The requirement for annual inspections has been abolished, but the Swiss are accused of acting in contravention of European safety regulations and causing a potential crisis in the supply chain.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Transport (FOT) has amended its controversial new rules governing the operation of wagons, removing the deadline for annual inspection requirements in favor of requiring inspection exclusively on distance travelled. However, vehicle-owning groups hit back, arguing that the revised framework was still too difficult to implement and demanding that the FOT withdraw the measures entirely.
The FOT said the amendment it approved on October 23 is based on extensive dialogue with stakeholders and is based on the availability of new data on the average number of kilometers traveled by freight vehicles.
It has already extended the deadline for the start of technical inspections by a year to the end of 2026. However, it says there are no further amendments planned to the regulation, which tightens the rules for technical inspection of vehicles as well as introducing a higher minimum diameter for some wheels, and obliges entities responsible for maintenance (ECM) to act in response to wheel temperature rises or sound test results.
The rules announced by FOT on September 11 were introduced in response to the findings of a report issued by the Swiss Transport Safety Investigation Board (Sust) in June, which found a systemic risk of further wheel failures following an accident in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in August 2023. The accident led to the closure of one of the ongoing tunnels for almost 13 months, leading to significant disruption to trans-Alpine rail freight flows.
“Based on Sust’s findings and in consultation with stakeholders, it was essential for FOT to develop and adopt measures very quickly,” says the FOT.
It adds that it continues to call for a European solution to the issue, but with the European Union Railway Agency (ERA) not yet responding to Sust’s recommendations, FOT has decided to “take action itself as a first step in the interest of safety”. It adds that it is in contact with European bodies to find internationally coordinated solutions.
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The International Union of Vehicle Guards (UIP) has once again criticized FOT’s actions, stating that its approach creates the risk of a supply chain crisis. It says the ERA’s Joint Network Secretariat (JNS) is finalizing its harmonized recommendations on vehicle safety, which is expected by the end of the year.
“Against this background, there is no justification for maintaining national rules that conflict with the very process designed to achieve European consensus,” the UIP says. “As a member of the JNS, FOT has a voice in pan-European railway safety decisions and should direct its energy to this forum rather than acting alone.
“Switzerland cannot and should not try to impose rules on an entire continent. A harmonized, fact-based framework is the only way to enhance safety and interoperability across Europe’s rail freight network.”
