They shall be designed so that the smallest wheel of a wheelchair, as defined in Annex M, cannot be trapped within the crossing surface and the rail.

When work starts tomorrow, 30 June 2006, to drive an exploratory gallery along the line of the future Brenner Base Tunnel, this will be a milestone towards completing the modal shift from road to rail for crossing the Alps.

I also understand that VIA has awarded another untendered contract this time to Bombardier to assemble, modify, and maintain the Renaissance cars.

Carrying out major infrastructure work: In the context of the trans‑European networks, the Commission is proposing to concentrate on the missing links (in particular the trans‑European high‑speed passenger rail network, including airport connections) and infrastructure with genuine potential for transferring goods from the roads to the railways (in particular the large‑capacity rail link across the Pyrenees).

Does the Commission acknowledge that the link between rail and ship at Gourock and the interconnection of the Gourock crossings with other well-integrated crossings between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay on the Island of Bute make this a classic example of an already established intermodal transport chain or concatenation of chains?

Objectives of the programme and criteria for action Four major objectives are identified for a medium-term infrastructure programme : - improvement of transport links on routes which include a sea crossing - reduction of costs involved in transit traffic, especially through infrastructure projects which favour combined transport (road/rail, road/sea etc.) - integration of peripheral regions in the Community network - development of high performance links between capitals and major urban centres, especially high speed railway projects for speeds of 160 km/hr or more.