Germany goes for rail
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A SUDDEN boom in the growth of piggyback operations and containers going by rail was reported from West Germany this month, reports our Brussels correspondent.
Two years ago the West German Government agreed to spend the equivalent of £1 ,000m on subsidies by 1985 to develop the handling of goods by rail, and the strategy is to relieve road congestion.
By 1985, Germany expects' its railway system to carry six million tons annually by piggyback and 1 2 . 5m by container.
As a result of the subsidies transport firms have been offered attractive conditions.
Last year rail-borne container traffic increased by 20 per cent to 6.2m tons and piggyback operations by 36 per cent to 4m tons, according to Government figures issued this month. The Government says that the relatively slow rate of growth in numbers of international permits is helping to promote the expansion.