Eurodelta: improving train connections as a mean for cross-border collaboration – and vice-versa

Abstract

SOUZA, Luiza Moreira da Rocha Amaral de. “Eurodelta: improving train connections as a mean for cross-border collaboration – and vice-versa”. Master thesis at Utrecht University, 2017. The present work studies the Eurodelta passenger cross-border railway connections in order to indicate which one has the greatest potential for immediate improvement from a spatial planning perspective. The planning perspective is divided in three core aspects of analysis: the current and potential connectivity efficiency of the Eurodelta services; the economic interactions between the regions which can justify the improvement of connections; and the national and cross-border political coordination between the territories which could facilitate or create barriers for better collaboration between the cross-border regions. The four Eurodelta cross-border connections analyzed are: Rotterdam (Netherlands) ßàAntwerp (Belgium); Eindhoven (Netherlands)ßàAntwerp (Belgium); Eindhoven (Netherlands)ßàDuisburg (Germany); Arnhem (Netherlands)ßàDuisburg (Germany). To achieve its objective, this research first utilizes a literature review to understand the current context and then examines the three core aspects through quantitative and qualitative analysis. It does so by comparing the cross-border connections to Dutch national ones, assessing maps and data of economic competition of regions and interviewing professionals that can add practice to theory. Results indicate that the link between Eindhoven and Duisburg has the strongest potential of improvement, followed by the Eindhoven and Antwerp link. The outcome emphasizes issues around cross-border collaboration which create inconveniences for developing the railway connections and gives suggestions on how to improve the collaboration within the Eurodelta, such as borrowing size from one another.