OPTIC - Optimal policies for transport in combination
Overview
Background & policy context:
OPTIC is a high level policy support activity that will consolidate and extend knowledge for policy-making in the process of construction and implementation of optimal packages of transport policy measures. It includes:
- critical reviews of existing studies and theories about policy interactions in the field of policy packaging;
- improvement to existing models and assessment tools in reflecting such interactions, taking into account the impact on transportation itself and on socio-economic issues;
- combined practitioner/research workshops to involve stakeholders and identify best practices from existing cases of policy packages;
- dissemination of knowledge and experience to ease implementation and make it more effective.
OPTIC will help improve and optimise the use of existing infrastructure through more efficient, combined use of policy tools, and encompasses best practices within different fields of transport policy making. A strong emphasis on training, dissemination and user involvement is maintained throughout the project through a series of activities including a web page, a transport conference session, academic publications, targeted workshops and newswire services.
Objectives:
The overall objective of OPTIC is to give guidance for the design and implementation of optimal transport policy measures in combination (i.e. policy packages) to reduce adverse effects and/or provide positive synergies. The final report will offer a toolbox for policy packaging and policy implementation in the form of six fact sheets.
Methodology:
Six stages of the policy process have been identified. The factsheets give practical and general advices for each of these stages:
- Definition of objectives and targets: Factsheet 1. First the objectives and targets of the policy intervention must be defined. The more concrete these definitions are, the more tangible their assessment in later stages can be. Ideally, targets are connected to specific target values, or indicators. If objectives and targets remain vague, it becomes difficult to define suitable and effective policies.
- Creating an inventory of possible policy measures: Factsheet 2. Once objectives and targets have been agreed upon, an inventory of suitable measures can be set up. Each of these measures must be evaluated with respect to acceptability, effectiveness, efficiency, potential barriers and their causal relationship to other measures. The output is a decision on one or more primary measures that function as the core foundation of the policy package.
- Assessment of policies and policy package: Factsheet 3. The primary measure is assessed here, with the aim to predict in as much detail as possible impacts and to quantify effectiveness.
- Expansion of package and amendment of measures: Factsheet 4. If the primary measure is considered insufficient in any respect, further ancillary measures can be supplemented into a policy package. Based on further assessment (stage 3), the policy package can be further refined. This process iterates until a satisfactory output is reached.
- Implementation of package: Factsheet 5.
- Monitoring and evaluation: Factsheet 6. Once the package has been implemented, the effects must be monitored and evaluated and, if necessary, corrective actions taken.
In addition, the report explores in further detail indicators and tools for the assessment of policy packages; the management of barriers; and issues of transferability.
In real life, the boundaries between the stages are evidently not that clear and, importantly, a policy packaging and implementation process does not necessarily follow any fixed order.
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