Europe tightens freight wagon rules after Gotthard rail accident

Three years after the Gotthard Base Tunnel accident, European authorities and the rail industry have agreed to tighten safety checks for freight wagons, requiring more frequent inspections. The new rules were prompted by a Swiss initiative. "This shows that in Switzerland we can also set standards in Europe," Christa Hostettler, director of the Federal Office of Transport, told Swiss public television on Friday. In future, freight wagons are to be inspected every 50,000 to 300,000 kilometres,…