SPIDER PLUS - Vision für die europäische Mobilität 2050.

As part of the 7th EU Framework Programme, the research project SPIDER PLUS (Sustainable Plan for Integrated Development through the European Rail Network - Projecting Logistics and Mobility for Urban Spatial Design Evolution] was carried out between 2012 and 2015. The goal was to develop a passenger and freight mobility vision for 2050 encompassing seamless transportation, where electrified rail has the central role, and to identify ways in which the objectives defined by the European Commission in the “White Paper“ in March 2011 can be achieved. Starting from the project concept mainly the impact on the railway sector will be presented. This includes the integration of national rail systems into a European grid, elimination of infrastructure gaps and simplified homologation processes for vehicles and other railway equipment in order to achieve seamless, international rail traffic at a high quality level. Moreover respective framework conditions have to be set up by the politics and a broad market uptake has to be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]