TRA 2008 : conference conclusions.
Date: 2009-04-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Subjects: EU research policy, common transport policy, cooperation policy, environmental protection, innovation, road transport, sustainable development, sustainable mobility, transport safety

April 2008, Slovenia 

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Greener

Safer

Smarter

Urban
Mobility

9151923Greener, safer and smarter road transport for Europe

Transport 

Europe’s 

Re-
search  Arena  (TRA)  pro-
vides  a  unique  forum  for 
researchers, policy makers 
and members of the road transport 
industry  to  share  their  knowledge, 
experience and expertise. 

and 

(ERTRAC) 

Co-organised  by  the  European 
Commission,  the  European  Road 
Advisory 
Research 
Transport 
Council 
the 
Conference of European Directors 
of  Roads  (CEDR),  biannual  TRA 
conferences  foster  international 
and  cross-sectoral  networking, 
bringing 
stakeholders 
to  realise  a  shared  vision  for  the 
future of transportation.

together 

TRA  2008,  the  second  European 
Road  Transport  Research  Arena, 
was held this past April in Ljubljana, 
Slovenia.  The  conference  wel-
comed 1 300 scientists, engineers, 
policy  makers  and  industry  repre-
sentatives,  helping  to  forge  new 
productive partnerships and bring-
ing  fresh  perspectives  to  some  of 
today’s most pressing issues. 

TRA 2008 for research

TRA 2008 played a big part in help-
ing  to  align  private,  regional,  na-
tional  and  European  research  ef-
forts. By providing a meeting place 
for  leaders  in  science,  technol-
ogy, business and government in a 
spirit  of  openness,  the  conference 

6

proved a fertile ground for creating 
synergies around a shared Strategic 
Research Agenda (SRA).

TRA  2008  offered  a  wide  range  of 
networking  opportunities,  encour-
aging  scientists  and  engineers  to 
combine  and  pool  their  talents  in 
all areas of research and develop-
ment (R&D). The dynamism of these 
new relationships should extend well 
beyond Ljubljana, helping to shape 
the  future  of  European  road  trans-
port research.

TRA for industry

transport 

The  road  transport  industry  is  an 
innovative force in Europe and one 
of its largest R&D investors. Climate 
change,  urban  congestion,  traffic 
safety and the increasing demand 
require  an  ever-
for 
evolving  set  of  solutions.  And  as 
sustainable  mobility  rises  up  the 
political agenda, bringing together 
transportation 
in 
major  players 
to  discuss  the  future  becomes 
increasingly important.

As a driver of development, indus-
try  plays  a  crucial  role  in  meeting 
the  myriad  challenges  facing  Eu-
ropean  transport.  TRA  2008  par-
ticipants  shared  ideas,  discussed 
ways of implementing research re-
sults and identified key focus areas 
for future endeavours.

TRA for policy makers

Mobility is an important policy issue: 
the free movement of people and 
goods is crucial to economic pros-
perity  and  quality  of  life.  However, 
as road congestion increases in the 
EU, policy makers face a dilemma 
raised by Commissioner Potočnik in 
his  opening  remarks:  ‘How  do  we 
maintain  the  freedom  and  pros-
perity  that  transport  gives  us  today 
without  increasing  pollution,  con-
gestion,  deaths  and  greenhouse 
gases? How do we break the link?’

TRA  2008  represented  a  major 
opportunity  for  European  policy 
makers  to  learn  first-hand  about 
new  developments  and 
key 
issues  in  road  transport  science, 
technology and industry, enabling 
informed  and 
them 
to  make 
for  a 
forward-looking  decisions 
better transport system.

Greener, safer and smarter

The  conference  slogan,  ‘Greener, 
safer and smarter road transport for 
Europe’,  clearly  placed  the  most 
critical concerns of the day as the 
overarching  themes  of  TRA  2008. 
These 
integrated 
into  the  entire  programme  and 
received  special  attention  during 
the  plenary  sessions,  where  they 
were  challenged  by  established 
leaders from all areas of society. 

themes  were 

New Member 
States’ participation

for 

The TRA 2008 conference provided 
an  opportunity 
researchers 
from  new  Member  States  and 
other countries to meet EC officials 
who  can  facilitate  their  efforts. 
Information  about 
the  Seventh 
Research  Framework  Programme 
(FP7)  was  presented,  along  with 
other  action  plans  and  initiatives. 
This  provided  a  clear  picture  of 
funding  and  support  possibilities 
to  new  players  in  the  field,  and 
also  provided  a  springboard  for 
discussion  about  the  direction  of 
European transportation research.

Looking around

Slovenia,  at  the  crossroads  of 
Europe,  is  where  the  principal 
pan-European  transport  corridors 
meet.  These  corridors  are  used 
by  more  than  50  000  freight  and 
passenger  vehicles  a  day,  travel-
ling between Barcelona and Kiev, 
or Germany and Greece. Most of 
the  460  kilometres  of  motorways 
crossing  this  Alpine  country  are 
less than a decade old. 

TRA  2008  featured  a  number  of 
events showcasing some of Slove-
nia’s major road transport facilities 
and  projects,  which  gave  confer-
ence-goers a new appreciation for 
the rapid advances in the central 
European transportation network.

7

Programme

The  conference  fostered  a  sys-
temic approach to building sustain-
able road transport. While individual 
project ideas gave the conference 
a  decided  lift,  the  overreaching 
goal was to find ways to efficiently 
link all of the parts of the whole sys-
tem together.

Maximising infrastructure capacity, 
integrating  safety  solutions  and 
creating  new,  intelligent  mobility 
systems  for  urban  environments 
are  major 
topics  of  strategic 
importance. The TRA 2008 plenary 
sessions, featuring high-level invited 
keynote speakers, looked at these 
areas from several perspectives.

and 

TRA 2008 parallel thematic sessions, 
meanwhile, addressed current and 
research 
forthcoming  European 
programmes, 
activities 
specific research areas, and cross-
cutting issues. Specialised sessions 
were built on the four pillars set out 
by ERTRAC: mobility, transport and 
infrastructure; environment, energy 

and  resources; 
and safety and security.

Five additional poster sessions pre-
sented the work of 118 authors, who 
fielded questions about their work. 

Lively  discussion  was  provoked 
throughout TRA 2008, in round-table 
discussions during plenary sessions, 
on  the  exhibition  floor,  during  the 
long breaks between sessions and 
on technical excursions.

Exhibition

It is hard to convey the excitement 
generated by the exhibitions at TRA 
2008.  Work  was  presented  from  a 
variety  of 
innovative  EU-funded 
projects,  including  CityMobil  (an 
automated urban transport system) 
and  HOST  (multipurpose  modular 
vehicles),  demonstrating  the  crea-
tivity  and  advanced  engineering 
capacity  of  European  transporta-
tion research.

Greener, safer and smarter road transport for Europe

On the move to TRA

The  Ljubljana  conference  played 
a  part  in  advancing  the  strate-
gic  plan  for  European  transport 
by  promoting 
the  constructive 
and  efficient  use  of  resources, 
and by helping to ensure that re-
search can deliver where it is most 
needed.  TRA  2008  answered  the 
call  for  a  coordinated  European, 
national,  regional  and  private  re-
search arena by bringing together 
talent and leadership from across 
Europe and promoting the goal of 
a greener, safer and smarter Euro-
pean transport sector.

TRA  is  not  just  a  conference  but 
an  arena  that  brings  together  all 
stakeholders  in  the  area  of  road 
transport.  TRA  2008  served  as  a 
forum  for  leaders  in  transportation 
research,  industry  and  administra-
tion to share their ideas and create 
valuable new partnerships. 

The  momentum  achieved  during 
the  week-long  event  has  been 
sustained and will continue to grow 
over  the  next  couple  of  years. 
Building  on  the  success  of  TRA 
2006,  the  groundwork  has  been 
laid for an even better TRA 2010.

Contributions  of  European  Com-
missioner  for  Research,  Dr  Janez 
Potočnik,  and  of  the  Deputy  Di-
rector-General  for  Research  of  the 
European  Commission,  Mr.  Zoran 
Stančič, to the success of TRA 2008 
in Ljubljana have been invaluable.

New voices

One of the main successes of TRA 
2008  was  the  Young  European 
Arena  of  Research  (YEAR  2008) 
raised 
competition,  which 
the 
the  event 
scientific  quality  of 
considerably.  Contributions  from 
294 PhD students and other early-
stage  researchers  from  all  over 
Europe  were  refereed  by  a  jury 
of  eminent  experts  in  a  range  of 
research areas. 

Authors  of  the  50  best  entries 
prepared  posters  for  presenta-
tion.  Commissioner  Dr  Potočnik, 
ERTRAC  Chairman  Dr  Steiger  and 
a  representative  of  the  jury  pre-
sented  medals  to  the  winners, 
and these bright young scientists, 
whose  concepts 
from 
soot  modelling  to  artificial  intelli-
gence,  were  warmly  applauded 
by a large audience.

ranged 

Preparations  for  YEAR  2010  began 
immediately  after  TRA  2008,  and 
the organisers look forward to seeing 
more innovative ideas from emerg-
ing talent at the next conference.

Organising TRA 2008

Building on the success of the first 
TRA  conference  in  Gothenburg, 
Sweden, TRA 2008 in Ljubljana saw 
a  dramatic  increase  in  meeting 
attendance,  signalling  the  suc-
cess of both the previous confer-
ence and the Transport Research 
Arena concept.

The  programme  was  organised 
by 40 members from 16 countries 
and  notably  representatives  of  EU 
Directorates-General for Research, 
Information  Society  and  Transport 
and 
leaders 
reviewed  presentation  papers, 
ensuring high-calibre content.

Energy. 

Seven 

The European Commission worked 
together  with  the  CEDR  and  ER-
TRAC  to  organise  strategic  and 
thematic  sessions,  while  a  special 
communication task force played 
an important role in organising the 
plenary sessions.

This brochure was produced by the 
Directorate  Transport  of  the  Direc-
torate  General  for  Research  of  the 
European  Commission.  Its  content 
is  based  in  part  on  the  report  pro-
duced  by  TRA  2008  Conference 
Committee  chairmen  Mr  Matija 
Vilhar,  Mr  Vili  Žavrlan  and  Mr  Aleš 
Žnidarič, with the support of TRA 2008 
General Secretary Mr Michel Egger 
and Professor Mike McDonald.

8

 
 
r

e
n
e
e
G

r

Greener

Transportation  has  a  major  impact  on 

our daily lives, providing a major source 
of  employment,  delivering  goods  and 
enabling  countless  activities.  Efficient 
transport  infrastructure  reduces  isolation  and 
plays a key role in social, regional and economic 
cohesion. The freedom that road transport offers 
has proved essential to European prosperity; the 
liberalisation of road freight, opening of central 
and  eastern  European  markets  and  rapid 
advances in electronic inventory management 
have all led to a steady increase in traffic.

But  today’s  European  transportation  arena 
faces  an  epic  challenge:  it  must  meet  the 
growing energy demands of road transport 
and at the same time reduce its contribu-
tion  to  global  greenhouse  gas  emis-
sions.  The  impact  of  road  congestion 
on health, quality of life and the envi-
ronment are hard to ignore, and major 
technological  advances  reducing  the 
polluting effects of vehicles have been 
overshadowed by the effects of growth. 

Finding lasting solutions hinges on fruit-
ful  and  ongoing  collaboration  between 
industry  experts,  creative  minds  and 
those in a position to implement change. 
Speaking at TRA 2008, ERTRAC Chairman 
Wolfgang Steiger remarked, ‘Ours is one 
of  the  largest,  most  complex  and  multi-
disciplinary sectors in Europe and indeed 
the  world,  and  a  provider  of  fundamental 
services in terms of mobility of goods and 
people, but we are also responsible for im-
portant levels of CO2 emissions. It is crucial 
that we work together with the largest pos-
sible number of contributors, from suppliers 
to manufacturers and from political leaders 
to road users.’

10

Greener

year  per  citizen).  Environmental 
costs account for around EUR 100 
000  million,  and  studies  estimate 
infrastructure-  and  accident-
related  costs  to  be  around  EUR 
500 billion for 19 Member States. 

A  shift  is  now  required  towards 
more sustainable transport modes 
that  include  rail,  short-sea  ship-
ping  and  inland  waterway  trans-
port.  Enabling  smooth  transitions 
between  all  transport  modes  is 
essential.  At  TRA  2008,  scientists, 

engineers and policy makers ad-
dressed this and many  other effi-
ciency  issues,  sharing  ideas  that 
would help meet the Kyoto goal of 
replacing 30% of fossil fuel usage 
by  2020  and  at  the  same  time 
confer economic benefits.

Climate change

Global warming is an overweigh-
ing  issue  in  transportation  re-
search. Studies that initially focus 

Fuel cells: HYTRAN project looks to the future

Hydrogen fuel cells are clean, efficient and can generate electricity 
from either renewable or fossil fuels. The HYTRAN (‘Hydrogen and 
fuel-cell technologies for road transport’) project, funded with EUR 
8.81 million from the EU, presented its latest work at TRA 2008, and 
demonstrated  two  new,  innovative  and  commercially  viable  fuel-
cell  sub-systems:  Powertrain,  an  80kW  direct  hydrogen  polymer-
electrolyte-membrane  fuel-cell  system  for  traction  power  in  a 
passenger  car;  and  a  5kW  auxiliary  power  unit  for  both  light-  and 
heavy-duty vehicles.

HYTRAN engineers took on some of the major bottlenecks in fuel-cell-
system design, and strove to optimise the costs, durability, weight, 
volume and efficiency of their systems to make them commercially 
viable.  The  result  was  a  demonstration  of  a  fuel-cell  concept  with 
high ‘well-to-wheel’ efficiency (i.e. low fuel consumption), easy and 
optimised packaging and on-board integration.

HYTRAN was only one of many innovative alternative fuel or power-
train application projects presented at the conference. The New Inte-
grated Combustion System for Future Passenger Car Engines (NICE), 
Highly Integrated Combustion Electric Propulsion System (HI-CEPS) 
and Green Heavy-Duty Engine (GREEN) projects, among others, also 
showed  their  latest  developments  in  environmentally  friendly  (and 
fun to drive) propulsion systems for passenger cars and heavy-duty 
vehicles alike.

Achieving  sustainable  develop-
ment is no small task: harmonising 
growth in a competitive economy, 
and preserving quality of life and 
the  environment  while  respon-
sibly  utilising  natural 
resources 
and  space  are  all  required.  The 
tremendous  efforts  in  design  and 
implementation that this harmoni-
sation  requires  inspired  rigorous 
debate at TRA 2008. rigorous de-
bate at TRA20
08.
A greener TRA

Because  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
transport  sector  has  such 
far-
reaching  implications  for  people 
and  the  environment,  the  theme 
‘Energy,  environment  and 
re-
sources’ formed one of the six pil-
lars  of  the  TRA  2008  programme. 
Substantial  evidence  showing  an 
urgent need for more research on 
the impact of transportation infra-
structures on health and the envi-
ronment was presented. 

Costs

Road freight is growing faster than 
GDP (gross domestic product), and 
the  growth  rate  of  international 
road freight transport is especially 
high.  Traffic  congestion  in  the 
EU  is  estimated  to  cost  1.7%  of 
GDP: 
that’s  approximately  EUR 
160  billion  per  year  or  EUR  360 
per  year  for  every  citizen  –  more 
than the EU’s budget (EUR 250 per 

11

YEAR 2008 Winners

Young  European  researchers  brought  a  breath  of  fresh  air  to  TRA 
2008  at  the  YEAR  2008  competition,  presenting  original  ideas  with 
enthusiasm  and  meeting  the  people  who  could  take  those  ideas  to 
the next level. YEAR 2008 winners in the Energy, Environment and 
Resources  theme  presented  new  approaches  to  the  health  and 
environmental challenges faced by the transportation industry.

David  Broadstock  of  the  University  of  Surrey  in  the  UK  analysed 
whether  behavioural  changes  can  realistically  underpin  carbon 
reduction targets in the UK’s road transport sector, while Caroline 
Marchal of Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in 
France created a computer model for soot in diesel engines. Mona 
Lisa  of  Instituto  Superior  Técnico  in  Portugal  applied  selective 
catalytic  reduction  (SCR)  technology  to  the  control  of  greenhouse 
gas  emissions  in  light-  and  heavy-duty  diesel  vehicles,  and 
Francesco  Pilla  of  Trinity  College  Dublin  in  Ireland  demonstrated 
how  a  virtual  environment  can  be  used  to  assess  the  effect  of 
development on the surrounding soundscape.

The contributions of all of the YEAR 2008 contestants were warmly 
welcomed,  and  those  of  the  winners  applauded  roundly.  As  Mr 
Eugene  O’Brien,  coordinator  of  the  YEAR  project  and  professor 
at  the  University  College  of  Dublin,  said:  ‘This  work  is  important, 
not just for the work itself but also for the human resources that 
it  produces.  This  new  generation  of  transport  experts  will  be  the 
future leaders in the industry.’

on other subjects routinely evolve 
to  include  climate  impacts  in 
their work, as meeting the global 
warming  challenge  is  expected 
to  lead  naturally  to  resolutions 
in  many  related  areas,  such  as 
safety or congestion.

Four  clear  characteristics  of  cli-
mate  change  were  summarised 
during  the  first  plenary  session  of 
TRA 2008: it is cumulative; it is glob-
al;  its  effects  are  irreversible;  and 
the  time  lags  are  long  –  today’s 
emissions are tomorrow’s problems. 
With  this  as  a  baseline,  the  issues 
were  discussed  in  comprehensive 
detail from several angles. 

Ultimately,  the  major  outcomes 
of  the  ‘greener’  sessions  can  be 
summarised in three major points. 
First,  global  warming  is  the  most 
important  issue  facing  society, 

and  transport  has  a  central  role 
to play in meeting the EU’s ambi-
tious  targets  for  reducing  green-
house  gas  emissions.  Compelling 
research  results  and  suggestions 
for future directions provide much 
food for thought, but how exactly 
the sector can meet these targets 
remains to be seen.

that 
Second,  evidence  shows 
fuel  use  will  evolve  from  the  cur-
rent  petrol/diesel  model  to  elec-
tricity  or  hydrogen-based  fuels. 
The main drivers of this shift will be 
the price and availability of fossil 
fuels as well as incentives for car-
bon reduction.

Lastly,  continued  research  efforts 
in specific areas of concern, such 
as  non-CO2  gas  emissions  and 
noise, would be highly desirable.

12

Noise

Traffic  is  loud.  Road  and  rail 
noise exposes between 20% and 
30%  of  the  European  popula-
tion  to  excessive  decibel  levels, 
and  technical  solutions  that  can 
preserve  or  restore  quiet  while 
maintaining  current  mobility  are 
avidly  sought.  A  number  of  re-
search projects presented at TRA 
2008 focused on noise problems, 
ranging  from  integral  acoustic 
management  along  Dutch  mo-
torways  to  rumble  strip  noise  in 
Denmark. In addition to scientific 
analysis, novel technical solutions 
such as low-noise tyres and road 
surfaces were presented.

The time lag between identification 
of a problem and efforts to control 
it is usually quite long. Researchers 
and policy makers at TRA 2008 en-
joyed a unique opportunity to ex-
change ideas directly, paving the 
way for implementation. 

The  conference  conclusions  sup-
ported continued research on the 
extent  and  impact  of  noise  and 
cost-effective  ways  to  control  it, 
but acting on research results is in 
the  hands  of  industry  and  policy 
decision makers. 

Green machines

Perhaps  the  most  visible  aspect 
of road transport’s impact on the 

Greener

environment is the vehicles them-
selves.  TRA  2008  featured  many 
presentations  on  vehicle  design 
addressing  the  need  for  environ-
mental adaptations. It was widely 
acknowledged 
throughout 
the  arena,  new  technologies  for 
vehicle  and  engine  construc-
tion,  new  production  processes, 
reduced  production  costs  and 
better  identification  of  consumer 
needs are necessary.

that 

Additionally,  end-of-life  strate-
gies  for  vehicles,  materials  and 
infrastructure  were  discussed  in 
terms of their potential to provide 
economic  opportunities,  and 
could  support  more  sustainable 
transport development and eco-
nomic growth.

viable new technologies and busi-
ness  models  are  needed  for  the 
roll-out  of  new,  safe  and  sustain-
able vehicles; further research in all 
areas should be well supported.

Future directions for cleaner 
road transport

Environmental  concerns  and  cli-
mate  change  are  at  the  top  of 
today’s  political  agenda.  The 
transport sector is a main driver in 
producing  technical  and  scien-
tific solutions as citizens and gov-
ernments alike demand action to 
alleviate  mounting  pressure  on 
local environments. It is also a piv-
otal  actor  in  achieving  Europe’s 
wider climate change targets.

Consensus  at  TRA  2008  was  that 
a sustainable future for European 
transport  requires  radical  and  in-
novative  approaches.  Climate-
change-focused  research  results 
are  incipient;  the  road  transport 
community  as  a  whole  is  looking 
forward  to  major  developments 
by the next TRA in 2010.

‘We must provide sustainable and 
acceptable  choices  for  all  trans-
port users,’ the conference report 
concludes.  ‘As  a  result  of  the  re-
trans-
search  presented  here, 
port  is  already  moving  toward  a 
smoother, safer, smarter future.’

impact. 

efficiencies 

Regarding  vehicles,  the  TRA  2008 
conference conclusions were sum-
marised  in  three  main  points:  first, 
research  has  established  the  po-
tential  benefits  of  cooperative 
driving  systems  to  reduce 
environmental 
Second, 
gained  by  the  con-
siderable 
of  ongoing  re-
search 
into 
energy  loss  in 
general,  and 
p o w e r t r a i n s 
in  particular, 
have  started  to 
confer incremen-
tal  benefits.  Lastly, 

body 

13

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S

Safer

Road  transport  safety  and 

security  were  among  the 
key  themes  of  TRA  2008. 
Improving transport safety 
for  all  EU  citizens  is  a  paramount 
research  priority  of  FP7.  Currently, 
between 40 000 and 50 000 people are 
killed on EU roads every year and more 
than  1.5  million  are  seriously  injured, 
with costs to the economy of more than 
EUR 200 billion. 

It  is  imperative  that  these  figures  are 
reduced,  and  TRA  2008  set  out  steps  to 
achieve this. 

The  objective  of  halving  the  number 
of  road  deaths  in  the  EU  by  2010  is  a 
serious  challenge.  In  his  opening  speech, 
Commissioner  Potocnik  said, 
‘Despite 
Europe’s  pledge  in  2001  to  cut  its  57  000 
traffic fatalities by 50% by 2010, today more 
than 40 000 people still lose their lives every 
year  on  Europe’s  roads  in  car  accidents. 
That is the equivalent of five medium-sized 
airliners crashing every week.’

With  so  many  deaths  on  European 
roads,  the  EU  cannot  afford  to  be 
complacent  about  traffic  safety.  To 
reduce the figures, research priorities 
need  to  be  harmonised  between 
business, 
industry,  science  and 
policy  makers.  At  TRA  2008,  road 
safety  sessions  focused  on  getting 
all  relevant  stakeholders  on  board 
to  figure  out  how  to  adapt  human 
behaviour,  vehicle  technology  and 
infrastructure to drastically reduce 
the danger of road travel.

16

Safer

Road safety

Automotive  industry  experts,  in-
frastructure  suppliers,  road  us-
ers  and  European  Commission 
representatives  reflected  on  the 
strategies  best  suited  to  halving 
road  deaths  in  Europe.  In  addi-
tion to discussing risk analysis and 
safety assessment generally, par-
ticipants presented a wide range 
of interesting perspectives.

Motorcycle  safety,  crash  analysis, 
using fuzzy logic to predict accident 
severity,  the  hazards  of  two-lane-
road traffic and comparing safety 
between  European  regions  were 
just a few of the topics covered.

The  outcome  of  the  conference 
was  consensus  on  several  over-
reaching conclusions. First, there is 
significant variation across Europe 
in  accident  levels;  accident  pat-
terns in different EU countries should 
be investigated and the outcomes 
addressed  in  the  interests  of  an 
integrated  European  motorway 
system.  Also,  infrastructure  as  well 
as  safety  training  and  enforce-
ment are crucial to delivering safe 
roads, and best-practice methods 
must be shared across the EU.

Second,  the  recent  body  of  re-
search  that  has  shed  new  light 
on driver behaviour should inform 
design  changes  to  make  vehicle 
operation easier and safer. Future 
research efforts should also focus 

on  serious-injury  accidents  and 
fatalities, as more robust statistical 
evidence  in  this  area  could  lead 
to life-saving adaptations to both 
vehicles and roads.

The  important  part  played  by 
cross-disciplinary 
research  was 
emphasised  throughout  the  con-
ference. It is crucial to successfully 
identifying, addressing and avoid-
ing the causes of traffic accidents. 
Cross-thematic and integrated re-
search, the basic building blocks 
of a knowledge-based economy, 
will lead to speedier resolutions of 
the  safety  challenges  facing  to-
day’s transportation arena.

Lastly,  manufacturers  will  con-
tinue  to  deliver  increasingly  safe 
vehicles; nevertheless, a more in-
tegrated  stakeholder  approach 

YEAR 2008 Winners

is  necessary.  Safety  standards 
must be high and must be met, but 
in products that fit the needs and 
desires of consumers.

Integrated transport safety

for 

the 

Improving 
infrastructure 
of  the  EU’s  road  networks  is  of 
the 
importance 
primary 
competitiveness  of  the  economy. 
The EU relies on its road network for 
national and international trading, 
transport 
and 
infrastructure will help to speed up 
the conveyance of goods. 

state-of-the-art 

Speakers  at  TRA  2008  agreed 
that more innovation is needed in 
highway  engineering  to  improve 
safety, and specifically to address 
the problems of ageing road sur-

The YEAR 2008 presentation at TRA 2008 showcased fresh perspec-
tives  on  safety,  ranging  from  structural  monitoring  of  suspension 
bridges to inter-vehicle communication and in-vehicle ergonomics. 

Finalists in the automotive design and production areas presented 
novel  concepts  such  as  the  aerodynamically  efficient  motorcycle 
designed  by  Amrit  Sharma  of  Imperial  College  London,  Stefania 
Arangio’s  model  for  the  structural  monitoring  of  long-span 
suspension  bridges,  a  moving-obstacle  detection  system  for  an 
autonomous guided vehicle developed by France’s Yann Dumortier, 
and  a  vehicle  alert  system  by  Kristoffer  Lidströmm  of  Halmstad 
University in Sweden.

The  winners  were  presented  with  their  medals  at  TRA  2008  at  the 
opening ceremony of the conference in front of 1 200 delegates.

17

avoid  unnecessary  structural 
work,  and  also  to  prevent  the 
corrosion of existing structures. Im-
plementing long-lasting rehabilita-
tion  techniques  of  unsafe  bridges 
is also necessary. 

New  approaches  to  managing 
space  responsibly  must  include 
generating  resources  to  improve 
infrastructure.  In  terms  of  main-
tenance  and  design,  substantial 
opportunities  exist  for  collabora-
tion with the US.

Business models and roll-out strat-
egies  must  also  be  developed 

f a c e s 
that 
can 
better  cater  to 

so 
they 

heavy vehicles. 

Raising 
the  standard  of 
road structures in new Mem-
ber  States  and  central  and 
eastern European countries to the 
level  necessary  for  their  full  eco-
nomic  integration  into  the  EU  was 
also a matter of intense discussion. 
Procedures must be put in place to 

Choose ESC

One of the TRA 2008 road safety presentations highlighted a brand-
new technology that could help EU drivers stay safer on the roads. 

Electronic  Stability  Control  (ESC)  offers  drivers  a  safety  support 
system that uses independent brake pressure to avoid skids in sud-
den critical situations. The system works by using a computerised 
sensor and an anti-lock braking system that checks steering inten-
tion against driver direction 25 times a second. If a critical situa-
tion arises, ESC supports the driver by braking one or both wheels 
when necessary to correct over- or under-steering. 

At least 40% of fatal road accidents are the result of skidding, and 
studies show that installing ESC in a car can reduce the likelihood of 
skidding by up to 80%. Installation of the system in cars across the 
EU would therefore dramatically cut accident rates.

Consequently,  the  European  Commission  is  funding  a  campaign 
called  Choose  ESC  to  encourage  EU  drivers  to  install  the  system. 
Campaign  manager  David  Ward  says,  ‘The  effectiveness  of  ESC  is 
now well established by independent research in Europe, Japan and 
the USA. In the European Union it is estimated that ESC could help 
avoid 4 000 deaths and 100 000 injuries.’

18

that  make  safe  and  sustainable 
vehicles  commercially  viable  for 
all stakeholder groups.

In  all  areas  of  safety  research, 
dissemination  of  results  and  best 
practice  to  key  stakeholders  is  of 
paramount importance.

Securing roads in the EU

trade,  both 

systems,  but 

EU 
internal  and 
external,  relies  on  efficient  road 
these 
transport 
systems can be easy targets and 
even vectors for terrorist activities. 
EU  surface 
research 
includes  work  on  security  of 
containers, 
terminals,  vessels, 
and  critical  infrastructure  such 
as  bridges  and  tunnels,  among 
many other security measures. 

transport 

The  ability  to  implement  ambi-
tious  policies  aimed  at  reducing 
transport-related 
risks  depends 
on  state-of-the-art  research  and 
technological  development.  To-
day’s  EU-supported  research  fo-
cuses on the operation of vehicles 
and  infrastructure  as  well  as  the 
transport system as a whole. 

Participants at the TRA 2008 con-
ference  saw  the  results  of  frontier 
research on safety of drivers, pas-
sengers,  crew,  cyclists,  pedestri-
ans and goods; the way has been 
paved  for  safer,  more  secure  Eu-
ropean roads.

r

e

t
r

a
m

19S

Smarter

Talent,  know-how,  patience  and 

vision  are  needed  to  tackle  the 
myriad  and  often  conflicting 
today’s 
challenges 

facing 

transport  arena.  To  maintain  growth  and  reduce  emissions, 
intelligent  vehicle  and  infrastructure  designs  must  be  developed  and  implemented.  Additionally, 
smooth  transitions  between  transport  modes,  interconnected  (and  functional)  information  systems  and  free-
flowing traffic in the cities are required to maintain flexibility.

At  TRA  2008,  sessions  focused  on  mobility,  space,  management  and  design.  Presentations  featured  forward-
thinking  ideas  for  optimising  energy  efficiency,  using  new  materials  for  better  infrastructures,  reducing 
travel  times  and  providing  low-cost,  high-standard  transport  services.  The  participation  of  public  authorities, 
municipalities and civil society members in discussions brought a practical dimension to the proceedings.

20

European design 
and production

According 
to  Commissioner 
Potočnik,  the  motor  vehicle  in-
dustry  spends  EUR  19  billion  per 
year on research and technolog-
ical  development,  making  it  the 
largest  private  investor  in  R&D  in 
Europe.  ‘This  fact  has  helped  to 
keep  the  European  road  trans-
port sector one of the most com-
petitive in the world,’ he said.

But  for  Europe  to  remain  com-
petitive,  new  concepts  for  de-
sign  and  production  must  meet 
a very high standard. Innovative 
topics  shown  at  TRA  2008,  rang-
ing  from  a  modular  lightweight 
‘sandwich  bus’  concept  to  sus-
tainable  lightweight-car  produc-
tion  technologies,  demonstrated 
that European development is on 
the right track.

of 

road 

The  conference  covered  all 
transport 
aspects 
research, focusing on the Strategic 
Research  Agenda  defined  by 
ERTRAC.  Among  the  many  other 
inventive concepts demonstrated 
at the conference, were improved 
design and production techniques 
for vehicle powertrains and novel 
pavement  materials,  both  of 
which will go a long way towards 
improving  the  energy  efficiency 
of road travel.

Smarter

Sessions  on  intelligent  transport 
systems  featured  a  broad  range 
of  concepts,  such  as  an  intel-
ligent 
system 
route-guidance 
and  a  scenario  for  ‘smart  roads’ 
that  uses  sensing  and  real-time 
technologies.  Links 
networking 
between  satellite  and  terrestrial 
communications 
technologies 
were explored in several projects: 
real-time  traffic  and  travel  infor-
mation,  vehicle-to-vehicle  and 
vehicle-to-infrastructure  linkages, 
and  nomadic  systems  were  the 
subject of enthusiastic dialogue. 

The  conference  showcased  the 
benefits  of  combining  and  co-

ordinating  European,  national, 
regional  and  private 
research 
actions,  and  served  as  an  ideal 
platform for networking, clustering 
and pooling R&D capacities.

A smarter European 
network: who pays?

the  growth 

forecasted  38% 

in 
About  half  of 
transportation 
European  goods 
(a 
increase 
over  1998)  is  expected  to  take 
place within the new EU Member 
States. This trend represents a new 
series  of  hurdles  for  sustainable 
The  emerging, 
development. 

YEAR 2008 Winners

Applicants for the Young Researcher Awards presented at TRA 2008 
let  their  imaginations  fly  in  all  areas  of  transportation  research, 
including a ‘Future Visions’ category. The young scientists presented 
scenarios for road transport in 100 years’ time, solutions for vexed car 
manufacturers, novel vehicle designs and better road surfaces.

The  work  was  diverse,  to  say  the  least,  touching  every  area  of 
the  transportation  industry.  Maryam  Miradi  of  Delft  University 
in  the  Netherlands  explored  ways  to  cut  road  maintenance  costs 
by  using  artificial  intelligence  for  pavements.  Yann  Dumortier 
of  Ecole  Nationale  Superieure  des  Mines  de  Paris  (ENSMP)  in 
France  developed  a  cost-efficient  obstacle  detection  system, 
while Dónal Gildea of University College Dublin in Ireland created 
a  systematic  framework  to  help  car  designers  select  which  of  20 
joining technologies is best suited to each of the hundreds of joints 
involved in a vehicle’s assembly.

It hardly seems fair to highlight the work of the medal winners, 
as  the  YEAR  competitors’  contributions  were,  to  the  last, 
outstandingly inventive.

21

CityMobil

The CityMobil project was undertaken to tackle the twin problems of 
congestion and pollution in Europe’s cities by developing innovative 
automated public transport systems (ATS) that can take passengers 
exactly where they want to go, when they want to go. 

A  model  of  CityMobil’s  fully  automated,  unmanned  cybercar, 
equipped with an obstacle-detection system based on a laser scan-
ner,  was  shown  at  TRA  2008.  The  environmentally  friendly  vehicle 
eliminates driver errors and is up to 50% more energy efficient than 
its conventional counterparts. It does not require a driver’s license 
and anyone can use it, including those with a physical disability. 

Autonomous cars can also be moved easily to remote parking areas 
when  not  needed,  freeing  up  spaces  which  would  otherwise  be 
turned into car parks. Castellón, Rome and Heathrow are the main 
pilot  demonstration  sites,  and  a  number  of  other  towns,  including 
Uppsala in Sweden and Lausanne in Switzerland are hosting smaller 
demonstration projects. 

the 

is  proving 

its  activities,  CityMobil 

technical 
Through 
feasibility  of  automated 
transport  systems  and  effectively 
dismantling  administrative  and  operational  barriers  to  their  wider 
implementation.  Its  26  project  partners  come  from  10  countries, 
including  7  EU  Member  States.  They  include  public  authorities, 
manufacturers  and  suppliers  of  transport  systems,  universities, 
research institutes and public transport organisations.

decentralised economic activities 
put stress on existing infrastructure, 
increasing 
for  a 
seamless,  flexible,  attractive  and 
user-friendly mobility system.

the  demand 

land-use  planning, 

Better 
im-
proved  information  dissemination 
and integration of collective and 
private transport modes are all key 
areas  of  research  activity.  At  TRA 
2008,  policy  makers,  municipali-
ties  and  civil  society  representa-
tives worked on the tricky problem 
of  harmonising  new  vehicles  with 
existing infrastructure, and of inte-
grating regional and national net-
works  all  the  way  up  the  logistic 
transport supply chain.

Fostering  innovation  and  putting 
ideas  into  action  requires  clever 
It  was  made  clear 
financing. 

through conference presentations 
and  discussion  that  charging  for 
access  to  roads  is  a  technically 
sound  and  socially  acceptable 
approach to generating revenue. 
Taxation remains an issue, though, 
and  creating  a  system  that  can 
be  consistently  applied  through-
out Europe is expected to remain 
politically problematic.

services  across 
Continuity  of 
European  borders 
is  a  key 
objective  of  road  management, 
but  this  is  difficult  to  achieve 
without  new  hardware,  software 
systems  and  services.  In  terms 
of  creating  better  networks,  the 
conference concluded that more 
integrated  system  management 
approaches are needed.

22

A smarter, more mobile EU

The  flexibility  offered  by  road 
transport  becomes  irrelevant  in 
the face of increasing traffic con-
gestion and accidents. In the EU, 
the  free  movement  of  people 
and  goods,  which  is  crucial  to 
economic  prosperity  and  quality 
of  life,  has  come  to  rely  on  road 
transport, often to the exclusion of 
other modes. 

Optimising  the  flow  of  traffic  and 
minimising  its  environmental  im-
pact are clearly among the most 
important objectives of European 
research;  however,  efforts  to  im-
prove alternative modes of trans-
portation must be intensified, and 
smooth  linkages  between  modes 
facilitated.  According  to  several 
speakers  at  the  conference,  the 
importance  of  involving  the  pub-
lic  in  planning  these  processes 
cannot be underestimated.

TRA 2008 was a magnet for crea-
tive minds. Contributors to sessions 
on  future  visions,  innovative  de-
signs  and  intelligent  systems  pro-
vided inspiration and new lines of 
thought  for  participating  industry 
and government representatives. 

y
t
i
l
i

n
a
b
b
o
M
23U

r

 
Urban Mobility

European mobility, calculated by kilometres 

travelled  per  day,  is  now  3  times  higher 
than it was 20 years ago. About 80% of the 
EU  population  lives  in  cities,  and  despite 
improvements  in  public  transportation  systems, 
cars account for 75% of urban kilometres travelled. 
Clearly, flexibility is a pivotal issue.

Cleaner, quieter, and more effective public and private 
transport  is  needed  in  Europe’s  cities.  A  wealth  of 
new designs and organisational approaches to urban 
mobility  were  presented  at  TRA  2008.  Participants 
considered  the  need  for  cohesion  and  for  rapid, 
functional system response to demographic changes 
to be beyond debate, and called for their resolution at 
EU and regional levels. 

At  TRA  2008,  scientists, 
engineers and city planners shared their visions for 
optimising the flow of people and traffic in urban areas, 
improving energy efficiency while decreasing pollution, 
and  maximising  flexibility  using  new  and  integrated 
information  systems.  Crucially,  they  addressed  the 
effects of changing human behaviour on the relevance 
of urban transportation systems.

The  engagement  and  support  of  public  authorities, 
municipalities  and  civil  society  representatives  in 
issues of urban mobility is of paramount importance. 
TRA 2008 provided an opportunity for all stakeholders 
to meet and work together on these important issues, 
which have serious implications for the quality of life 
in our cities.

24

Urban 
Mobility

Innovations in urban freight delivery 
and  market  uptake  of  alternative 
fuels have also been the subject of 
much attention.

The  TRA  2008  sessions  fostered 
dialogue  on  re-orienting  the  ob-
jectives  of  public  transportation 
research,  and  also  addressed 
many  of  the  barriers  to  deploy-
transportation 
ing 
concepts. Linking R&D results and 
trends with ‘real-world’ implemen-
tation  demands  the  full  engage-
ment of decision makers.

innovative 

Research  presentations  estab-
improve-
lished 

targeted 

that 

to  public 

ments 
transportation 
systems  would  vastly  improve  ur-
ban  mobility,  health,  the  environ-
ment and the local economy. The 
results  of  these  investigations  are 
increasingly  available  to  policy 
makers  and  municipalities,  and 
the conference was one of many 
platforms by which policy makers 
can inform their decisions. 

The  next  step  is  putting  theory 
into practice: conference partici-
pants underlined the importance 
of  supporting  large-scale  dem-
onstrations  to  make  the  viability 
of  these  ideas  a  reality  for  the 
voting public.

YEAR 2008 Winners

Three  of  the  Young  Researcher  Awards  were  given  to  the  authors 
of  inventive  urban  mobility  projects:  Ifigeneia  Balampekou  of  the 
University of Southampton in the UK examined the potential of hand-
held traveller information devices to influence travel behaviour, while 
Jean-Michel  Contet  of  France’s  University  of  Technology  of  Belfort-
Montbéliard  presented  a  new  platoon-based  transportation  system. 
Yacine  Khaled  of  the  Université  de  Technologie  de  Compiègne  in 
France explored routing in vehicular ‘ad hoc’ networks.

Ms Balampekou stressed the importance of providing up-to-date, live 
public transport information to travellers via a handheld device, and 
of making this information available at all hours and locations during 
a trip. The result would be better organisation and satisfaction with 
public transportation generally and, on an individual level, smoother 
linkages and reduced frustration. Mr Khaled explored communication 
protocols  in  traffic-networks  management  that  are  independent 
of  the  traffic  conditions.  Mr  Contet  took  on  the  problem  of  driving 
commuters, and proposed the use of fleets of automated cars that are 
designed for short- to medium-distance trips at low speed.

25

Public transportation

A high percentage of moving cars 
in  any  given  city  carry  only  the 
driver.  Efforts  to  convince  more 
people  to  use  public  transporta-
tion  have  been  largely  ineffec-
tive,  mainly  owing  to  its  rigidity. 
The  imposed  (but  not  necessarily 
observed)  timetables  do  not  al-
ways  match  the  intended  users’ 
needs,  the  vehicles  themselves 
can  be  uncomfortable,  and  fur-
ther  distances  at  either  end  add 
precious time to the journey. 

Research in public transportation 
tackles  the  conflicting  demands 
of autonomy and economy, with 
the goal of providing flexible, in-
dividualised,  seamless  and  reli-
able transportation services. Cur-
rent  sustainable  urban  mobility 
research  focuses  on  future  car 
technology, driver behaviour, en-
ergy  consumption  and  commer-
cially viable strategies for putting 
alternative-fuel-based  cars  on 
the market. 

considerable 

In  addition 
to  conceptualising 
new,  multimodal  shared  transport 
systems, 
effort 
has  been  put  into  developing 
hybrid 
buses, 
diesel-electric 
alternative  fuels  for  city  trains; 
modifying  engines,  tracks,  wheels 
and  cooling  systems  for  quieter 
and 
metropolitan 
transport; 
land-
developing  appropriate 
strategies. 
use  management 

City streets

New  approaches  to  managing 
and  prioritising  road  space  are 
needed  for  the  development  of 
sustainable  urban  transportation. 
At TRA 2008, transportation stake-
holders  agreed  that  connectiv-
ity  and  interoperability  between 
the  city  streets,  regional  roads 
and  national  highway  networks 
throughout  the  EU  are  also  es-
sential. Sessions on urban mobility 
addressed  how  best  to  manage 
space,  promote  business  and 
protect quality of life.

Those  delivering  goods  in  cities 
both contribute to and suffer from 
the  nuisance  of  traffic  conges-
tion. Because measures favouring 
restrictive  policies  (low-emission 
zones, access control, etc.) have 

created  logistical  problems  that 
impact retail activities, alternative 
approaches (e.g. reserved lanes) 
have  received  special  attention. 
At  TRA  2008,  the  FIDEUS  project 
presented  its  latest  progress  in 
low-emission 
high-performance, 
delivery vehicles that incorporate 
logistics 
researchers 
hope their vehicles will reduce the 
space  demands  of  urban  freight 
delivery, ultimately allowing cities 
to be reclaimed by pedestrians. 

tools.  The 

Clean  fuel  technology  and  the 
development  of  alternative  fuels 
form  the  cornerstone  of  several 
transportation  projects  as  they 
are  essential  for  improving  the 
quality of life in cities. A demon-
stration  of  the  CIVITAS  project  in 
Ljubljana showed intriguing alter-
native-fuel  applications;  beyond 
the  science,  the  demonstration 
generated interest because it in-
tegrated transport policy with in-
novative technology.

Communication  tools  designed 
to improve the flow of traffic, such 
as  real-time  information  systems 
for  drivers  and  travellers  and  cy-
bercars, were also demonstrated, 
and the growing demand for ad-
dressing the needs of elderly and 
disabled  travellers  in  urban  envi-
ronments were addressed. 

The  conference  concluded  that 
more  concerted  engineering  ef-
forts  are  needed  to  resolve  the 
problems of ageing infrastructure 
throughout the transportation sys-
tem; safety, pollution and conges-
tion are all affected by neglect in 
this area. 

HOST

The HOST (Human Oriented Sustainable Transport) modular transport 
units presented at TRA 2008 were designed for the urban transport of 
passengers and goods. The idea behind the project was to develop cost-
effective, modular, hybrid vehicles that run on alternative fuels using 
latest combustion technologies. The project partners hope the vehicles 
will help to organise urban traffic in a sustainable (and more rational) 
way, and to decrease the cost of manufacturing hybrid vehicles.

The  HOST  prototype  showed  some  intriguing  possibilities.  A  video 
demonstration  of  the  complete  system  showed  a  chassis,  with 
wheels  that  can  rotate  sideways  for  fully  flexible  handling,  onto 
which one of several cabins may be anchored. The cabins range from 
taxicabs to dump trucks with extra wheels attached. The idea is to 
re-use components so that the same basic structure can be adapted 
to a user’s changing needs.

26

Urban 
Mobility

Also,  maintenance  and  renewal 
techniques  that  address  the  ef-
fects  of  climate  change  must  be 
given appropriate status in R&D.

Conclusions

It  was  clearly  demonstrated  at 
TRA  2008  that  the  development 
of innovative vehicle types should 
open  up  new  opportunities  to 
improve  or  develop  mobility 
systems  and  services  for  both 
people  and  goods.  Also,  new 
hardware  and  software  develop-
ments  offer 

the  possibility 

for  more  efficient,  safe  and 
sustainable delivery of goods.

However,  systems  and  services 
that  can  provide  the  information 
needed  by  travellers  to  optimise 
traffic flow and minimise conges-
tion  are 
incipient.  Large-scale 
demonstration  projects  that  show 
the  positive  impacts  of  changes 
to public transportation systems or 
freight delivery would allow steps 
to  be  taken  towards  better,  more 
efficient urban mobility systems.

The  EU’s  goal  of  sustainable  and 
accessible  urban  mobility  for  all 
citizens  hinges  on  solid  research 
and  integrated  town  planning. 
Innovative organisation schemes, 
clean  and  safe  vehicles,  new 
transportation  modes, 
public 
rational  private  transport,  and 
communication  infrastructure  re-
search  are  all  necessary  to  ad-
dress the specific needs of differ-
ent urban populations.

27

‘Slovenia  is  one  of  the  greenest 
areas  in  Europe,  and  we  would 
like  to  keep  it  so,’  commented 
Slovenian  Transport  Minister  Ra-
dovan  Žerjav.  ‘Despite  being  a 
small country, we fall among rela-
tively  well-developed  countries  in 
terms  of  industry,  and  contribute 
a  significant  part  to  the  worsen-
ing of climate conditions, whether 
intentionally  or  unconsciously.  We 
have an active approach to tack-
ling  climate  change:  we  seek  to 
improve  all  contributing  factors, 
from  the  climate  impact  of  local 
industry  to  the  impact  resulting 
from road transport.

‘TRA  is  where  long-term  visions 
and ideas interact with short-term 
activities,’  said  Mr  Žerjav.  TRA’s  vi-
sion  for  transport  infrastructure  is 
important for Slovenia, he added, 
‘because as citizens of Europe we 
would  like  to  see  important  infra-
structure  investments  fulfilling  the 
needs of future generations’.

TRA  2008  brought  together  ex-
perts,  visionaries,  and  politicians 
in  Ljubljana  during  Slovenia’s  first 
EU  presidency, 
strengthening 
the  foundations  of  cooperation 
between  myriad  transport  stake-
holders.  The  conference  marked 
a  major  step  forward  in  making 
sustainable,  state-of-the-art  trans-
port a reality for the citizens of the 
‘green heart of Europe.’

TRA

in Ljubljana

Slovenia  sits  at  the  cross-

roads  of  two  pan-Euro-
pean transport corridors, 
between  the  mountains 
of  Austria  and  Italy  in  one  direc-
tion,  and  the  plains  of  Hungary 
and the Adriatic Sea in the other. 
These major routes are used every 
day  by  over  50  000  freight  and 
passenger vehicles, and over 460 
kilometres  of  newly  built  motor-
ways  and  expressways  now  cross 
the  country,  most  of  them  less 
than a decade old. 

Slovenia  is  densely  criss-crossed 
by roads of all different sizes, and 
its central location makes it easily 
accessible from all parts of Europe 
and  beyond.  By  2013,  an  addi-
tional 500 kilometres of motorways 
and expressways will be added to 
this  network,  speeding  the  pas-
sage  of  the  goods  and  passen-
ger  vehicles  crossing  through  the 
green heart of Europe.

Ljubljana,  the  capital  of  Slovenia, 
was  a  natural  choice  to  host  the 
2008  TRA  conference.  In  this  era 
of intelligent transport solutions, the 
nation is paying particular attention 
to  establishing  intelligent  systems 
for traffic management and safety, 
and to incorporating technological 
advances  that  will  improve  all  as-
pects of travel on its roads. 

28

Sustaining road transport mobility 

through innovation in Europe

The  European  Commis-

sion,  CEDR  (Conference 
of European Directors of 
Roads)  and  ERTRAC  (Eu-
ropean Road Transport Research 
Advisory Council) are pleased to 
invite  you  to  the  third  Transport 
Research  Arena,  to  be  hosted 
in Brussels, Belgium, from 7 to 10 
June 2010. 

Building on the success of the pre-
vious TRA conferences in Gothen-
burg, Sweden and Ljubljana, Slov-
enia, TRA 2010 presents a golden 
opportunity for EU road transport 
stakeholders  and 
researchers 
to  discuss  new  strategies  for  re-
alising  a  true  European  Road 
Transport Research Arena. All the 
stakeholders involved in transport 
research  will  once  again  come 
together to present their findings, 
learn what is new and discuss the 
challenges  facing  Europe  today 
in the road transport sector. 

The purpose of TRA 2010 is to help 
the  stakeholders  of  transport  R&D 
to  align  their  goals  on  European, 
national, 
regional  and  private 
R&D levels. The Transport Research 
Arena contributes to innovation for 
sustainable  mobility  in  Europe  by 
enhancing  the  networking  and 
clustering of Europe’s R&D capacity, 
which  is  based  on  a  shared  SRA 
and Research Framework.

The  main  theme  of  TRA  2010  is 
‘Sustaining  road  transport  mobil-
ity  through  innovation  in  Europe’. 
Technological and scientific break-
throughs that will help to make sus-
tainable  road  transport  a  reality 
are  fundamental  to  the  health  of 
the  economy  and  the  environ-
ment.  The  local  organisers,  the 
Flemish Roads and Traffic Agency 
and  the  Public  Services  of  Wallo-
nia in conjunction with the Belgian 
Road  Association,  will  offer  you  a 
comprehensive  forum  in  which  to 
exchange  information  on  road 
transport research and innovation. 

For scientific information 
please contact:
Belgian Road 
Research Centre (BRRC):
program@traconference.eu

For general information 
please contact:
Roads and Traffic Agency: 
info@traconference.eu

Practical details

When:	 7-10 June 2010

Where:	

‘Square Brussels 

  Meeting Centre’
  Brussels, Belgium

Abstract	submission:	 31 March 2009

Approval	of	abstracts:	 15 June 2009

	 Full	Paper	submission:	 1 October 2009

	 Approval	of	full	papers	
and	acceptance	

for	oral	presentation:	 15 January 2010

Website:	 www.traconference.eu

29

 
	
	
 
 
	
	
	
	
	
European Commission

TRA 2008 - Transport Research Arena conference - Ljubljana, Slovenia 2008

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2009 — 32 pp. — 17.6 x 25 cm

ISBN  978-92-79-10039-0
DOI 

10.2777/21249

How to obtain EU publications

Publications for sale:

•	 via	EU	Bookshop	(http://bookshop.europa.eu);
•	
•	 by	contacting	one	of	our	sales	agents	directly.	You	can	obtain	their	contact	details	on	the	Internet	

from	your	bookseller	by	quoting	the	title,	publisher	and/or	ISBN	number;

(http://bookshop.europa.eu)	or	by	sending	a	fax	to	+352	2929-42758.

Free publications:

•	 via	EU	Bookshop	(http://bookshop.europa.eu);
•	 at	the	European	Commission’s	representations	or	delegations.	You	can	obtain	their	contact	

details	on	the	Internet	(http://ec.europa.eu)	or	by	sending	a	fax	to	+352	2929-42758.

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