Periodic Reporting for period 2 - infra4Dfuture (Infrastructure for the Future)
Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2020-09-30
infra4Dfuture (i4Df) origin and overall objectives
Facing a variety of emerging challenges, such as climate change, resilience, ageing infrastructure, maintenance, digitalisation, automation, energy and electrification, National Transport Infrastructure Authorities (NTIAs) have an urgent need to modernise their transport infrastructure and smarter manage infrastructure innovation and implementation. In view of the long cycle times in infrastructure management and the rapid mounting pressure from these challenges, there is a need for fast delivery of ready-to-implement, cost-effective innovative solutions matching the requirements of the NTIA that jointly build the TEN-T network. These challenges cannot be overcome on national level alone or within only one mode or sector.
New business models, organisational structures and transnational, cross-modal cooperation approaches are needed as well as consolidation of partnerships and alliances from NTIAs) with industry and the research community. From this background 19 NTIAs from 17 countries joined forces in the i4Df initiative, a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), funded by the H2020 programme, with a duration of 24 months (1 October 2018 – 30 September 2020)(Grant Agreement No 824269). In addition, the initiative was/is supported by the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) and the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM).
i4Df focused on transport infrastructure innovation and implementation for road, rail, waterborne and airborne transport of passengers and goods, from origin to destination. Its overall objective was to develop a ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for demand driven innovation and implementation, including a common strategic vision on actions and priorities until 2030/2040, that should have the support of a wider range of relevant stakeholders and NTIAs from road, rail, industry and research.
Facing a variety of emerging challenges, such as climate change, resilience, ageing infrastructure, maintenance, digitalisation, automation, energy and electrification, National Transport Infrastructure Authorities (NTIAs) have an urgent need to modernise their transport infrastructure and smarter manage infrastructure innovation and implementation. In view of the long cycle times in infrastructure management and the rapid mounting pressure from these challenges, there is a need for fast delivery of ready-to-implement, cost-effective innovative solutions matching the requirements of the NTIA that jointly build the TEN-T network. These challenges cannot be overcome on national level alone or within only one mode or sector.
New business models, organisational structures and transnational, cross-modal cooperation approaches are needed as well as consolidation of partnerships and alliances from NTIAs) with industry and the research community. From this background 19 NTIAs from 17 countries joined forces in the i4Df initiative, a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), funded by the H2020 programme, with a duration of 24 months (1 October 2018 – 30 September 2020)(Grant Agreement No 824269). In addition, the initiative was/is supported by the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) and the European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM).
i4Df focused on transport infrastructure innovation and implementation for road, rail, waterborne and airborne transport of passengers and goods, from origin to destination. Its overall objective was to develop a ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for demand driven innovation and implementation, including a common strategic vision on actions and priorities until 2030/2040, that should have the support of a wider range of relevant stakeholders and NTIAs from road, rail, industry and research.
infra4Dfuture (i4Df) approach, work performed and main results achieved
To gather proper input and support and to achieve its ambitious goals, i4Df organised various consultations with relevant stakeholders and experts from road, rail, industry and research through e.g. conferences, workshops and webinars. Results and learnings from these events went into the many deliverables i4Df has produced. All public deliverables can be downloaded from the i4Df website: www.i4df.eu.
From all this eventually a demand-driven overarching strategy and ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for the modernisation of transport infrastructure emerged. The mechanism is accompanied by a shared strategic vision on future infrastructure capabilities, resulting innovation focus areas and related competences, as well as common pathways for innovation development and implementation towards 2040. The mechanism and its operationalisation is supported by a toolkit containing a wide array of deliverables from i4Df. Although the project faced quite a few obstacles due to COVID-19 restrictions, all deliverables and milestones were timely delivered, goals achieved and alternatives were found for cancelled events.
To gather proper input and support and to achieve its ambitious goals, i4Df organised various consultations with relevant stakeholders and experts from road, rail, industry and research through e.g. conferences, workshops and webinars. Results and learnings from these events went into the many deliverables i4Df has produced. All public deliverables can be downloaded from the i4Df website: www.i4df.eu.
From all this eventually a demand-driven overarching strategy and ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for the modernisation of transport infrastructure emerged. The mechanism is accompanied by a shared strategic vision on future infrastructure capabilities, resulting innovation focus areas and related competences, as well as common pathways for innovation development and implementation towards 2040. The mechanism and its operationalisation is supported by a toolkit containing a wide array of deliverables from i4Df. Although the project faced quite a few obstacles due to COVID-19 restrictions, all deliverables and milestones were timely delivered, goals achieved and alternatives were found for cancelled events.
infra4Dfuture (i4Df) impacts
i4Df has successfully delivered a demand-driven overarching strategy and ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for the modernisation of transport infrastructure, including a strategic vision on future infrastructure capabilities, resulting innovation focus areas and related competences. Moreover, i4Df has generated awareness and understanding among a wider range of relevant stakeholders and NTIAs from road, rail, industry and research both interest and support from relevant stakeholders. Participants in the i4Df events and the NTIAs of the i4Df consortium endorsed their support for the i4Df coordination mechanism, its underlying principles, visions, approach and operationalisation.
All this has, among other things, resulted in the signing of an MoU on common collaboration topics between CEDR and EIM and the rearrangement of their working groups and topics to an i4Df approach. Further engagement took place with platforms representing NTIAs from water and air. In addition, consultation with DGMOVE and INEA has resulted in reference to i4Df related subjects in EU Framework Programmes.Elements from the latter will feed into the CEF and Horizon Europe programming and collaboration topics of relevant stakeholder platforms.
30 September 2020, the end of the i4Df CSA, marked the end of an intense and successful project. But the further implementation and operationalisation of the i4Df cross-modal cooperation mechanism, for there is wide support from all involved NTIAs and revelevant stakeholders, will really start after, it is ready for take-off. First conferences taking into account the legacy of i4Df were planned right after the completion of the CSA.
i4Df has successfully delivered a demand-driven overarching strategy and ready-to-implement cross-modal coordination mechanism for the modernisation of transport infrastructure, including a strategic vision on future infrastructure capabilities, resulting innovation focus areas and related competences. Moreover, i4Df has generated awareness and understanding among a wider range of relevant stakeholders and NTIAs from road, rail, industry and research both interest and support from relevant stakeholders. Participants in the i4Df events and the NTIAs of the i4Df consortium endorsed their support for the i4Df coordination mechanism, its underlying principles, visions, approach and operationalisation.
All this has, among other things, resulted in the signing of an MoU on common collaboration topics between CEDR and EIM and the rearrangement of their working groups and topics to an i4Df approach. Further engagement took place with platforms representing NTIAs from water and air. In addition, consultation with DGMOVE and INEA has resulted in reference to i4Df related subjects in EU Framework Programmes.Elements from the latter will feed into the CEF and Horizon Europe programming and collaboration topics of relevant stakeholder platforms.
30 September 2020, the end of the i4Df CSA, marked the end of an intense and successful project. But the further implementation and operationalisation of the i4Df cross-modal cooperation mechanism, for there is wide support from all involved NTIAs and revelevant stakeholders, will really start after, it is ready for take-off. First conferences taking into account the legacy of i4Df were planned right after the completion of the CSA.