Optimised multimodal network and traffic management is essential for an efficient
transport network and seamless door-to-door mobility of passengers and freight. Such
advanced capabilities need to be supported by harnessing data from physical and digital
infrastructures, as well as from the mobility of passengers and freight, involving different
types of vehicles, rolling stock, aircraft and vessels (including zero-emission, connected and
automated), technologies and the use of innovative services. At the same time, novel forms of
mobility (e.g. shared, micro-mobility or even hyperloop) and new services (e.g. Mobility as a
Service) present new challenges, but also great opportunities for enhanced management and
optimisation of the transport network. This includes advances to fully utilise dynamic and
interoperable data exchange from multiple actors and transport modes, for well-tested and
validated systems and operations, with appropriate governance arrangements in place.
In this context, building on best practices (technological, non-technological and socioeconomic), ongoing projects on multimodal network and traffic management, as well as other initiatives (e.g. the Digital Transport and Logistics Forum and the common European mobility data space), actions should address at least 6 of the following aspects:
- Developing and testing new generation multimodal, flexible, agile and adaptable, secure and resilient transport network and traffic management systems, leveraging state of the art technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, big data, edge computing, internet of things, blockchain).
- Assessing and simulating the effects on multimodal network and traffic management of new forms of mobility (e.g. zero-emission, connected and automated vehicles and vessels, car sharing/pooling, active-/micro-mobility, sustainable land/air transport modes and drones), as well as of innovative services (e.g. Mobility/Logistics as a Service), in different urban and rural environments, considering the socio-economic acceptability and different user needs (including vulnerable and gender groups).
- Performing simulations for network-wide optimisation of traffic models, aiming towards a “social optimum” and an evaluation of mobility options for multimodal mobility and freight flows (including last-mile), enabling a modal shift to more sustainable modes (leveraging public transport), while addressing planned and unplanned events of mobility and freight systems under disruption.
- Demonstrating the collection, aggregation, analysis and use of network-wide data from infrastructures, vehicles/vessels and users (using ICT and EU satellite-based systems), from across transport modes (modal and intermodal data), stakeholders and national borders, while preserving data privacy, security and confidentiality to data providers, thereby enabling effective and intelligent multimodal network and traffic management, and even further data exchanges with other sectors (e.g. energy and telecoms).
- Performing early pilot activities on multimodal network and traffic management of limited scale in mobility hubs (e.g. rail nodes, maritime or inland ports), where crossmodal or hinterland inter-connections are present for passenger and freight traffic flows.
- Designing and testing innovative multimodal network and traffic management services, offered by public and/or private stakeholders, which can be operated at network centres (e.g. at cities or hubs) and/or at decentralised level (e.g. by users or vehicles/vessels themselves).
- Developing and showcasing workable governance and dynamic incentive models, for the effective engagement of public and private stakeholders in interoperable data exchange, in the optimisation of transport network and traffic management and in promoting a better use of (public) transport systems.
- Evaluating the qualitative and quantitative impact of the proposed measures and project results, including on reducing travel delay, transport emissions and energy consumption, with a clear baseline for each use case.
