The European Commission has recently reached a political agreement with the European Parliament and the Council on the revision of the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Directive. This revised legislation will make high-quality and timely data available for services such as multimodal journey planners and navigation services. The aim is to create a smarter and more interoperable transport system that will allow for more effective management of traffic and mobility across transport modes, enabling users to better combine the most sustainable modes of transport.
The revised ITS Directive extends its scope to cover emerging services, such as multimodal information, booking and ticketing services, communication between vehicles and infrastructure, and automated mobility. The new rules also set targets for the digitisation of crucial information, such as that on speed limits, roadworks, and multimodal access nodes, and the delivery of essential services such as information on road safety. The benefits for transport users will include real-time information and digital, intelligent road infrastructure, as well as more accurate intelligent speed assistance systems.
For the inland waterway transport industry, this means that there will be more accurate and up-to-date information available for journey planning and navigation. This will help to improve efficiency and safety in the industry. The deployment of Cooperative ITS will also allow for communication between vessels and infrastructure, providing real-time information about unexpected events or changes in conditions. The new rules will enable IWT users to better combine the most sustainable modes of transport.
The political agreement must now be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Once this process is completed, the new rules will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and enter into force 20 days after publication.
The revised ITS Directive will help to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the IWT sector. It is part of the EU’s long-term growth strategy to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050 through initiatives such as the European Green Deal. Digitalisation is an indispensable driver for the modernisation of the entire transport system, making it seamless and more efficient.
Source: European Commission
