Overview
The importance of mobility of people and goods and accessibility of cities and industrial areas is enormous, however in densely populated Europe a reliable accessibility is becoming less obvious all the time. Gradually everybody is beginning to recognise the problems; mobility and sustainability are placed higher on the political and social agenda.
As it is an innovation network for traffic and transport, Connekt wants to make a contribution in creating innovative solutions by combining the expertise from the field of science, government and the business sector. The ambition of Connekt is to let the Netherlands serve as an example in its role as a 'Mainport' in Europe and that Connekt can help to achieve this status.
The main targets of the Connekt programme are:
- Managing traffic and mobility by introducing administrative organisational innovations;
- Developing know-how with regard to the need for and value of mobility. Connekt organises collaborations and sets up expert networks with representatives from the field of science, the government and business sector;
- Providing a platform for knowledge-exchange and standardisation in the field of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems). ITS Netherlands plays an important role in this context.
It turns out that the term 'Reliable Accessibility' is a good formulation of the (latent) demand for innovation in the field of mobility by the government and business sector. Connekt will under this motto, enter into dialogue with main ports, regions, cities and the business sector in the four programmes:
- Accessibility of the Netherlands Mainport
- Mobility Management of Freight
- Mobility Management of People
- Traffic management
For long term (fundamental) research, Connekt co-operates with the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research N.W.O. In The Connekt - N.W.O programme, research is executed in the following themes (see separate programme profiles):
- Advanced Driver Assistance
- Personal Intelligent Travel Assistant
- Pricing policies
- Interfaces between railway network/station development and urban dynamics.
From 2004-2008, Connekt is proposed programme manager of a new research programme called Transumo (transition to sustainable mobility) with a planned budget of approx. EUR 70 million.
Funding
Industrial research Project (up to 50% Connekt contribution, feasibility studies up to 75%)
Pre-competitive research (up to 25% Connekt contribution, feasibility studies up to 50%)
Fundamental research projects (up to 100% Connekt contribution)
Networks / expert groups / platforms (up to 100% Connekt contribution)