Station Managers' Global Group (SMGG) and preliminary preparation of the 5th Next Station Conference in Marrakech

Station Managers’ Global Group (SMGG) and preliminary preparation of the 5th Next Station Conference in Marrakech

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On 2 October 2014 the SMGG meeting took place in Marrakech.
SMGG is the UIC group dedicated to railway stations. It comprises station managers of UIC members.

UIC members represented at the meeting were: ONCF, the host of the meeting, ADIF, SNCF (Gares & Connexions – Stations & Connections – and AREP), RZD, Korean Railways and Japanese Railways.

UIC Headquarters was represented by Iñaki Barrón (Director of the High Speed and Passenger Department) and Marc Guigon (Senior Advisor for Passenger Transport).

The main points discussed at the SMGG meeting were:

Presentation of Moroccan Railways, strategies and stations (promote stations and the new station of Casablanca Port which was inaugurated by King Mohammed VI on 25 September 2014. See link: http://www.oncf.ma/Pages/Actualite/InaugurationCasaPort2014.aspx and other article dedicated to this issue in this UIC eNews)
The leaflet concerning information and signage in stations (413) will be updated and extended at global level. The group agreed on the process to perform this task under the coordination of SNCF and ADIF
Governance of railways and stations were presented with many examples
The observatory for rail stations, which is a UIC website available for use by UIC members, will be developed with data and information from members (statistics, studies, mapping, organisations…)
The European INSPIRE proposal concerning “innovative stations” was submitted to the European Commission, which will give its approval end 2014
A preliminary discussion was engaged concerning the next worldwide conference on stations (NEXT STATION) which will be organised in Marrakech (Morocco) from 21 – 22 October 2015. Some general topics were highlighted
SMGG representatives visited the railway station of Marrakech that was refurbished in 2008.

Its surface area is 25,000 square metres with a huge 5000 square metre concourse.
Two floors are dedicated to retail with a total surface area of 2800 square metres.
The station handles around three million passengers a year.
The forthcoming meetings concerning stations will take place in Paris and Marrakech in the next few months on the following subjects: