Maintenance, upgrades, & expansions

Improving existing transportation incorporates planning and construction practices, along with considerations of impact on existing traffic flows. Key considerations include costs, safety, timeliness, detours, environmental conditions, sustainability, and material availability.

Roadways have seen substantial growth in traffic, which is causing increased wear and tear on infrastructure. In addition, heavier vehicles such as lorries and EVs also are reducing roadway longevity and requiring revised maintenance strategies. On average, maintenance budgets have not kept up with maintenance needs, which may be approximately twice as costly as currently allotted each year, which can further increase costs due to delayed repairs and safety issues.

Railway infrastructure in Europe is also aging. Upgrading rail infrastructure involves replacing antiquated legacy systems with modern, digitized solutions. This includes the adoption of new business models in digital train operations, passenger experience, and cybersecurity measures to protect the growing number of connected components. Expanding rail capacity is crucial to accommodate increasing demand. This involves significant projects such as the expansion of metro lines and the modernization of heavy-rail routes to relieve congestion and increase capacity. Expanding the rail network requires strategic planning to identify target countries and regions for growth. This involves leveraging expertise in engineering, infrastructure, and transport management, and setting up dedicated organizations to promote these competencies. Significant financial investments are necessary for expansion

Achieving operational excellence in maintenance requires the use of advanced analytics and digitization. Predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring tools can significantly reduce costs and improve the reliability of transportation networks. For instance, advanced analytics can reduce maintenance expenditure by up to 30% on selected tracks without compromising network stability.