EASYWAY SUMMARY
The following objectives for the EasyWay programme are established: traffic flow i.c.
reduction of congestions, traffic safety improvement and better environment.
These objectives will be achieved through the deployment of European services
focused on European travellers and road user needs to receive information and
guidance on the TERN and at interfaces with major urban networks:
• On the extent of the available networks and their characteristics,
• on road, traffic and weather situations,
• that is reliable and up to date,
• that is recognised, understandable, usable and
• that assures the highest safety and assistance standards.
• that supports co-modality, interfaces with other transport modes and networks
• that are interoperable and continuous across borders
The selected set of services directly focused on the above mentioned European road
user needs are outlined in three main categories: Traveller Information Services
(TIS), Traffic Management Services (TMS) and Freight and Logistics Services
(FLS).
• Traveller Information Services
• The European Multi-modal Journey Planner Service (pre-trip)
• The European Traffic Alert – Location based information (on-trip)
• Traffic Management Services
• Traffic Management Plans for European bottlenecks
• The European common VMS driver display
• Interoperable incident and emergency management
• Freight and Logistics Services
• An integrated Service interface for European haulers6
• The European Hazardous Goods Monitoring and Alert Service
• Connected ICT Infrastructure
• Infrastructure to detect incidents and emergencies in real time
• Infrastructure to monitor road and traffic status in real time
 Information infrastructure: Integrated network and service information
from the numerous European road operators
The ITS deployment road map will create a forum for the deployment activities
carried out within EasyWay to support and be supported by other stakeholder
initiatives. The road map will also be an important tool to clarify the specific role of
the road operators and authorities in relation to other stakeholders, and also the role
of MAP 2007-2013 supported deployment in relation to other European programmes
and initiatives driving activities today (e.g. concerning EFC, e-Call, Galileo, security
etc.).
Relevant stakeholder representatives to include in the road map definition might be
organizations like ERTICO7, CEDR, ASECAP8, IRU9, UITP10, ACEA11, IRF12, ECTA13,
ERA and POLIS14 besides the European Commission and member state
representatives.
ITS High Level Group
As cooperative vehicle - infrastructure systems and services are increasingly
introduced in the transport systems, the relationship between manufacturers,
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suppliers, operators and the road authorities must be developed. The industry
developments (automotive, electronics and service and infrastructure providers)
have an important impact on ITS deployment and elements on the road situation.
The deployment of Galileo and the availability of new technologies will enable a
practical and efficient vehicle – infrastructure link in the 2007-2013 period. Road
administrations will integrate these developments into their daily operation. Hence,
EasyWay must facilitate the private sector and work with the relevant stakeholders
like ERTICO, ASECAP and ACEA, where relevant synergies can be reached. The
potential of the dialogue and discussions on common interests will be incorporated
within EasyWay studies and activities. The Road Map European Study development
can be the facilitating element of this dialogue. The High Level group, which would
typically meets once a year, will consist of nominated Directors of the Member States
Road Authorities (in which CEDR may play an important role) or other relevant
authorities of ITS, plus Directors of (e.g.) EC DG TREN, ASECAP and ERTICO.
Six European Studies have been identified for the 2007-2009 part of the EasyWay
Programme, and additional studies will be initiated during the process:
• ES 1 Europe-wide Traveller Information continuity and co-modality
• ES 2 Europe-wide Traffic and Network management and co-modality
• ES 3 Freight and Logistics services
• ES 4 VMS Harmonisation
• ES 5 DATEX II
• ES 6 European ITS Deployment Road Map
Also, harmonisation projects like Mare Nostrum will provide deployment guidelines
on location, content and media.
Activities will include:
• Geographical extensions and new deployments of current services filling in gaps in
the different long distance corridors: events on the network, traffic situation, real
time travel times, weather information, accidents at specific points (bridges,
tunnels, other black spots,…)
• Deployment of pre-trip travel planners allowing for trip recommendations based on
also environmental cost considerations
• Interconnection of national and regional information services to services allowing
for long-distance multi-modal travel information (point-to-point information)
• Deployments of predictive traffic information: reliable predictive travel times (short
to long range), predictive weather information, itinerary advice depending on the
forecast network situation (grid management), etc.
• Service deployments at interfaces with other modes of transport in urban areas
• Deployment of location based services (re-routing advice, including the multimodal
interfaces in urban areas,….), using the current EGNOS signal and anticipating the
future GALILEO services
• Fast alert on specific road safety related black spots (tunnels, bridges, specific
parts of the network)
• Deployments of emerging technologies and media based on experimentations
(mobile internet, cartographic and vocal interfaces, in-car devices,…)
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The objective of Traveler Information Services activities in the EasyWay programme
is to provide the European traveller, by 2013, with relevant information on available
transport alternatives, and while travelling also relevant service information. This
concern as well information regarding public transport as well as traffic and road
status information for the driver.
Main objective(s) and results
• Provide high quality seamless information services to the European traveller, in
his/her own language, through the deployment of real-time and predictive
information services, with integrated interfaces between all transports modes in
urban areas including parking place availability and public transport information
services.
• Extend existing national and cross border services and strengthen the European
approach on the main European traffic corridors for easier travelling on the TERN
• Provide fast alert services and warning services on specific accident black spots of
the TERN, using ICT
• Assist new Member States establishing seamless information basic services
• Better use of harmonised VMS messages at European level
The Deployment Activities concerning Traffic Management Services are:
• Traffic Control and Traffic Management
• Safety Critical Road Segments
Main objective(s) and results
• Enhance safety and mobility, reduce travel time and operating costs
• Establish and optimise national strategies and TMPs involving international
aspects
• Harmonise international TMP approaches and structures.
• Enhance harmonised traffic management and control systems including at urban
interfaces
• Assist new Member States establishing appropriate traffic management strategies
and systems
DA Safety Critical Road Segments
Need and contribution to policy goals
Equipping critical TERN segments and accident black spots (e.g. tunnels, bridges,
mountains passes, big congested areas) with adequate ITS, and providing ITS
services at locations and areas on sensitive road segments, will lead to quick wins in
terms of safety and road efficiency.
Main objective(s) and results
• Enhance safety, travel time and operating costs on sensitive and critical road
segments (TERN and urban interfaces)
• Improve interfaces with emergency services, e-call
• Make sure that information used for TM and TIS are consistent at all time
• Increase traveller comfort and prevent dangerous situations.
• Assist new Member States establishing appropriate traffic management strategies
and systems
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Deployment Activities - Efficient ICT Infrastructure
The objective of the Efficient ICT Infrastructure domain in the EasyWay programme
is to achieve 100% coverage of base monitoring of the congested, critical safety
spots or critical weather sections of the TERN.
The Deployment Activities regarding Efficient ICT Infrastructure are:
• Developing Monitoring Infrastructure
• Establishing information exchange and Data processing
Main objective(s) and results
• To ensure that after the EasyWay programme in 2013, monitoring infrastructure
of appropriate quality is deployed on the TERN accordingly:
Monitoring function Coverage of problematic part
of TERN
Real-time traffic status
monitoring
100% of congested parts
Traffic status and situation
verification
30% of congested parts
Automatic incident
Detection AID
100% of critical spots
Travel time monitoring 60% of congested parts
Road weather monitoring 100% of critical weather areas
• To ensure that monitoring infrastructure is deployed and operated in a costeffective
manner throughout its life-cycle by utilizing the optimal technologies and
by using the collected information for multiple purposes
ES1: Europe-wide Traveller Information continuity and co-modality
Main objective(s) and results
The operational objective of this study is:
• To make the most benefit of the existing services and strengthen the European
approach by providing a deployment plan of a set of real time and predictive travel
information services on the main European Corridors and on the main European
cities with efficient interfaces with the public transport networks.
• To initiate and coordinate a set of pre-deployment pilots including new services,
technologies, etc at the European scale
• to foster cooperation among the different transport modes stakeholders including
road operators, the car industry and telecom operators and information services
providers
ES2: Europe-wide Traffic and Network management and co-modality
Main objective(s) and results
• The global objective is to increase safety, reduce travel time and operational
transport costs by providing seamless traffic management strategies and systems
• To create a common view of the performance of the European road transport
system as a basis for deployment: Identification of the key bottlenecks and black
spots that need to be addressed in European cooperation.
• To provide a plan for the deployment of traffic and network management
measures in a Europe-wide context
• Tp limit the impact of traffic disruptions by improving cooperation between road
operators, authorities and urban areas in the field of network management in
order to support long distance traffic in general and road freight transport in
specific.
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• To demonstrate the benefits of co-modal cooperation and develop harmonised
strategies
• To perform pre-deployment pilots for pan-European systems and technology
• To share best practice among the EasyWay stakeholders
• Better understanding of climate change issues and methods of mitigating damage
ES4: VMS Harmonisation (Mare Nostrum)
Main objective(s) and results
To identify or develop the specific informative elements (pictogram, alphanumeric)
and message structures, taking specific VMS types into account and following a fair
harmonisation procedure (e.g. empirical tests) with main stakeholders in order to
further improve harmonisation. In this area Mare Nostrum builds further on the
results of the FIVE project.
Main activities
VMS harmonization activities will lead to a set of rules and recommendations for
displays on VMS panels. This will apply to both traditional VMS that can show one or
two pictograms and text and the (newer) full matrix VMS types. It is necessary to
evaluate the way drivers understand combinations of two pictograms used on several
types of VMS, together with the text part. The alphanumeric formulations analysed in
the previous phase of Mare Nostrum will be taken a step further to include legal and
administrative issues. Also the interaction of such formulations with pictograms other
than congestion is to be investigated. New alphanumeric formulations and also the
possibility of using abstract symbols and/or small pictograms on the alphanumeric
part are being addressed.
Finally, the adoption of new pictograms, either making the most of latest research
and available studies or being studied by the group itself, will also be dealt with. Also
effectively informing about distance and messages displayed over more than one
VMS will be studied.
ES5: DATEX II
Need and contribution to policy goals
Without a common set of accepted data exchange specifications, the vision of a
seamless interoperable exchange of traffic and travel information across boundaries,
including national, urban, interurban, road administration and service provider, will
not be achievable.
Main objective(s) and results
The aim of this action is to support the deployment of an efficient and harmonised
data exchange network as well as data provision to service providers in Europe
based on DATEX II.
Main activities
• Support implementations of or migration to DATEX II in traffic centres
• Continuously adopt DATEX II to traffic centre and traffic management needs
• Maintain the DATEX II specification and manage its extension
• Provide inputs for the standardisation process
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ES6: European ITS Deployment Road Map
This is where the European ITS Deployment Road Map finds its place: It’s a tool for
the various groups of stakeholders involved in ITS deployment to establish a
common basis for the deployment process in the coming years.
Interoperable Electronic Fee collection
e-Call
Galileo Deployment in Transport and Traffic
V2I - Vehicle Infrastructure Interface, V2V – Vehicle to Vehicle Interface
Transport Security and Resilience
Driver behaviour compliance
The EasyWay approach to deployment will follow a Road Map to be developed in
cooperation with key stakeholders in ITS deployment. This road map will provide a
common vision on ITS deployment and a basic deployment plan for ITS in Europe,
where road operators and authorities’ plans are synchronised with automotive
industries, with transport service providers and with the development of other
transport modes within a policy framework.
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