How to Be an Effective Infrastructure Manager: Insights from David Jilka, EPSF France at the Railway Safety Conference

At this year’s Railway Safety Conference, hosted by the Railway Safety Regulator – David Jilka from the Regulatory, European and International Affairs Directorate of the Établissement Public De Sécurité Ferroviaire (EPSF), France, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the topic “How Best to Be an Infrastructure Manager.” In his detailed talk, Jilka provided an in-depth look into the French perspective on managing railway infrastructure within the broader context of the European railway system.

David Jilka began by introducing himself and explaining the role of the EPSF as the French National Safety Authority, which functions similarly to South Africa’s Railway Safety Regulator. Every European member state is required to have a National Safety Authority, tasked with overseeing railway safety. While Jilka focuses on heavy railways, he clarified that the EPSF does not cover light rail, metros, or tramways—systems often excluded from national railway regulations in Europe.

To illustrate the complexity of the European railway system, Jilka provided an example of a train journey from Riga (Latvia) to Lisbon (Portugal). Such a journey requires seven different signalling systems, five power supplies, and changes to the track gauge three times. The train driver would need to speak several languages and follow differing operational procedures. These logistical challenges highlight how intricate and fragmented the European rail network is.

In Europe, a system approach is used to manage the system and complexity, the railway system, as an example is divided into subsystems: infrastructure, rolling stock, and operations. Europe uses Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs) to standardise these subsystems and harmonise operations across different countries. While full harmonisation is a lengthy process due to the long lifecycle of infrastructure and rolling stock, TSIs are mandatory for new and renewed projects.

Defining Actors and Responsibilities

A significant portion of Jilka’s presentation focused on the actors involved in the railway system and their responsibilities. In Europe, these include:

• European institutions and the European Railway Agency (ERA), which acts as a regulator at the European level.
• National Safety Authorities like the EPSF in France, which operate at the member-state level.
• Regulatory bodies and investigation bodies, which are independent entities that ensure safety standards are upheld without conflicts of interest.
• Infrastructure Managers (IMs) and Railway Undertakings (RUs), who are responsible for the daily operations and management of railway infrastructure and services.

Jilka stressed that a clear definition of roles and responsibilities is crucial for a well-functioning railway system. In his words, “The role of the Infrastructure Manager (IM) is to provide all necessary information to safely operate trains and to authorise movements with a safe interval between them.” Conversely, RUs must ensure that trains are compatible with the infrastructure and safely operated.

The Role of the Infrastructure Manager (IM)

Jilka detailed the three main categories of responsibilities for Infrastructure Managers (IMs):

1. Management of assets – Overseeing the maintenance and operation of railway infrastructure.
2. Capacity management – Ensuring the efficient use of the rail network and allocating resources appropriately.
3. Operations management – Authorising and overseeing the safe movement of trains on the network.

In France, EPSF supervises these activities, granting safety authorisations to IMs and conducting inspections to ensure compliance with regulations. Jilka explained that safety authorisations are crucial to maintaining operational safety standards across the network.

A Historical Perspective on French Infrastructure Management

Jilka provided a brief history of how infrastructure management has evolved in France. From 1827 to 1938, French railway companies were separated regionally, each managing both infrastructure and train operations. In 1938, the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) was established as the national operator, managing all infrastructure and train services under one monopoly until 1997. At that point, infrastructure and train operations were split into separate entities, in line with European regulations aimed at promoting competition and improving efficiency.

Jilka identified 1997 as a significant turning point, with the separation of SNCF into an IM and an RU, followed by the gradual liberalisation of the railway market across Europe. The introduction of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in 2006 and regionalisation initiatives, which allow local authorities to manage small lines, were also notable milestones.

In 2017, there was a decree to include similar networks into the National Railway system. Additionally, there was a decree allowing for the possibility of transferring ownership from the state to regional authorities.

Types of Infrastructure Managers in France

Out of interest, in Germany, there are 200 IMs, 11 in France with 4 subcontractors’ and one IM in Spain.

Jilka outlined the four types of Infrastructure Managers (IMs) currently operating in France:

1. Historical IM – SNCF, which still operates 99% of the French rail network. In some local cases, SNCF subcontracts certain tasks, creating subcontractor IMs to handle specific traffic management or maintenance duties on local lines.
2. Comparable networks – These include cross-border IMs managed jointly with neighbouring countries (such as Switzerland or Luxembourg) and specific projects like high-speed lines or ports (e.g., Port de Paris, Port de Marseille).
3. IMs from PPP projects – France has three major high-speed PPP projects, where contractors manage their own sections of the network.
   Regional IMs – A new initiative where local authorities manage small local lines, taking ownership from the state to better manage and reduce operational costs.
4. Regional IMs, would be a good example once the Devolution strategy comes into play – when municipalities “take over” local railway transport.

Key Principles for Effective Infrastructure Management

Jilka summarised his presentation by offering five key principles for how to be an effective infrastructure manager:

1. No One-Size-Fits-All Solution – The IM must be fit for purpose, and the local context is paramount in determining the best management structure.
2. Clear Definitions – Clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each actor in the railway system is essential for smooth operation.
3. Safety Focus – Safety should remain the top priority, with roles and responsibilities clearly aligned with safety objectives.
4. Interoperability and Cooperation – Cooperation between IMs and RUs, as well as between different IMs, is critical for ensuring a well-functioning network.
5. Fair Treatment of All Allocators – In an open railway market, fair treatment of all stakeholders is vital to maintaining operational integrity and competitiveness.

Jilka’s presentation highlighted the complexities of managing railway infrastructure in Europe and, specifically, in France. By focusing on clear responsibilities, safety and cooperation, infrastructure managers can operate effectively in a complex and highly regulated environment. France’s experience, with its diverse types of IMs and long history of infrastructure management, offers valuable lessons for other countries facing similar challenges.

Jilka stressed the importance of ensuring interoperability and fair competition while maintaining a constant focus on safety, the bedrock of effective railway management.