High-speed rail and regional development: intermediate stations in border regions

High-speed rail has developed both nationally and internationally in Europe as a successful
alternative to both air and road over distances of 400-600km. Inter-city traffic, especially between
the major metropolitan areas in North-west Europe has benefitted greatly from the investment in
this network. This paper explores two issues: the impact on the intermediate areas between these
major metropolitan areas and the creation of potential cross-border inter-regional services. The
evidence shows how both levels of service and potential economic impacts have been much less
pronounced in these intermediate areas. Such areas have been affected both by a failure to see
greatly improved direct access to major cities other than within their own countries and a lack of
new cross-border inter-regional services. The paper argues that the creation of the high-speed rail
TEN-T has not met the primary objectives of reducing regional disparities in accessibility or reducing
the effect of national borders on regional integration. To achieve this requires not just infrastructure
provision but an appropriate regulatory framework for service provision and accompanying
measures at the local level.