Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski participated in Conference on the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) which was held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Forum was opened by the Vice President of the European Commission, Siim Kallas and the Minister of Transport of Denmark, Henrik Dam Kristensen. The event was attended by transport ministers and stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the European system for rail traffic management (ERTMS).

The main objective of the conference was to exchange best practices of implementation of such systems in different countries and to discuss several issues related to compatibility of equipment, the cost of its installation and certification, and how that can be used successfully  to accelerate the deployment of ERTMS in Europe.

Currently, a number of railway projects related to the deployment of ERTMS in Bulgaria are in process of preparing and implementing. The project "Reconstruction and electrification of railway line Plovdiv - Svilengrad - Turkish/Greek border" in the advanced stage of implementation.

Priority railway lines included in the National Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria for the implementation of ERTMS are divided into three groups:

Priority areas of prime European interest:

- Vidin - Sofia - Kulata
- Kalotina - Sofia - Plovdiv - Svilengrad - Kapikule

Priority areas of common European interest:

- Plovdiv - Karnobat - Bourgas/Sindel
- Radomir - Gyueshevo and Mezdra - Gorna Oryahovitsa
- Rousse - Gorna Oryahovitsa - Stara Zagora - Dimitrovgrad
- Rousse - Kaspichan - Sindel - Varna

Priority areas of national importance:

- Sofia - Karlovo - Zimnitsa
- Gorna Oryahovitsa - Kaspichan Railway

The aim of ERTMS is to identify the condition and status of the railway network and then to transmit the "authorization" for movement of a train as the distance over which the train is allowed to pass data and the way ahead, speed limit and slope. Computer board uses this information to calculate the speed limit and safe braking profile when the train is approaching the end of allowed distance.