Arvamuse teabeleht 

The opinion stresses the strong interrelation between intelligent transport systems and regional development. Smart, sustainable and safe transportation by using connected intelligent transport systems addresses many regional policy priorities. It highlights the benefits of deployment of integrated C-ITS systems in transport (increased safety, a cleaner environment, better accessibility, social inclusion and more job opportunities). The opinion calls on the Commission to make it clearer to local and regional authorities how the various EU activities are interlinked and what they should lead to. It demands coherent and focused communication with local and regional authorities regarding the Commission's closely linked packages of measures.

THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS



- wishes the EU to play a coordinating role in the development of an interoperable system as regards the standards and rules for transport communication systems and technologies;

- asks the Commission to take specific measures, delivered with the help of local and regional authorities, aimed particularly at winning public support, as this is necessary to achieve the ultimate goals of automated low-emission transport;

- believes that, as a building block for automated transport, mobility as a service and door-to-door transport, C-ITS can also contribute to social inclusion. This is true in the case of job accessibility and mobility for those who struggle to or cannot use the transport systems currently available, such as the elderly and disabled people. C-ITS may ultimately help to improve transport services, particularly in rural areas, where public transport is under pressure or has already disappeared. Tailor-made automated transport could become a possibility in more sparsely populated regions;

- notes that interoperability requires not only measures in the area of ICT but also changes to the physical infrastructure and calls on the Commission to inform local and regional authorities about this in good time. Investment in local and regional infrastructure should be carried out in a way that meets the requirements of C-ITS. More uniformity is required for interoperability;

- calls on the Commission to stimulate international cooperation between local and regional authorities in different countries in order to connect local and regional projects, tests and experiments as far as possible, and to share knowledge.