The European Commission has approved an investment of almost €177 million from the European Regional Development Fund to double a section of railway line between Palermo and Carini, in Sicily, Italy.
This will encourage the use of rail transport, hence cutting road congestion and reducing CO2 emissions. Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms,
European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, commented: “While our immediate focus is on combating the spread of the coronavirus, our work on delivering the European Green Deal continues. The climate crisis is still a reality, and require our continued attention and efforts. In addition, investing in rail transport not only means investing in greener transport, but also in safer and more efficient transport.”
The project is part of a 3-phase investment that started in the 2007-2013 EU programming period.
The railway line forms part of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), notably the Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor. The line’s upgrade will help connect the southern regions of Italy with those of northern and central-eastern Europe with important socio-economic benefit for Sicily and the rest of the continent.
