Dimitrios A.Tsamboulas, Associate Professor NTUA Greece

1. XXXI ASECAP Study &Information DaysTransport Infrastructures Monitoring Centres for South Eastern Europe Dimitrios A.Tsamboulas, Associate Professor NTUA Greece D. Korizis, Managing Director SYSTEMA Consulting S.A. Tuesday, 20th May 2003

2. What is a Monitoring Centre? • Any institution (public or private) devoted to collect and/or harmonise transport data. • Two conditions must be fulfilled: • have a permanent constituency and • the aim of the information system not only to produce ‘official’ statistics. • Monitoring Centres or Observatories are also local, regional, national or trans-national body, which manage information relevant to transport. • Each Monitoring Centre or Observatory will focus on relevant cases of transport infrastructure development including decision-making processes and/or impacts.

3. EU sponsored Monitoring Centres /Observatories • Observatories sponsored by EC DG TREN: • Pyrenees in Catalonia (PRO) • Rhine Gateway in Netherlands (RGO) • Nordic Triangle in Finland (NTO) • West Mediterranean in Maghreb (CETMO) • East Mediterranean in Greece (TEMO) • These observatories wete part of the ASSEMBLING “monitoring information service” and planned to be within the overall concept known as the European Transport Policy Information System (ETIS).

4. Key factors of a successful monitoring strategy • Flexible and adaptable management, particular in international network. • Political and commercial neutrality that ensures an efficient choice of priorities and more objective approach in the case of conflicts between different types of members and partners. • Private sector together with the public sector lead to positive effects on the observatory activity. • .

5. Key factors of a successful monitoring strategy • Human involvement is a key of success. • Clear definition and dedication of the objectives of the observatory • Objectives must be planned with a detailed schedule of implementation • The information systems must be compatible and interoperable. • The value added is higher if the observatory provides analysis and consultancy in addition to data processing

6. Organisational Framework • Non Governmental Organisation (CRPM) • Private company (MDSTransmodal) • Non profit association (Plan Bleu, IAAT, ORT Alsace, ORT Aquitaine) • Department of an administration (OEST, BASTs) • Informal organisation dependent on public sector (Plan routier breton, ORT Nord-Pas-de-Calais) • Ad hoc organisation (Strait of Gibraltar, TGV North)

7. Main reasons for the success or failure • The main reasons for the success : • how their objectives match user needs; • stability of the observatory goals during its lifetime; • willingness of someone to provide initial impulse for development. • The main reasons for failure: • lack of finance, often occuring when observatory role not a priority • goals too ambitious; • competition and conflicts within the organisation.

8. Pilot Regional Observatories in ASSEMBLING

9. Pilot Regional Observatories

10. Information systems for observatories

11. Information systems for observatories

12. Coordination and strategy based on new information structures • Synergies in public investments • Introduction of legal and financial management structures • Active promotion of the involvement of private capital • Stable and predictable Community framework for charging • Increasing specific funds for transport infrastructure • Setting up transnational legal entities (observatory) to coordinate a set of individual projects

13. Knowledge tools for ASECAP needs • Information about AECAP members (characteristics of their network, linkages to their web pages) • Transport policies: environmental impact of local traffic and hoe ASECAP members respond • Improving the transport safety record: Facts from ASECAP members and comparisons with other motorways and national roads • Actual Traffic information on ASECAP network with “one click”

14. Knowledge tools for ASECAP needs • On line information about itineraries using ASECAP network, length of trip, costs and travel times, as well as information foe amenities, gas stations, rest areas etc. • Diversion of road traffic to rail, inland navigation and short-sea shipping: Presentation of facts and how the ASECAP network is connected to the other modes • Intelligent traffic management to reduce road and air congestion and improve safety: Information about existing possibilities of ASECAP members and on-line information (where available) by linking to the site of the respective ASECAP member.

15. Knowledge tools for ASECAP needs • Transport Information Systems for transport policy solutions; facts by ASECAP members • Construction of Trans-European Networks to reduce bottlenecks and link third countries: ASECAP members on-going construction and future plans • Integration and interoperability: Information about integration of systems of ASECAP members, as they progress. • Road charges and tolling practices: Facts and practices by ASECAP members, especially in the electronic toll collection

16. ASECAP Observatory: a demonstrative case • Information of toll motorways and related economic issues • ASECAP network characteristics - travel times and estimated travel costs • Provide paths from Origin to destinations promoting the usage of ASECAP network • Facts on safety from ASECAP members and comparisons with other motorways and national roads • Tool charges and systems in place • On-going construction projects and future plans • Links with ASECAP members web pages

17. ASECAP Observatory: a demonstrative case • Infrastructure related information in view of ASECAP expansion in Eastern Europe • Previous knowledge, information, research outputs can be integrated to an Executive Information System (EIS), setting up the appropriate ASECAP Observatory for South Eastern CEEC countries. The name: ASETMO (ASECAP TRANSPORT MONITORING CENTRE/OBSERVATORY)

18. Economic viability of Observatory • Any decision must follow a methodological scheme for the detailed assessment. This methodological scheme follows 4 steps: • Design & elaboration of questionnaire for potential users • Market & SWOT analysis • Financial analysis & evaluation • Business plan elaboration

19. An application:TEMOcapabilities and outputsin relation to ASETMO TEMO (Transport East Mediterranean Observatory) • A “strategic knowledge-tool” covering demographics, socio-economic, transport and environmental forecast (being in itself a starting point for a comprehensive “knowledge-system”) has been developed. • The basis of this strategic knowledge-tool is the model that comprises a transport system together with socio-economic elements. • The modelling approach chosen follows the principles developed by system dynamic methods. • The model is designed to make a flexible alteration of particular parameters and functions easily possible.

20. Definition of TEMO goals • Identification of transport data sources • Establishment of a Transport Database on transport flows, socio-demographic information & transport infrastructure data • Information validation and updating • The legal constituency and the link with actors must be defined through the establishment of a permanent host • The development of the Monitoring Centre must be ensured through a viable strategic plan

21. Definition of TEMO constituency in relation to ASECAP • ‘Private business’: A company like SYSTEMA Consulting S.A. could host TEMO. The existing or incoming data are part of in house studies or researches. TEMO will be hosted in the company’s Web Site and the outputs of TEMO will be charged for. • ‘Association’: A registered association like Hellenic Chambers Transport Association or ASECAP could host TEMO. Members of the board represent the Association (governmental, scientists). The incoming data is mainly obtained free of charge from the Association. The access to the data will be free of charge to the users, although it can be restricted use of TEMO Meta-Engine with password for selected users (e.g. members of ASECAP).

22. Definition of TEMO constituency • ‘Administration’: TEMO will coincide with the duties of a certain person(s) within a Ministry (e.g. Transport and Communications). The incoming data is mainly obtained free of charge. The use of the Internet service is not limited or charged for. External services (research institutes, consultants) may be used in some parts of the monitoring. • ‘Project’: Specific infrastructure projects like EGNATIA could host the Monitoring Centre. The Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning & Public Works can be the co-ordinator. EGNATIA ODOS SA (potential member of ASECAP) will use the Monitoring Centre connected with the physical progress of the project. All the data and the Internet services will manage through the central Web Site of the project.

23. Definition of TEMO constituency • ‘Public-Private Partnership’: A co-operation between a private company like SYSTEMA Consulting SA and a public organisation like Ministry of Transport & Communications or EGNATIA ODOS SA connected with a specific project can solve all the financial problems. All the partners will contribute financially in the project. An exchange of data with an interconnection between the Web Sites will assist to the communication between the partners.

24. Business Plan • Market Analysis • Expected Customers: Transport Operators, Consultant agencies, Government and interest groups, Public and private research Institutes, Educational Institutes • Estimated number of subscribers: 0.5% of population (50000) • 65% of total demand concentrated in Athens area • First Year Demand: 5-10 expected clients • Typical Users: Consultants, Business executives, High government officials, Politicians, political party officials, Transportation companies, Salespersons, etc.

25. Business Plan • SWOT Analysis • Strengths(Strong technological product & capabilities) • Weakness(No marketing experience, Public services weakness in high technology products, No availability of Information Technology experts, Insufficient data) • Opportunities(No other players in the market) • Threats(Lack of co-operation & synergies) • Issues Analysis • Ability to compete effectively aiming at a 100% market share • When TEMO enters the market, it will use a governmental organisation or another institute to act as a Host Organization

26. Organisation of ASETMO information system • The organisational scheme of ASETMO is presented in the following graph with all the related organisational links with the other Observatories. The output formats could be as example the existing TEMO information system: • An unprotected Web site (Web address www.systema.com.gr/temo) • Executable CDs answering specific key questions for specialised customers • Online Decision Support System guided in house information (customised ad-hoc questions)

27. ASECAP Central Web Page Meta Engine (ASETMO) ASECAP Members Executive Support System TEMO Observatory Business Plan WEB Page Databases & Maps DSS & Maps Raw Transport – Socioeconomic Data, Maps, Texts & Images Services Interactive Off-the self Customized Organisation of ASETMO information system

28. Conclusions • Best short-term optionthe establishment of an observatories network on a regional or interregional basis, covering projects and policies more relevant to their area of interest (Results of ASSEMBLING research). • Such observatory should act as an “interface” between local, regional national and international monitoring institutions, sectoral needs such as environmental, spatial development etc. and European policy needs.

29. Conclusions • The developed techniques assemble and give friendly Internet access to data and information coming from a network of regional and thematic observatories. • Users of Information Services developed according to the abovementioned approach will become both more informed (concerning on-going impacts and needs of transport policies) and more knowledgeable (concerning potential impacts of new policies).