Article 2 · Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2699

Contents

Article 2Actions and timetable#

Belgium and Luxembourg shall ensure the timely implementation of the following actions:

On line 161 (Brussels – Namur)

(a)Watermael – Ottignies: 4-lane upgrading work to increase traffic capacity and speed by December 2026:

—railway engineering works (tracks, catenaries and signalling) for the renewal of existing tracks and the addition of 2 new tracks between Watermael (included) and Ottignies station (not included) by December 2026.

(b)Ottignies – Louvain-La-Neuve junction: 4-lane upgrading work to increase traffic capacity and speed by December 2028:

—Construction of the station platforms to accommodate the renewed tracks by December 2028;

—Railway engineering works (tracks, catenaries and signalling) for the renewal of tracks in Ottignies station (inclusive) up to the Louvain-La-Neuve junction (inclusive) by December 2028.

(c)Junction Louvain-La-Neuve to Gembloux: work to increase in traffic speed by December 2028:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2028;

—replacement or adaptation of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient in view of the increase in speed by December 2028;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment of large excavated material with a view to facilitating water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2028;

—extension and raising of the station platforms of the unmanned stopping points of Mont-Saint-Guibert, Blanmont, Chastre and Ernage by December 2028;

—revision of the signalling in view of the speed increase by December 2028;

—re-electrification of the section with a 3kV compound catenary by December 2028.

(d)Gembloux – Rhisnes: work to increase in traffic speed by December 2027:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2026;

—replacement or adaptation of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient in view of the increase in speed by December 2026;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment of large excavated material with a view to facilitating water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2026;

—extension and raising of the station platforms of the unmanned stopping points of Lonzée, Beuzet, Saint-Denis-Bovesse, by December 2026;

—revision of the signalling in view of the speed increase by December 2027;

—re-electrification of the section with a 3kV compound catenary by December 2026;

—removal of level crossings 56 and 58 by December 2026.

(e)Rhisnes – Namur: work to increase in traffic speed by December 2029:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2029;

—replacement of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient given the increase in speed by December 2029;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment to grind rock wall and large excavated material to facilitate water discharge and maintenance operations by December 2029;

—extension and raising of the station platform of the unmanned stopping point of Rhisnes by December 2029;

—revision of the signalling in view of the speed increase by December 2029;

—re-electrification of the section with a 3kV compound catenary by December 2029;

—construction of a new switching station in Rhisnes by December 2029.

On line 162 (Namur – Luxembourg border)

(a)Ciney – Haversin: work to increase in traffic speed by December 2027:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2025;

—replacement of engineering structures whose gauge has become insufficient in view of the increase in speed by December 2025;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment to grind rock wall and large excavated material to facilitate water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2025;

—extension and raising of the station platforms of the unmanned stopping points of Leignon and Chapois by December 2025;

—installation of new signalling by December 2027;

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed 3kV/25kV catenary by December 2025;

—removal of the Leignon and Chapois level crossings by December 2024.

(b)Haversin – Marloie: work to increase in traffic speed by December 2028:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2028;

—replacement of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient given the increase in speed by December 2028;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment to grind rock wall and large excavated material to facilitate water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2028;

—extension and raising of the station platform of the Aye unmanned stopping point by December 2028;

—installation of new signalling by December 2028;

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed 3kV/25kV catenary by December 2028;

—rectification of railway curves by December 2027.

(c)Gare de Marloie: comprehensive redevelopment of the railway infrastructure:

—upgrading and complete replacement of track infrastructure by June 2025;

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed catenary 3kV/25kV by December 2025;

—installation of new signalling by December 2025;

—extension and raising of the station platforms by December 2026.

(d)Marloie – Jemelle: work to increase of traffic speed by December 2029.

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2029;

—replacement of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient given the increase in speed by December 2029;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment to grind rock wall and large excavated material to facilitate water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2029;

—installation of new signalling by December 2025;

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed 3kV/25kV catenary by December 2029;

(e)Jemelle – Grupont: work to increase of traffic speed by December 2029:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 to 2,25 m) by December 2029;

—replacement of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient in view of the increase in speed by December 2029;

—remediation of the railway track platform including the treatment of rock faces and large excavated material to facilitate water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2029;

—extension and raising of the station platforms of the Forrières unmanned stopping point by December 2029;

—installation of new signalling by December 2029.

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed 3kV/25kV catenary by December 2029;

(f)Grupont – Hatrival: increase of traffic speed by December 2027:

—regularise the track spacing at 2,25 m (currently varying between 2,00 and 2,25 m) by December 2025;

—replacement of engineering structures the gauge of which has become insufficient in view of the increase in speed by December 2025;

—remediation of the railway track platforms including the treatment of rock faces and large excavated material to facilitate water drainage and maintenance operations by December 2025;

—extension and raising of the station platforms of the unmanned stopping points of Grupont and Poix-Saint-Hubert by December 2025;

—installation of new signalling by December 2027;

—re-electrification of the section with a mixed 3kV/25kV catenary by December 2025;

—rectification of railway curves by December 2025.

(g)Ciney – Hatrival: voltage switching from 3kV to 25kV by December 2029:

—installation of a 25kV supply on the Namur – Hatrival section with the construction of a new switching station, a distribution substation and 7 autotransformer substations by December 2029;

—installation of a new zone of phase separation and new zone of voltage separation by December 2029;

—adaptation of the current catenary of line 43 to allow 25kV supply from Marloie station to Melreux by December 2029.

On line n°8, Luxembourg

(a)Construction of a new railway line between Luxembourg and Bettembourg by the end of 2026 with testing, homologation, certification and training by the end 2028:

—railway track platform works – Livange-Bettembourg section, by September 2025;

—railway track platform works – Howald-Hesperange section, by August 2025;

—railway track platform works – Hesperange-Berchem section, by November 2025;

—finalization of the connection of the new line at Bettembourg station, by November 2026;

—completion of the connection of the new railway line at Howald station by December 2026;

—completion of works on the railway line by December 2026.

(b)Redevelopment of Bettembourg station:

—commissioning of the new signal box at Bettembourg station by December 2026;

—study of the redevelopment of Bettembourg station by December 2023;

—start of work at Bettembourg station: 2026;

—end of work at Bettembourg station: 2033.