Transport and Communications Group
Annual report 2003-2004
Introduction
This report summarises the work of
the NSC Transport & Communications group since the last NSC General
Assembly in Cuxhaven, June 2003
The Transport & Communications
group in brief
The main aim of the group is to work
for safe, sustainable and efficient transport & communications and
improved access to the information society.
Current key issues of the group:
Sustainable transport, sea transport, influencing EU transport policies and
Information and Communications technologies (ICT).
Leadership and administration
Chair: Councillor Jan Hallberg Västra
Götaland region Sweden (appointed October 2000)
Co-ordinator: Jon Halvard Eide,
Vest-Agder Norway (appointed October 2000)
Vice-Chairs: Councillor Jim Wade,
Northamptonshire, England (appointed in October 2002)
Councillor Tor Ottar Karlsen,
Buskerud, Norway (appointed in October 2003)
Membership
The group has got about 30
registered members. In addition, a number of regions are on a correspondence
list receiving information about the activities of the group.
Re-orientation of working methods:
Towards more thematical meetings
Last fall, the group decided to
re-orientate its modus operandi by organising more thematical meetings (as
opposed to multiple issues agenda). This would enable the group to explore
each issue in more depth.
Exploit potential to facilitate
co-ordination and follow-up of Interreg projects
The group has decided to try to
exploit it's potential for facilitating co-ordination and co-operation
between related Interreg projects. As a permanent unit with links to
interregional political bodies, the group is also assumed to have a
potential for becoming a forum for project partners after the projects have
ended.
Group meetings
The group has held two ordinary
meetings since the last General Assembly:
Gent, East Flanders, on 10 September
2003
The meeting was devoted to sea
transport & intermodal transport issues, and heard presentations of
several Interreg-projects in this field.
Gothenburg, Västra Götaland
region, 26 January 2004
The meeting was devoted to the theme
of "Sustainable transport solutions in urban regions", with focus on
alternative fuels (Eco vehicles, Compressed natural gas-powered cars,
alternative fuel stations - CNG, gas buses). Several quest speakers from the
host region had been invited to give presentations over this theme
By the time of the General Assembly
in Gothenburg, the group will have had a meeting in Kristiansand, Vest-Agder,
scheduled for 26 - 27 May.
In average about 10-12 persons -
coming from regions in Scotland, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Norway have
attended the meetings. It should be noticed that the level of attendance in
group meetings has dropped somewhat compared with the 2002-2003 season.
Other events organised by the group
The group co-sponsored a seminar on
the new TEN-T priority project "Motorways of the sea" in Klaipéda,
Lithuania, on 8-9 March 2004, in co-operation with the Baltic Sea Commission
Transport group
Participation in other NSC meetings
The Co-ordinator has attended two
meetings of the Executive Committee (in Bergen, Hordaland on 27 October 2003
and in Skarrildhus, Ringkøbing Amt on 26 March 2004).
Besides, the Co-ordinator has
attended two meetings in Gothenburg, on 28 August and 24 October
respectively, in conjunction with the preparation of this year's General
Assembly.
Involvement in "external" events
The Co-ordinator and several members
of the transport group attended an Interreg 3B thematic seminar on transport
issues in Gent, East Flanders, on 11-12 September 2003
Dennis Freeman, Aberdeenshire
council, attended a meeting of the CPMR Intercom group on Transport in
Brussels, 4-5 December 2003
The Co-ordinator attended a
preparatory meeting for the development of an Interreg 3B project bid on
sustainable transport in Gothenburg on 9 December 2003 (see also section
under "Sustainable transport" below)
The Co-ordinator attended a seminar
on the new TEN-T priority project "Motorways of the sea" in Klaipéda,
Lithuania, on 8-9 March 2004 (see separate section below).
The Co-ordinator participated in a
study tour to Brussels organised by the Interreg 3B project Nordic
Transportpolitical Network, on 11 - 12 May 2004. The purpose of this mission
was to get an update on recent developments in EU's transport policy.
Co-operation with other NSC
thematical groups
The group is currently co-operating
with the Economical Development group on ports & sea transport (see
separate section below) and ICT, and with the Environment group on
sustainable transport. (See separate section below)
Current issues & priorities of
the group
Influencing EU transport policies
Recommendations to the revision of
the TransEuropean Network - TEN-T
On 27 November 2003 the group
submitted recommendations on the revision of the TEN-T
to the CPMR Secretariat and to the EU Commission DG for Transport and
Energy. Steve Taylor, Aberdeenshire, drafted and edited the recommendations.
Relevant NSC and CPMR General Assembly resolutions from 2002, and a NSC
General Assembly resolution from 2003 served as the political basis for the
recommendations.
The main point of recommendations
can be summarised as follows:
The EU should:
- Recognise
the important future role of a northern sea corridor to the economy of
Europe and designate a Motorway of the Sea for the North Sea;
- Revise
the Marco Polo programme to increase the level of start-up subsidy, to
overcome the disadvantages faced by operators in areas where there are
weaker traffic flows;
- Consider
the creation of a dedicated challenge fund for transportation to finance
non-priority projects that fall outside the scope of the TEN-T; and
- Consider
the designation of Highways of the Sea for less-trafficked routes and feeder
routes, to help obviate the potential competitive disadvantages faced by
ports not situated on a designated Motorway of the Sea.
The recommendations have been
integrated in a technical note from the CPMR Secretariat in Rennes. The EU
Commission issued a reply to the recommendations in December.
Contributing to the development of
TEN-T priority project Motorways of the Sea (MOS)
The group has been contributing to
the development of the new TEN-T priority project Motorways of the sea (MOS)
in co-operation with the CPMR, the Baltic Sea Commission (BSC), related
Interreg projects and other relevant stakeholders. The group co-sponsored a
seminar on the MOS in Klaipeda, Lithuainia, on 8-9 March together with the
Baltic Sea Commission Transport group. The seminar was the third event of
this kind organised by CPMR geographical commissions this winter. The main
purpose of the seminar was to discuss how the MOS concept could be given a
more concrete content, and thus becoming an operational tool for promoting
sea transport. The seminar among others discussed which elements of
infrastructure and services to be included in the MOS concept, and which of
these elements that should be eligible for public financial support. The
seminar also discussed criteria and procedures for the selection of MOS
ports and the significance of different vessel types for the development of
MOS's. The CPMR Secretariat will compile the recommendations from these
seminars and present them to the EU Commission
Developing a Partnership for ports,
sea transport and inland waterways
The Economical Development group and
Transport & Communications group have decided to explore the interests
in establishing a Partnership for ports, sea transport and inland waterways
in the North Sea and Baltic Sea area. The primary functions of such a
partnership would be to facilitate contact and co-operation between all
relevant stakeholders in this field, such as ports, terminal operators,
shipping lines, Short Sea Shipping Promotion Centres (SSS PC's), inland
waterways operators, rail- and road transporters, goods producers/owners,
interest organisations, local and regional authorities and research
institutions and universities & colleges
In January, the Transport group
distributed a draft Partnership proposal to all NSC member regions, the
Baltic Sea Commission Transport group, relevant Interreg projects in the
North Sea and Baltic Sea region, as well as to the Short Sea Shipping
Promotion Centres in the North Sea and Baltic countries. The recipients were
requested to forward the proposal to all relevant stakeholders in their
regions, organisations and projects. So far positive responses have been
received from about 15-20 Regional authorities, Ports, Shipping
organisations, private companies, business development organisations,
research institutions and Interreg projects in England, Scotland, Norway,
Germany, Belgium and Denmark. Several stakeholders in the Baltic Sea region
have also expressed an interest in the initiative.
The Transport group will, in
co-operation with the Economical Development group, discuss how to proceed
with the Partnership initiative on the basis of the expressed interest from
the stakeholders so far.
Sustainable transport
The Co-ordinator and several members
of the group have together with the Co-ordinator of the NSC Environment
group taken part in the development of an Interreg 3B bid for a North Sea
co-operation project on Sustainable transport (SustAccess). The project has
been developed with a basis in the NSC Conference on Sustainable transport
in Aarhus in 2002. The project has partners from all North Sea countries and
Västra Götaland region is Lead Partner. The project was approved by the
Steering Committee of the Interreg North Sea Programme on 12 May, despite a
negative recommendation from the Secretariat. The inaugural conference of
the project will probably take place in September.
Information and Communications
technologies
The Co-ordinator has in the
reporting period participated in the preparation of a joint NSC event on ICT
and broadband technologies in co-operation with the NSC Economical
Development group and the NSC Education and Research group. The event, which
was scheduled for 3 - 5 March in East Lothian, Scotland, however had to be
postponed due to low interest. The involved NSC groups will discuss how to
proceed with the organisation of an ICT event at a later date.
Planned meetings and events
- Meeting of the Transport group in
Kristiansand, Vest-Agder, 26-27 May
- The
autumn meeting of the group will probably take place in Scotland in
September/October
Kristiansand,
14 May 2004,
Jon Halvard Eide
Co-ordinator, NSC Transport and Communications group
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