The problem

Current transport indicators reflect local political aims and priorities, as well as different definitions of such terms as congestion, mobility, accessibility, and environmental impact. Stakeholders in the European Common Transport Policy (CTP) will be more inclined to use scientific support to policy when this is based on transparent, precise, quantified, consistent and widely-accepted information. There is a need to establish consensus on decision-support tools for transport policy. A set of common tools will foster consistency in EU transport policy analysis and help policy-makers to gear their proposals to society’s expectations.

Overview:

New research dealing with interurban and international mobility has created innovative tools to support a more informed and credible decision-making process. But actual use of these tools has been limited. To boost confidence in these instruments, the TRANSFORUM platform will check them for:

• Scientific consistency with the goals of the CTP
• Availability and harmonisation of the basic data
• Appropriateness to users’ and stakeholders’ needs
• Contribution to good governance
• Relevance to the various goals of the EU

TRANSFORUM will play a facilitating role by supporting research projects in the field. It will also organise four Forum Sessions, as well as an on-line e-forum to encourage stakeholder debate.

Contribution to policy development:

The project creates common ground and supports the decision-making process related to CTP implementation by helping to exploit decision-support tools. Specifically, it validates:

• Transport data and indicators (for monitoring purposes)
• Transport models and scenarios
• Assessment techniques, integrating the various impacts of transport policies.

Project deliverables

• Inception Report – November 2004
• Validation reports on: “common definition and indicators”, “transport models and scenarios”, “transport policy assessment” – April 2005, October 2005, June 2006, December 2006
• Final report and CD-ROM with final results and public database – February 2007

Dissemination

• Project presentation – June 2004
• Plan for disseminating knowledge and raising public awareness – August 2004, August 2005, February 2007
• TRANSFORUM Promotional Material – December 2004
• CD-ROM with project outcomes and public information – February 2007

Technical information

Project acronym: TRANSFORUM
Project’s official full title: Scientific forum on transport forecast validation and policy assessment
Research priority: Transport policy
Specific webpage: http://www.transforum-eu.net
Proposal/contract no: FP6-2002-SSP-1-502002
Start date: 15 February 2004
Kick off meeting: 13-14 April 2004
Completion date: 14 February 2007
European Commission scientific officer: Peter Vis

Coordinator:
Name: Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, Directoraat-Generaal, Rijkswaterstaat, Adviesdienst
Verkeer en Vervoer
Abbreviated name: AVV
Address: PO Box 1031, 3000 BA ROTTERDAM
Country: The Netherlands
Tel: +31 10 282 5600
Fax: +31 10 282 5640
Website: http://www.rws-avv.nl

Partners

Name: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Abbreviated name: VTT
Country: Finland

Name: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid 
Abbreviated name: UPM
Country: Spain

Name: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Abbreviated name: TNO
Country: Netherlands

Name: Centre for Research and Technology/Hellenic Institute of Transport - Hellas
Abbreviated name: CERTH/HIT
Country: Greece

Name: TRL Limited
Abbreviated name: TRL
Country: United Kingdom

Name: Centrum dopravního výzkumu 
Abbreviated name: CDV
Country: Czech Republic

Name: Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Sécurité
Abbreviated name: INRETS
Country: France

Name: CETE Lyon
Abbreviated name: CETE-L
Country: France