The European Commission and the European railway sector welcomed the vote given by the European Parliament on July 6 concerning the creation of a new legislative framework for the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). These systems can bring a significant contribution to the transformation of the transport system into a safer, more efficient and greener system. The directive adopted should speed up the implementation of innovative transport technologies across the entire Europe.
“Providing harmonised specifications for “Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)” at European level will help reduce congestion and improve road safety”, announced the Transport Committee, which approved the legislation for the new ITS systems, whose implementation will be finalized by 2013.
The costs of traffic congestion – estimated at 1% of the European GDP – can be reduced by 10% through the adoption of Intelligent Transport Systems. It has been estimated that the installation of intelligent technologies on-board motor vehicles and trucks will help prevent over 5,000 deaths every year. The members of the Transport Committee approved the agreement signed with the European Council in May concerning the implementation of a well-established program for the introduction of ITS traffic and safety monitoring systems. These systems have to be compatible and interoperable with the existing national systems, so they can become operational at European level.
A more flexible transport
The ITS systems use ICT and provide real-time information at European level, thus reducing congestion, pollution and preventing accidents. These systems can be applied for both passenger and freight transport, on all modes of transport (road, rail, air, maritime). “This Directive represents a very important instrument for the coordinated implementation of ITS in Europe. This is a big step forward towards the introduction and application of interoperable and flexible ITS services, at the same time giving member states the freedom to decide in which systems to invest”, said Siim Kallas, EC Vice-President and European Commissioner for Transport.
This Directive supports the ITS Action Plan and aims at creating a framework for the acceleration and coordination of ITS application in road transport, including the necessary interface with the other modes of transport. The first priorities will be the information related to traffic and passengers, the eCall emergency call system and intelligent truck parking. Based on this Directive, in the following seven years, the Commission has to adopt the necessary specifications (functional, technical, organisational and service dispositions) concerning the compatibility, interoperability and continuity of ITS solutions at European level. The Commission will also create the ITS European Consultative Group, which will reunite representatives from all the interested parties and also provide consultancy related to the commercial and technical aspects of ITS implementation and use in the European Union.
“We believe that ITS can play a major role in transforming the current recession into new opportunities, by promoting a safer, greener and more efficient transport system”, said Hermann Meyer, CEO of ERTICO-ITS Europe (PPP-type association). After the Directive is published in the EU Official Gazette, member states will have 18 months to transpose it in their national legislations.
In 2010, the Commission will create the ITS European Committee and the ITS European Consultative Group. In 2011, the Commission will adopt a work program and the member states will have to draft the first report based on their activities.
The ITS implementation program has the following agenda: supply of real-time traffic information at European level (due in 2013), supply of multimodal transport information (due in 2014) and general road safety information, with no additional costs from the users (due in 2012).
by Elena Ilie
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