Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardia have signed and agreement with rail operator RFI to increase intermodal transport in these northwestern Italian regions on October 17 in Rome. 
This agreement has committed an investment of 18 billion euros in order to increase rail freight transport in this area, to enlarge the cargo trains length to 750 metres and to develop connectivity hubs to enable cargo transfers among railway networks, motorways and ports.

The agreement was signed by Piedmont’s advisor of transport Francesco Balocco, the Liguria’s advisor for economic development, ports and logistics Edoardo Rixi, the Lombardia’s advisor of infrastructure and transport Alessandro Sorte; and the general manager of RFI Maurizio Gentile.

Improve competitiveness

After the official event to celebrate the agreement, Rixi declared: “This agreement is key to improve competitiveness of Liguria. Its regional government wants to strength its rail connections inside the north west Italian macro-region, which accounts for 36 per cent of rail freight transport of the country.”

Sorge highlighted: “The coordination with RFI is essential to ensure we achieve the objective of combining a balance development of rail freight and passenger railway traffics in northern country.” Finally, Balloco pointed out: “The most important works for Piedmont are the burying of the rail network in Novara and the rail freight connection among of Novara, Rivalta and Orbassano with the Italian Mediterranean corridor and the Alps”.