Overview
Past Transport RTD (Research and Technical Development) Programme (2001-2003/04)
In compliance with the framework policies and programmes, an RTD programme for transport was prepared in 2001, called 'Optimisation of the Transport System and its Sustainable Development'. The main objective of the programme was to focus the RTD on assurance of sustainable mobility of persons and goods, completion and optimisation of the restructuring of the transport system under the conditions of the European integration, taking into account environmental and human aspects.
Current Transport RTD Programme (2004-2009)
The current RTD programme 'Safe and economic transport' (acc. to Act No. 130/2002 Coll., to support RTD) forms part of the 'National Research Programme I' which supports RTD projects aimed at assuring the development of the national transport infrastructure in relation to the European one, the implementation of a sustainable development of mobility and to increase traffic safety. The Programme, the objectives of which partly overlap with the programme strategy established in 2001, is subdivided into two overlapping programme phases: 2004-2008 and 2005-2009.
- Improve satisfaction of the population's transport needs by the improvement and optimisation of the transport services, particularly by development of ITS.
- Improve the technical conditions, modernise the transport infrastructure and transport means.
- Support the economic base of the development of transport infrastructure.
- Develop new competitive structures of transport means assuring sustainable mobility and create theoretical documents for the modification of the transport system in order to reduce the use of private vehicles and increase the use of public transport, particularly by reduction of energy consumption and pollutants emissions, introduction of alternative drives and traffic safety improvement.
- Increase efficiency of the development of new roads and of the maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing road network.
Furthermore an extension of know-how and proposals in the field of quality improvement of the executive and control activities of the Government administration and self-government and the assurance of solutions of the practical needs resulting from the consequences of the application of the transport policy, EU standards and policies and international obligations of the Czech Republic are dealt with.
Main thematic topics covered are as follows:
- Optimisation of transport means
- Improvement of the conditions of transport infrastructure and modernisation of transport means
- Development of the transport system
- Improvement of sustainable mobility and safety
- Updated technologies for development, reconstruction and maintenance of roads.
Most projects and funds are for the thematic topics No. 2 and 4.
The current RTD programme (2004-2009) forms an integral part of the National Research Programme I which focuses on the programmatic topic 'Competitiveness at Sustainable Development'. The long-term policy objectives of transport RTD emphasise strategic research and complex transport issues. At the same time it is aimed at taking a greater share in the supra-national research in co-operation with other transport entities and supply organisations. The objective of the re-organisation of the research is to obtain an efficient interconnection of research institutes and universities and their involvement in international co-operation. This means the generation of a research and development management system in the transport sector.
The objectives and projects of the completed RTD programme (2001-2003/04) overlap to some degree with both the former (1998-2001) and current (2004-2009) RTD programmes. In so far continuity of RTD programmes and policies is ensured.
The projects which started in 2004 are based on the already commissioned requirements of the departments of the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications. The basis for their determination was research programmes of the 5th and 6th Framework RTD programmes of the EU and inter-governmental co-operation programmes.
Funding
Most transport RTD projects are totally funded by the Government.
For the current Transport RTD Programme (2004-2009) a total budget of some 641 million CZK is foreseen with some 105 million CZK to be financed by the National Research Programme II (to be started in 2008) as part of the projects shall be carried forward to the National Research Programme II. The annual budget breakdown of the current RTD programme is as follows:
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total
Thematic topics (1-5) started in 2004 85.1 65.0 55.0 45.0 5.7 0 255.8
New projects started in 2005 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 20 140
New projects started in 2006 20.0 30.0 50.0 40 140
New RTD National Programme II (started in 2008) 35.0 70 105
TOTAL 85.1 95.0 105.0 105.0 120.7 130 640.8
The volume of work in these projects is proposed in such a way, that the requirements for means from the Government budget be divided among individual years as uniformly as possible though the annual budget allocations are increasing year-by year. With these projects there will be an effort to reduce the percentage of support from public means, i.e. to increase the share of financial part