ARTS - Actions on the integration of Rural Transport Services
Overview
Background & policy context:
Compared to conventional regular public transport services the innovative and flexible transport systems are able to offer a more cost-effective supply and, moreover, to provide increased mobility for rural dwellers. In this context, innovative and flexible transport services are: demand responsive, voluntary, intermodal and multipurpose services.
In all the investigated countries (European Union and the Eastern Accession Countries) common obstacles, could be analysed: in fact, the distinguishing disperse settlement structure and low population densities as well as comparably high rate of car ownership all lead to a low demand for public transport services. Furthermore the issue of public transport in rural areas does not play an important role in public transport policies of most countries.
The ARTS project aims to provide a practical approach to the planning, operation and evaluation of Integrated Transport Systems in low-density rural areas.
Objectives:
The overall objective of ARTS is to test and demonstrate the most effective ways of providing rural transport services and, consequently, produce a set of recommendations: a sort of guidelines for the planning and implementation of rural transport systems.
The project will evolve through 3 specific phases:
- Identification of barriers of the individual countries at national, regional and local level;
- Focus on the preparation and development of the demonstrations: eight public transport schemes in low density rural areas will be tested and evaluated in eight different European countries;
- Evaluation of demonstration results from the effectiveness perspective.
Methodology:
The demonstrations have been selected based on their feasibility. The demonstrations will be conducted in order to ensure that the process may be replicated in future and that transferable elements of the demonstrations may be identified.
During the demonstration process, evaluation will be conducted to identify the expected, estimated and actual impact of the measures implemented. Cross-site analysis will be a critical activity in order to compare results and to test its transferability to other experiences.
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