Strategic transport planning in the Baltic Sea Region is carried out at several levels, by different partners – from both the public and the private sectors. Although government authorities have been established to facilitate joint action at different levels, the transfer of knowledge between the various decision-making levels and across borders has not been effective. In order to change this, the topics addressed, lessons learned and results achieved by the various transnational transport initiatives must find their way into well-established planning procedures at a local, regional, national and European level.
A report, prepared in collaboration between WSP, Swedish Transport Administration and Region Skåne, in the BSR TransGovernance project examined needs and possibilities to achieve a better interaction between territorial cooperation projects (Interreg) and national transport planning in the Baltic Sea countries. The work dwelled from one of main conclusions from the Baltic Transport Outlook 2030 study – that despite many bilateral and multilateral initiatives of cooperation between the Baltic Sea countries there is still a need to enhance a cooperative response across all levels and sectors to the changes in the surrounding world. In order to make a difference, the topics addressed, lessons learned, and results produced by various transnational transport initiatives must find their way into already established planning procedures at the local, regional, national and European levels.
The report perceives main reasons for such a situation in:
- Differences in transport planning systems in the Baltic Sea counties (in material content, time horizons, organisational cultures and legal competences of transport planning and executive entities);
- Unclear roles and responsibilities, and additional administrative burden associated with inserting the international perspective in ordinary transport planning routines;
- Scarcity of financial resources for transport investments, which results in a pole position of investments implementing the national transport priorities;
- Dependency on individuals and the degree they are committed to an idea of broadening the perspective of national transport planning.
The report proposes a number of solutions to strengthen the coordination of transport planning processes in the Baltic Sea Region. They range from developing joint decision-making instruments through better linking interregional work with other planning levels, up to facilitated institutional learning and the exchange of information on national transport plans and strategies.
A better awareness of national transport planning frameworks in the neighbouring countries has been identified as a common pre-requisite for all the above solutions. In the course of the work several surveyed representatives of the national transport authorities and administration raised their interest in knowing main priorities, actions and infrastructure investments planned in the other Baltic Sea countries. However, such information is scattered and not available upon request.
One small step
As a proposal for a first step, the project looks into producing an inventory of actions identified in national transport plans and to show their geographical distribution in relation to the EU TEN-T Core Network Corridors. The latter is estimated to be the most important implementation mechanism for transport investments of so called European added value.
The same map may also display the location of investments promoted by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Transport and Logistics and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region - as they are two specific examples of planning and implementation frameworks applying a joint strategic and international approach.
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