Multimodal transport: A seamless web of integrated transport chains
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The European Union is now making considerable efforts to encourage the integration of existing transport modes and the use of intermodal systems. The development of a seamless web of integrated transport chains, linking road, rail and waterways is a key objective of the Common Transport Policy, as outlined in the Transport White Paper. Such integration would lead to improved flexibility, quality, and cost effectiveness and would stimulate competition between transporters instead of between transport modes. Still a range of obstacles stands in the path of optimum use of all existing infrastructure. The research agendas developed by the European Technology Platforms point to the need to take a new 'transport systems' perspective that considers the interactions of vehicles or vessels, transport networks or infrastructures and the use of transport services, which can only be developed at European level.
Under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the European Union is encouraging the development of sustainable, innovative, intermodal and interoperable regional and national transport and logistics networks, infrastructures and systems.
As research and development costs continue to rise substantially in all fields, collaborative activity at EU level is essential to enable a 'critical mass' of researchers to address pressing multi-disciplinary challenges in a cost-effective way, especially the challenge of interoperability and intermodal transport, with particular reference to waterborne and rail transport.