Revisiting the EPFL audits

In 2005, EPFL produced an assessment report on the French rail network (the Rivier audit) together with an analysis of capacity allocation. Five years later, both clients commissioned an in-depth reassessment, entrusted to Yves Putallaz for infrastructure and to P. Tzieropoulos for operations.

The assignment measured how maintenance policies (routine maintenance and renewal) had evolved following the Rivier audit, against the recommendations it had made.

The study revealed that shifting asset renewal policies was taking considerably longer than anticipated, mirroring the experience of the British rail network.