Fyra manufacturer blames ‘irresponsible driving’

AnsaldoBreda, the Italian manufacturer of the infamous Fyra train, rejects all charges that led to the service being discontinued, in a statement released yesterday. "The public should be made aware that the Fyra is safe and has been certified and verified by the competent international authorities," the company said, explaining that it would fight the Belgian and Dutch railways in the courts. "The statement of the SNCB CEO and the [Dutch railway company] NS press release are inconsistent," AnsaldoBreda continues. AnsaldoBreda adds that "Fyra V250 has received all the international certifications and met stringent control tests before being put into service." According to the manufacturer, the problems encountered in January are due to "excessive speeds (up to 250km/h) during snowstorms, [a process] repeated several times, recklessly and irresponsibly despite the automatic activation of the emergency brake system”.