MARIBOR-SENTILJ RAIL TRACK MODERNISATION

Upgrade and modernisation of a rail track on the Maribor-Sentilj national border section.

The project comprises the modernisation and upgrade of the single-track railway section of about 18 km between Maribor and Sentilj (Austrian border) in order to close an existing gap on the Core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Baltic-Adriatic Corridor. The line is one of several important international freight connections. It connects Slovenia, including the main Slovenian port of Koper, and important international railway freight markets: Austria, Germany and Poland. The corridor also serves Croatia and the Western Balkans region. The project has been supported by JASPERS in the various project related aspects, e.g. demand analysis and train operation analysis. The contributions towards major stations layouts resulted in improved design for a more seamless operation of transport services.

The pertinence to Annexes I and II of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, the screening decisions, the EIA and the development consents have been reviewed during the appraisal. The project's potential impact on protected areas and species, in accordance with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) was also appraised. A freight modal shift thanks to increased rail-based mobility can be expected (due to increased speed and increased capacity for freight and passenger services), thus also decreasing traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions and other externalities.

The EIB requires the Promoter to ensure that the contract for the implementation of the project has been or will be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation, Directive 2014/24/EU, 2014/25/EU and 92/13/EEC as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with the publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the European Union, as and where required .