EDITORIAL
Dear Reader,
I am very pleased to share with you the last issue of our CROSSROADS Newsletter for this year. A very difficult year comes to an end and considering the challenges we all faced with the pandemic, we look back into our actions and we hope that you all agree that we at the IRF have been able to accomplish a lot, despite all the difficulties.
Early this month, we hosted our annual IRF Members’ briefing to share some highlights of 2020 and to provide an overview of the activities ahead for 2021. The current pandemic and related difficulties have not stopped us, to the contrary, we have multiplied our activities reaching out remotely, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Despite the problems, the current crisis has also brought a renewed sense of partnership and collaboration, and we are grateful to all those who have come forward to join hands with IRF to support further people, countries and the road sector as a whole.
These have been hectic months for all of us trying to adjust to the “new normal” and to plan for the months to come, despite having little certainty on what the future will be. One thing though seems inevitable: the future will be “connected” in many different ways. The numerous events, initiatives and partnerships over the past months testify the tremendous solidarity that reins in our industry and the resilience of our transport community.
With a new Decade of Action for Road Safety starting, bold actions to take at the COP26 and the recovery to shape, road safety, sustainability in all its forms, resilience and inclusion will be at the centre of IRF’s action in 2021. We look forward to engage and work hand in hand with each and everyone of you to deliver safe and sustainable mobility for all.
It’s that time of the year when we have the opportunity to say “Thank You”. Thank you to our members and our partners all over the world for working relentlessly with us to advance the sector’s agenda. Thank you to all our donors, sponsors, clients who together with our members’ contribution make IRF and our work possible. And thank you to the team in Geneva, in Greece, in India and the rest of the world for all their efforts but most of it for putting their heart into their work, no matter the task or the difficulty.
They all join me in in wishing you a very happy festive season and a healthy new year!
Best wishes
Bill Halkias
President
International Road Federation
CRISPS Project: proceedings of webinar now available
On 10 December, the IRF hosted a webinar introducing the HVT-funded CRISPS project on Climate Resilient Sustainable Road Pavement Surfacings. This multi-disciplinary research project aims to demonstrate the technical and economic suitability of three global best-practice road surfacing technologies for the range of traffic and environmental conditions of high volume roads that typically occur now in Low Income Countries (LICs) and those that are predicted to occur in the future.
Europe & Central Asia register the world’s highest Road Network Density
The road network density is the highest in Europe & Central Asia among seven global subregions but there is much more to explore behind its definition. Reasons and insights why micro-state countries like Monaco or San Marino have a high road network density are presented to show why it is worth to take additional parameters into consideration
The IRF takes over management of RECAP Website and Knowledge Library
The Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has come to an end this month. At the closing event hosted on 14 December, it was announced that the IRF will take over the management of the ReCAP website and the knowledge Library to continue ensure access to these resources and future uptake.
Data Collection: Impacts of COVID-19 on Mobility & Transport in Africa
As part of the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID now FCDO) response to COVID-19, IRF is working with the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety to perform an assessment of COVID-19 impacts and responses in 7 African countries. Those willing to contribute to this work with info and/or data, can do so via the questionnaire just published.
Bouncing forward to achieve Sustainable Mobility for all
Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All), a premier platform for international cooperation on sustainable transport and mobility of which the IRF is an active member, is organising its 10th Consortium Meeting. Tagged, “Bouncing forward to achieve Sustainable Mobility for all”, the high-level bi-annual meeting will bring together on 19 January members from the public and private organisations who have a shared ambition to transform the future of mobility.
Speed will be the theme of the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week
The UN Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) revealed at its meeting last 3 December that the theme for the UN Road Safety Week 2021 will focus on speed. The global week and relative campaign are coordinated by the UNRSC and 2021 will mark the 6th edition. With a new Decade of Action for Road Safety kicking off in 2021, this edition of the global week promises to be an important one to raise awareness and to boost action at all levels.
HVT Rapid Response to COVID-19 Transport Research Programme
The High Volume Transport programme (HVT) has commissioned 21 research projects to help Low-Income Countries (LICs) respond to the impact of COVID-19 through transport management and policy guidance. These projects will provide a range of practical ways to help manage immediate response and guide recovery in LICs. They include innovative technology, evidence-based advice and methods to fast-track knowledge, experience, learning resources and best practice. The IRF is currently working on two projects (read more here). To coordinate and discuss potential synergies, all project teams met online on 8 December 2020.
TRB Workshop 1002: Managing Traffic Management Systems (TMS) Assets and Resources
Building upon the success of last year, the 2021 edition of the workshop will focus on assets and resources. The next generation Transportation Management Systems (TMSs) and their centers (TMCs) offer agencies the potential to improve safety and mobility. Agencies may consider in these transitions modifying, upgrading, or replacing their TMS assets, subsystems (software, data, telecom), components, and/or field devices. This workshop will take place virtually on 21 January and aims at identifying successful practices, presenting available resources to use and listing key issue for agencies to consider. Attendance is reserved to registered participants to 2021 TRB annual Meeting.
The first global meeting of Regional Road Safety Observatories took place online
On 8 December 2020, the first global meeting of Regional Road Safety Observatories took place online. Building on the momentum created at the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Stockholm in February, the Conference contributed to strengthening collaboration and harmonisation across the Africa, Asia-Pacific and Ibero-America regional observatories.
The IRF meets EIT Urban Mobility Scale-ups
On 16 December 2020, the IRF co-organised a scale-ups matchmaking event with the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) – Urban Mobility. This event provided the possibility to the IRF members and partners to hear pitches from selected scale-ups from the EIT network and to book bilateral meetings with those of their interest.
Dr. Subhamay Gangopadhyay appointed as new IRF India Chapter President
Held on 26 September 2020, the Governing Council of the IRF India Chapter (IC) has elected during its meeting Dr. Subhamay Gangopadhyay to take over as the new President of the IRF IC from Mr. G. Sharan. The IRF IC heartily welcomes Dr. S. Gangopadhyay as its Chairman. With his vast experience of the sector and his academic excellence, the IRF IC looks forward to a fruitful period of wellbeing with his guidance and leadership.
Prince Michael International Road Safety Award recognises #CommitToAct Campaign
The Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety is delighted that the tireless work of its 250 NGOs around the world on the #CommitToAct campaign has been recognised with a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. Each year, the most outstanding examples of international road safety initiatives are given public recognition through these prestigious awards.
Read More
Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety launches its Global Awareness Campaign
Road traffic injuries have been the leading killer of young people worldwide for over a decade. Based on the desire expressed by youth to ramp up youth-led efforts and tangible actions, the Global Youth Coalition was launched in July 2020. In early December, it released a 6-week digital campaign named “Lockdown for Youth” alluding to the context of the COVID19 pandemic. Its objectives are to generate awareness about the global road safety crisis and the impact it has on young people’s lives and to engage with young leaders from different fields and expertise and to invite them to take part in the Youth Coalition as members.
The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) is Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation. 2020 marks its 60th anniversary – a history which has delivered new standards, specifications and advanced the knowledge base in new materials. ARRB’s six pillars – Future Transport Systems, Future Transport Infrastructure, Road Asset Performance, Sustainability and Resilience, Transport Safety and Transport Certification Group – are geared to address the future of mobility and the challenges we face right now. ARRB, the National Transport Research Organisation, is a trusted research partner for Government and Industry alike on the journey to a mobility-enabled future.
www.arrb.com.au
Meet the team:
Chief Executive Officer
Sustainability & Resilience Leader
Road Asset Performance Leader
Future Transport SystemsLeader
Hope for Victims of Traffic Accidents (HOVITA) is a registered national NGO in Uganda. Its cause is not limited to Uganda but all over the world, partnering with colleagues in the whole world to prevent road death, injury and care for people bereaved by road crashes. HOVITA is passionate about safe streets and the rights of everyone that is inured from road crashes, with the vision of a free community from road crashes and with the endeavor to protect the interests of road crash survivors and their families through the provision of psycho-social support, Road safety education, Advocacy, legal Aid and vocational skills training.
Meet the Team:
Executive Director
Project Analyst
The Turkish Road Association (TRA) was established in 1990 with the mission of following and supporting the scientific and technological developments, evaluating and disseminating technical knowledge. Member of the International Road Federation (IRF) in 1991, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES) in 1994 and the Committee on Operational Safety of Underground Facilities (ITA-AITES COSUF) in 2006, TRA has been instrumental in transferring new inventions and new practices to the respective sectors and contributed to science and technology at the global level by holding national and international events for the past 30 years.
Meet the Team:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary General
Treasurer
Member
19 January 2021 – Online
21–22 and 25–29 January 2021 – Online
2nd Smart Transport Infrastructures Summit
30-31 March 2021 – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
17–21 May 2021 – World
Digitalisation of Road Infrastructure – IRF Session at ITF 2021 Summit
26–28 May 2021 – Leipzig, Germany
01–04 June 2021 – Montréal, Paris, Singapore
Southern Africa Transport Conference
05–08 July 2021 – Pretoria, South Africa
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