Link: France’s transport minister backs rail freight—operators want law, not promises | RailFreight.com
France’s transport minister backs rail freight—operators want law, not promises
France’s Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, has pledged to support the rail freight sector with increased public funding and hinted at a possible eco-tax on trucks to rebalance competition with road haulage. The French rail industry welcomed the shift but warned that political declarations must now give way to legally binding financial commitments.
“Certainly, there is an urgent need to guarantee rail freight operators fair market conditions in relation to road haulage,” said Raphaël Doutrebente, chairman of the Alliance 4F and head of Europorte, in an interview with RailFreight.com. “Now is not the time to make observations: it’s time to act.”
He pointed out that road freight currently enjoys free infrastructure access and multiple forms of aid in France, while rail freight pays usage tolls. “It’s vital to redress the balance of power. This is the purpose of the operating aid dedicated to rail freight, which aims to compensate for these distortions.”
‘Strong decisions’ must follow the political words
Beyond short-term financial correction, Doutrebente laid out clear expectations for long-term support: “We are calling for this conference to become a real turning point by immediately confirming the announced investment trajectory, securing the 4 billion euro Ulysse Fret investment programme, and writing it into a Planning Act.”
He emphasised that the Ulysse programme must target infrastructure modernisation and enable traffic to bypass congested nodes through joint public-private investment. “This target is achievable if strong decisions are taken. But it’s not enough just to be ambitious. We need to remove the structural obstacles.”
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Freight share target needs more than ambition
The French government has committed to increasing rail’s share of freight transport from 10% to 18% by 2030. Doutrebente believes the goal is within reach—if the government moves quickly.
“This presupposes a long-term industrial policy, real visibility for freight operators, and clear commitments on short-term investment,” he said. “If the right measures are taken quickly, we could see some positive movement in rail’s share of freight transport as early as 2026. The market is demanding carbon-free logistics solutions.”
He also pointed to the wider public benefits: “With rail freight, there is less CO₂, less congestion and also fewer accidents.”
Conference provides platform to push for delivery
The current platform for these demands is ‘Ambition France Transports, financing mobility in the future’, a major government-led consultation running until early July. The process brings together national and local officials, industry bodies, civil society and user groups, with one of its four pillars focused on ‘Financing and Greening of Goods Transport.’
“Rail freight represents a strategic lever for the country’s logistical sovereignty and ecological transition,” said Doutrebente. “If the various announcements in support of rail freight are quickly translated into concrete measures – operating aid, path reliability and quality of service – then the current year should confirm that we are moving in the right direction again.”
Sector outlook for 2025 depends on delivery
Following a lacklustre 2023, France’s rail freight sector rebounded in 2024 with better service quality and stronger customer demand. “The momentum this has created has continued into 2025,” Doutrebente observed. But he warned that future growth depends on firm and rapid policy delivery. “Recovery will depend heavily on the ability to send clear and lasting signals to the market.”