Overview
The National Programme on the Development of Transport and Communications for 2014-2022 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Programme’) should support benefits of the state, society and the national economy from the transport and communications sector. The Programme is indispensable for the sustainable development of the transport and communications system in Lithuania, the efficient management of public resources and utilisation of the European Union (EU) Structural Funds’ assistance, and the increase in the competitiveness of the sector.
The Programme represents a medium-term strategic planning document that sets out strategic goals, objectives, tasks, evaluation criteria and the institutions implementing the Programme. The Programme contains an analysis of the development prospects of the transport and communications sector, namely, transport (road, railway, maritime, inland waterways and air), logistics and post. The areas of information society development and electronic communications, including their objectives and tasks, are analysed in ‘Lithuania’s Digital Agenda’ – the Programme on the Information Society Development for 2014-2020 approved by the Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No 244 on 12 March 2014 ‘On approval of the Programme on the Information Society Development in 2014-2020 ‘Lithuania‘s Digital Agenda‘. The Programme emphasises the horizontal priorities in the area of transport and communications including the multimodality of transport, integrated urban transport, application of intelligent transport systems to all modes of transport, traffic safety and security, increase in energy efficiency in the transport sector, and development of environmentally-friendly transport.
The strategic goal of the Programme is to create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly and competitive national transport and communications system with a high value-added potential. Upon attainment of the strategic goal, the transport and communications system would ensure a high-quality, efficient, uninterrupted and sustainable mobility of users of the public and goods’ transportation as well as high-quality logistic and postal services.
The Programme has the following strategic objectives:
- To increase mobility of goods and passengers, improve the corridors of the core network of the EU Trans-European Transport Networks as well as their connections with national and local transport networks, and increase the efficiency of multimodal transport.
- To increase competitiveness of the transport sector and improve the transport and logistic service quality by means of the active transport policy measures,.
- To promote sustainability of the local (urban and suburban) transport system.
- To increase energy efficiency in transport and reduce the adverse impact of transport on the environment.
- To improve traffic safety and security.
The implementation of the Programme is managed and ensured by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Participants in the implementation of the Programme include the Ministry of Transport and Communications and institutions and enterprises within its regulation area. It is planned that municipalities will also be involved in the implementation of the Programme.