainable development of railway sidings". This decision makes it possible to improve the last mile activities, including through electrification and technical updating of railway yards, aiming to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the rail transport through a sustainable approach from the point of view of environmental point of view".

The document also stresses the importance of enabling Port System Authority "the right to allocate contributions to support rail operators who operate at the service of the port area, which are burdened by a increase in operating costs". "Finally," continues the Charter - it is considered absolutely necessary to redefine the time frame of applicability of ANSF Note prot. 1766 of 17/02/2017 relating to the terminalization and maneuvering of the goods compartment by providing a timely preventive analysis regarding: impacts of changes infrastructure on the operating model; the definition of necessary investments to be made by the companies of the last mile and the reverberation of the same in the manoeuvring rates; impacts on production volumes. The outcome of this analysis will have the purpose of defining the economic sustainability of investments resulting from the tooling, thus evaluating the applicable opportunity and timing. If, at the end of the of the analysis conducted, for urgent reasons of safety of exercise it was necessary to proceed with the adjustment, it is It is essential to provide a contribution to support the operators of last mile".

The need for a plan strategic for the development of the last rail mile "which, if appropriately funded and supported by public bodies, may include infrastructural interventions (railway network and infrastructure) and support for operators to technological upgrades for locomotives and railway wagons. These interventions - the Charter observes - are crucial for improve operational flexibility in terminals, making the most competitive and efficient system".

With regard to infrastructure, the Charter notes that, 'in addition to to an increase in the length of the train arrival/departure tracks and connection, it is necessary to provide for the centralization of the bodies that deal with the management of switches, both in the private and in the IFN field, remotely controlled from a fixed location. This is in order to to allow a greater speed of preparation of the routing and potential resource optimisation used, also by exploiting modern technologies. By then centralizing traffic and concentrating traffic on the most efficient and using medium/low capacity ones such as feeder, you can improve the overall efficiency of the network using a hub-and-spoke approach. This, combined with a system of centralized management, would make it possible to reduce waiting times and maximize resource utilization by ensuring visibility of available capacity and excellent planning and allocation of the same".

It is also emphasized that "one of the key elements will be then the adaptation of the last mile infrastructures to accommodate trains up to 740 meters long. Therefore, the institutions will play a key role in ensuring that the are adequately equipped'. Finally, it is noted that "the adaptation of the railway corridors to the P/C 80 gauge will allow you to handle containers of increased height, increasing transport capacity. This - the Charter specifies - represents an enormous Opportunities to optimize the use of existing assets and improve the competitiveness of freight transport on railway. The adaptation would make it possible to manage more bulky without the need to increase the number of thus reducing operating costs and travel times. waiting".

Finally, the need to provide, in the light of the the increase in the train module and the consequent increase in the transported masses, to "a simultaneous increase in quality shunting locomotives in terms of maximum available power, however, oriented towards a logic of containing emissions CO2', as well as the modernisation of the wagon fleet 'with the introduction of the DAC (Digital Automatic Coupling), which, at the end of the development phases, provides for the possibility of transmitting in the driver's cab to the driver information regarding the status of the wagon, the loading and the possibility of hooking and unhooking without the help of ground personnel". «Investments necessary for shunting companies on the locomotive and wagon fleet - underlines the document - however, risk decreeing a significant increase in the costs of the last mile, if unaccompanied by economic support initiatives suggested within this chapter".