Overview
The aim of transport policy is to support national well-being and prosperity. This means ensuring that all necessary trips, covering both passenger travel and commercial and industrial transport, are able to function on a daily basis both within Finland and in international traffic, thus promoting people’s well-being, business competitiveness and regional vitality. Furthermore, travel and transport will be safe and the transport system ecologically, socially and economically sustainable.
Intelligent transport systems (ITS) encompass this use of information and communication technology within the transport system. ITS technology allows the transport sector to better face the challenges set by various forces for change, while also facilitating the achievement of many socio-political objectives. It can provide support not only for transport policy, but also for Finland’s information society objectives and climate and environmental policies. ITS technology also increases work productivity and helps ensure better, more equitable services for different population groups or regions. ITS products and services can also be developed into significant business and export opportunities, creating new jobs in industry and service provision.
The new transport policy for the 2010s will take a customer-oriented view of the entire transport system. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) will provide essential tools for this new transport policy.
With the help of this new transport policy supported by ITS, the Finnish transport system should achieve the following objectives by 2020 (figures in comparison with 2009):
- Intelligent transport systems will help save 50 lives annually in road transport, and no lives will be lost in commercial maritime, air and rail transport.
The new transport policy for the 2010s will take a customer-oriented view of the entire transport system. Intelligent transport systems (ITS) will provide essential tools for this new transport policy:
- Greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport will have been reduced significantly (the precise figures will be defined in 2010, when current studies have been concluded).
- Due to an increase in the efficiency of transport chains and terminal logistics, private sector logistics costs will have been reduced to a level almost on a par with those of our main international competitors.
- Commuter traffic delays caused by congestion will have been reduced by 20 per cent in large urban areas.
- Public transport, cyclists and pedestrians will make up a 20 per cent larger share of all trips than they do now.
- Finland will be one of the five most advanced nations in the world when it comes to the use of intelligent transport services and products.
- Finland will produce and export a significant amount of intelligent transport services and products.
- Customers will be satisfied with the fluency of travel and kept well-informed at all stages of travel (a minimum of 80 percent satisfied customers).