Application of Technical Measures
Basic Technologies
All CEE countries have experienced rapid development of basic information and communication technologies, such as computer networks. Computer equipment, e-mail and Internet are available, but not yet widely used in public administration. The availability of computers in households is still extremely limited.Data Collection
The collection of data on road and traffic parameters or on meteorological conditions are mostly realised at the national level only. Data collection at national level mainly includes data on transport infrastructure and volumes and flows of all transport modes, fuel consumption and environmental effects. Traffic volumes on national motorways are already often measured electronically by induction loops. Especially for road traffic accidents data availability is general very good. Police departments or road traffic safety directorates have often created vehicle, driver and accident data bases for the national road network.The level of transport-related data availability in CEEC authorities is largely dependent on city size. The largest cities, mainly capitals often already have good databases relying on modern technology. Data availability is very low in small and medium sized towns, where staff is not as well trained as in larger cities. Data on road and public transport, or traffic pollution are available in some bigger cities, but are not common.
A number of large cities generate data from passenger surveys, traffic
counts or map network data for modelling the transport situation. In most
CEE countries data monitoring and evaluation of traffic volumes is achieved
through manual counting. Telematics-based traffic counting for modelling
purposes is rarely used. Slovenia only relies on electronic traffic counting.
Computer technology is mainly applied to store and process data mostly
for static modelling based on one-off sampling. Advanced modelling (e.g.
simulations, real-time data) is not common. In Lithuania and Slovenia,
advanced modelling already seems to be more advanced than in other CEE
countries.
Network and Traffic Management
In many, especially larger, cities, integrated traffic control and management systems are under study. Only very few cities have reached the level of implementation, where strategies for integrated traffic control, public transport priorities and incident and emergency management are already in operation.Larger cities in Central and Eastern Europe generally are modelling their transport network and are practising centralised traffic signal control (green wave co-ordination on fixed traffic light plans). Dynamic signal control is only used in a few, mainly large cities.
Variable Message Signs (VMS) are already in use on some state roads,
mainly to indicate permitted speed and weather conditions (Czech Republic,
Slovenia, Hungary), but in urban centers only with very few exceptions.
In general, modern incident and emergency management solutions are
almost non-existent. Some countries have installed telephone posts, situated
along the motorways.
There is only little done for parking management, although parking is a main issue in almost every city, particularly in large ones. In general little real-time occupancy data is available.
There is generally no use of information technologies for access control
and fee collection. In cities, where traffic flows in certain areas are
controlled by charging fees, these fees are collected manually (e.g. Tallinn).
Slovenia however was the first Central European country which decided to
stop manual toll collection and establish a Electronic Toll Collection
(ETC) System.
Traveller and Driver Information
In recent years, the quality of traveller and driver information has improved. Analogue radio is generally recognised as a very accessible mode of driver information. In most CEE countries, information on traffic jams, weather and road conditions and sometimes on air pollution are passed on to radio stations at national, regional and local levels. Many public transport operators present (fixed) timetables and a scheme of routes at stops and terminals. Some operators already provide information on public transport on the Internet (Czech Republic). Real-time information at stops is very rare.Public Transport
With regard to public transport, the use of telematics applications is very low. Automatic Vehicle Monitoring Systems and priority measures are only rarely implemented. In addition to this, most public transport providers are missing basic data on public transport use. Sometimes control checks are made on vehicles, but usually in the form of individual vehicle occupancy estimates. In general, telephone or Internet ticket booking and payment technology are not existent for any type of public transport. Tickets must be booked and purchased in person at station or ticket agencies. However static public transport time table information mostly exists. Travellers can often get substantial information on the whole trip in advance (e.g. time table information). Only in a few places (e.g. Zlín) the real time situation of public transport vehicles can be read on electronic signboards (VMS).Specific Technologies
The basic conditions for using GPS technology are often missing, because the digitisation of city maps is often non-existent or is incomplete. For a number of cities maps are available, but real usage is exceptional. However, to a certain extent, mainly private companies are working on advanced modelling and simulation techniques (GPS) to forecast public transport and traffic flows. The level of implementation of such projects however, is low.Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
