TODAY: Informal Meeting of Transport Ministers in Litoměřice

Publication date: 28 April 2009

On the agenda of the informal meeting of Transport Ministers in Litoměřice in the Czech Republic will be the issue of “Intelligent Transport Systems” (ITS).

The motto of the Czech Presidency is a “Europe without Barriers”, thus the motto of the informal Council is “Intelligent Mobility without Barriers.”

Among other issues, the Ministers will discuss obstacles impeding mass implementation of intelligent transport systems in road transport.

There were several reasons for choosing the given topic: at the formal meeting of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in Brussels on 30 March the conclusions on the ITS action plan were adopted and the European Commission as well as the Member States were called on to further promote and develop this area.

The Ministry of Transport discussed the proposed programme also with Sweden, which will organise the ITS World Congress in September, as the country holding the next Presidency. Christer Karlssson was invited as an expert from Sweden to speak about the practical aspects of ITS use in transport, with emphasis on the safety of road transport. Professor Petr Moos, the former Transport Minster, was invited to represent the Czech Republic and to introduce the topic of implementation of transport infrastructure fees in road transport.

As a part of the informal programme, there will be an eSafety truck parked outside the House of Culture, where the ministers will have an opportunity to examine new road safety technologies. They are a practical outcome of the science and development programme supported by the European Union.

Intelligent Transport Systems can contribute significantly to the enhancement of the flow of traffic and road safety. Improved flow of traffic can result in lower consumption of fuel for drivers.

Source: Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union