During the 8th AG4 meeting on 19 June 2018 in Trento two workshops on (1) secondary networks and modal shift and on (2) secondary networks and accessibility were held in parallel together with the members of the AG4 and invited external experts and stakeholders. The two workshops were organized in preparation of the 3rd EUSALP AG4 Mobility Conference, taking place on 20 June 2018 in Trento with the focus on secondary networks and referred to the beforehand developed AG4 discussion paper outlining the importance of secondary networks for the Alpine Region.
The framework of secondary networks embraces a variety of aspects and can become an object of study from structural, as well as operational points of view and concerns the transport of both passengers and freight. Secondary networks are crucial for connecting the territories of the Alpine regions to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and thus contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the core network. Furthermore, secondary networks - widespread and interconnected with the main networks, their environmental sustainability, safety, practicability, frequency of services and diverted traffic, sustainable mobility and alternative modes, connections to ports and to the inland, mobility choices and challenges of diversified extended territories - are essential to outline the future economic development of the Alpine Region and to connect people, providing them equal chances and opportunities, whether living in urban areas or in remote valleys.
1st Workshop on secondary networks and modal shift
Intermodality and management of transport flows
Lukas Schlosser, Department of Transport Planning, Tyrol
Lukas Schlosser presented the sub-topic on intermodality and management for traffic flows which is becoming more and more challenging in times of increasing heavy goods traffic crossing the Alpine corridors. In order to manage the growing amount of transit traffic Tyrol introduced a diversified toll system on the highways, accompanied by measures like driving bans on secondary networks in order to avoid deviation traffic. The driving bans especially aim at limiting transit traffic to the main arteries of the transport network and guarantee traffic safety and fluidity for cars on the secondary networks.
Maritime Ports
Giovanni Campeol, Iuav University of Venice, representative of Veneto in the AG4
Giovanni Campeol underlined the importance of including ports in the discussion of secondary networks in order to account for better integration for all modes relevant for Alpine freight transport. He illustrated that ports act as interfaces to the Mediterranean Sea south of the Alpine arch and connect to the TEN-T corridors to Northern Europe. Moreover the EUSALP port system offers the possibility to serve two other European macro regions (EUSDR and EUSAIR), thus it reinforcing strategic integration between macro-regional strategies.
Inland terminals
Federico Cavallaro, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Regional Development EURAC Research Bolzano and external expert to the AG4 nominated by the Italian Ministry of Environment
Federico Cavallaro outlined that intermodal terminals are the infrastructural nodes that grant the storage and the transshipments of loading units from one transport mode to another. At the macro regional level, it is important to find an integrated balance between them: each terminal is not in competition with the others, but is part of a common framework that aims at promoting modal shift. The proximity of the inland terminals to the main transport infrastructures, such as motorways, highways, railways and inland waterways characterises its accessibility.
Protection of the territory
Franc Žepič, Ministry of Infrastructure, Office for International Affairs, Slovenia and Member of the AG4
Franc Žepič presented the sub-topic protection of the territory, which should not be construed in a restrictive sense but according to a wider vision. The focus is on the relationship with the environment, the relationship between transport and economics and with the social context as a whole. In this perspective accessibility should consider traffic flows while taking into account traffic safety. Better infrastructure can help preventing accidents. Extreme weather conditions in the sensitive Alpine Region can be challenging for road safety. Therefore a resilient infrastructure which is adapted to climate change is needed in order to prevent accidents. Mr. Žepič also emphasised that transport cannot always be seen negatively, as people also depend on and live from it.
2nd Workshop on secondary networks and accessibility
Road safety
Valentino Pagani, Director of the Department of Infrastructure Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol
Valentino Pagani showed that there are more than 2700 km of roads in South Tyrol. Due to geographical conditions the road network is characterized by significant differences in altitude, limited space and strong differences in temperature. Thus infrastructures must be placed, in these circumstances, under an appropriate monitoring and inspection programme followed up by planning to keep them fully functional and efficient. In the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the main activities are focused on the maintenance of the highest safety standards. Furthermore, awareness-raising and informing citizens can be seen as a second pillar in road safety.
New forms of Mobility
Aurelio Vigani, Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE) Switzerland and member of the AG4
Aurelio Vigani showed that there are two scenarios, a pessimistic and an optimistic one. In the pessimistic scenario, already existing problems of road congestion will be amplified by more traffic volumes and a general increase of individual mobility, leading to a higher need for investments in infrastructure. In the optimistic scenario, accessibility of peripheral regions will be improved thanks to on demand services, self-driving vehicles that are used as “mobility assistants” for efficient door-to-door passenger transport, smart implementation of new digital technologies in the transport system and in transport policy and more intelligent and efficient mobility. Mr. Vigani outlined additionally that Switzerland would like to exploit digitilisation for an innovative transport policy.
Economic capacity and sustainability of weak and peripheral networks and areas
Roberto Andreatta, Director of the Public Transport Service, autonomous Province of Trento
Finally Roberto Andreatta showed that to better address mobility in low demand areas the conditions of feasibility for setting up innovative mobility services which better respond to the needs of the population are explored. In this respect Mr Andreatta outlined that in 2016 more than 86% of the Italian population used their private car and only 13.6% used public transport. The target for 2030 will be 60% modal split for sustainable transport. According to Mr. Andreatta, transport policy should take into account the following aspects: rail transport is needed for connections to the major transport networks and for the development of connections and cadence stations on the secondary rail network. Public transport on the road, especially on secondary networks is needed to realize a reduction of individual mobility. The objective of increasing sustainable local mobility could be reached by promoting cycling, electro mobility and car-pooling as well as car sharing.
The input presentations and discussions during the workshops and the following Mobility Conference are taken into consideration for the final EUSALP AG4 discussion paper on Secondary Networks, which will be finalised by autumn 2018. The presentations can be accessed via the share point of the EUSALP website.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact the AG4 Lead Team: eusalp.mobility@tirol.gv.at
