The identification of relevant technical-technological parametres for upgrade of charging model for the railway infrastructure

Magistrsko delo obravnava področje organiziranja železniškega prometnega sistema, ki na podoben način še ni bilo raziskano in zajema določitev tistih merodajnih tehnično–tehnoloških kriterijev za zaračunavanje uporabnine za uporabo javne železniške infrastrukture, ki najbolj vplivajo na učinkovitost in ekonomsko vzdržnost posameznega modela zaračunavanja uporabnine. Sistem zaračunavanja uporabnine za uporabo javne železniške infrastrukture je na dolgi rok lahko ekonomsko vzdržen, če se z uporabnino pokriva želen odstotek sredstev za vzdrževanje in razvoj javne železniške infrastrukture. Sama uporabnina pa ne sme biti previsoka, da ne odvrne prevoznikov od opravljanja železniških prevozov. Vprašljivost vzdržnosti posameznih modelov za zaračunavanje uporabnine je posledica pomanjkanja ustreznega strokovnega znanja in neustrezne povezanosti med stanjem javne železniške infrastrukture in tehnično–tehnološkimi parametri za določitev uporabnine. Skozi magistrsko delo je zato s pomočjo merodajnih tehnično–tehnoloških parametrov izvedena primerjava obstoječih modelov uporabnine in ugotovljene njihove značilnosti, prednosti in pomanjkljivosti. Prav tako je izvedena tudi primerjava posameznih obstoječih modelov uporabnine z vidika ekonomske trajnosti oz. vzdržnosti, saj se ciljni odstotek pokrivanja med posameznimi državami zelo razlikuje. Ugotovitve kažejo, da ravno želena stopnja pokritja stroškov javne železniške infrastrukture posameznih držav najbolj vpliva na določanje parametrov za zaračunavanje uporabnine, sami modeli za zaračunavanje uporabnine pa so si v svoji osnovi dokaj podobni. Slovenija si je zadala cilj, da bi od izhodiščnega leta 2008, ko je bila stopnja pokritja stroškov infrastrukture 8,95%, do ciljnega leta 2020 dosegla 30% stopnjo pokritosti. Izračuni pa kažejo, da je bil delež pokritja v letu 2014 le še 5,96% (na Hrvaškem 11,91% in v Avstriji 19,60%), kar kaže na bistveno odstopanje od primerjanih držav in sledenja zadanemu cilju. Zato se poraja sklep, da slovenski model zaračunavanja uporabnine ne zagotavlja ustreznega deleža oz. odstotka pokritja stroškov javne železniške infrastrukture z zaračunano uporabnino in dolgoročno (trajnostno) ne sledi ciljem vzpostavljene in sprejete prometne politike. Za potrditev le-tega je bila zato na določenem progovnem odseku izbrane tipične proge mešanega prometa, državna meja – Rogatec – Stranje – Grobelno, izvedena podrobna analiza stanja javne železniške infrastrukture, prepustnosti proge, stroškov in prihodkov proge, izračunana dejanska izkoriščenost tega odseka ter izračunan delež pokritja stroškov javne železniške infrastrukture z zaračunano uporabnino. Ugotovitve na omenjenem raziskanem primeru kažejo, da za doseganje želenega deleža oz. odstotka pokritja ni dovolj le v celoti izkoristiti razpoložljivih prostih progovnih kapacitet, ampak je potrebno tudi znižati stroške javne železniške infrastrukture (proge) in/ali zvišati ceno vlakovnega kilometra in/ali modificirati model zaračunavanja uporabnine. To pa potrjuje tezo, da med stanjem javne železniške infrastrukture in stroški, povezanimi z njo, ter modelom za zaračunavanje uporabnine, kot posledico želenega ciljnega odstotka pokrivanja stroškov javne železniške infrastrukture, ni prave korelacije, saj želenega deleža pokritja stroškov ni možno doseči brez drastičnih posegov v stroškovni in prihodkovni del javne železniške infrastrukture. Zato je v nalogi podan predlog modificiranega in nadgrajenega modela zaračunavanja uporabnine, ki vključuje dva dodatna merodajna tehnično-tehnološka parametra: izhodiščno stanje infrastrukture in obremenjenost infrastrukture zaradi izkoriščenosti progovnih kapacitet. Z modificiranim in nadgrajenim modelom in izračuni je prikazano, da se je možno preko sistema odbitkov in dodatkov v obliki novih parametrov v modelu uporabnine približati želenim ciljem zaračunavanja uporabnine in le-to oblikovati stimulativno in bolj učinkovito.Master\u27s thesis focuses on area of railway system organisation in a way that has not been researched yet, and includes the identification of those relevant technical - technological criteria of charging fees for the use of railway infrastructure, which most affect the efficiency and economic viability of a particular model for charging. Railway charging system can be economically sustainable if the charges (user fees) cover the desired percentage of funds for the maintenance and development of the railway infrastructure. User fees, on the other hand, should not be too high to discourage the railway operators from using the particular railway infrastructure. Questionable sustainability of individual charging models that occurs is due to the lack of relevant expertise together with improper proportion between the actual state of the public railway infrastructure and technical - technological parameters for determining charges. Therefore throughout the study the comparison between existing charging models is made. Their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages are identified with the help of relevant technical - technological parameters. Furthermore, the comparison of economic sustainability of existing charging models is made as the target percentage of covering the infrastructure costs varies very much between countries. The findings show that the determination of parameters of charging models is most affected by the desired level of covering the infrastructure costs of individual countries, while their charging schemes are basically quite similar. Slovenia has set itself the goal to reach 30% level of covering the infrastructure costs (the base year was 2008, when the percentage was at 8.95%). Calculations show that the coverage in 2012 was only at 5.96% (in Croatia at 11.91% and in Austria at 19,60%), which indicates a significant deviation from the countries compared and tracking the goal pursued. Therefore, it can be concluded that Slovenian charging model does not provide the desired level of coverage of the public railway infrastructure costs and in the long-term it does not follow the existing transport policy objectives and sustainability of the railway system. For confirmation of that conclusion, typical mixed traffic line of Slovenian railway infrastructure was selected and analyzed (State border - Rogatec - Stranje – Grobelno). For this railway section an in-depth analysis of the state of infrastructure, permeability of the line and its costs and revenues was made. Furthermore, the actual utilization of this railway line and its breakeven costs were calculated. The findings of this case show that to achieve the desired percentage of infrastructure costs coverage it is not enough only to fully exploit the available line capacities, but it is also necessary to reduce the cost of infrastructure and/or to increase the price of train kilometer and/or modify the existing charging model. This only confirms the thesis that the state of infrastructure and its costs are not correlated with the existing charging model in Slovenia if the desired target rate of infrastructure cost recovery is to be achieved. Therefore the modified and upgraded charging model in Slovenia is proposed, using two additional and relevant technical-technological parameters: initial state of railway infrastructure and utilization of railway infrastructure due to better usage of track capacities. The calculations, made with the modified and upgraded Slovenian charging model, show that by using the system of additions and deductions it is possible to get closer to the desired goals of charging regimes. Accordingly, the development of the railway charging models should follow above given findings to allow the sustainability of the overall railway system, which is especially emphasized in the study