Transport research gathers steam
While western Europe may have built relatively dependable transport systems in recent decades, many of the EU's New Member States (NMS) have joined the bloc with ageing transport infrastructures. Nonetheless, many ambitious initiatives to modernise transport in the EU's youngest nations and upcoming ones have produced valuable new research and redefined transport policies. One such initiative was the EU-funded project 'Support for realising new Member and Associate States potential in transport research' (Transnew). The project investigated road, rail, waterborne and air transport knowledge in the public and private sectors in the NMS. Its target states were Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia, as well as candidate member Turkey and potential future candidate Moldova. In this context, Transnew built a formidable database of transport researchers across the NMS and pertinent to all transport means, consolidating the information on the project website. Featuring more than 2 000 entries, the database was designed to foster new partnerships among stakeholders who apply to EU-funded projects. It has reached far beyond a simple directory of stakeholders, enabling individuals and organisations to articulate their research interests and exchange information about research capabilities. Surprisingly, the project found there was no dedicated transport research policy in any of the countries under study, yet was able to identify the level of transport research in each. It thus outlined the need to pursue strategic transport development by supporting recently identified research activities. Transnew noted that older EU Member States were more focused on optimisation, support and regulation, while newer states and Candidate Countries prioritised infrastructure. In all, the project helped relevant ministries manage and support funding, as well as create a competitive environment for transport research. It effectively organised interactive regional research workshops to achieve this aim, foster new partnerships and encourage participation in EU projects. This will help overhaul ailing transport systems in each country, fostering cross-border integration and bringing Europe's nations closer together.
