PROJECT C2.8 TRAINING COURSE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT STATISTICS

Project on “Transport statistics: Road freight transport”

Supporting the development of road freight transport statistics aligned with EU standards across all Partner countries

Road transport is by far the major mode of transport for both people and freight. The development of road freight transport in particular has wide-ranging implications on economic and regional development as well as on CO₂ emissions and other environmental dimensions. In this context, road freight transport statistics are key to understanding the mobility dynamics at play and to defining the most appropriate policies to deal with these repercussions.

So far, the level of road freight transport statistics is very diverse among partner countries. Some of them do not disseminate any road freight transport statistics. None of them are producing road freight transport statistics aligned with EU standards even though, in some cases, some of the partner countries had some experience with EU standards in this area in the recent past. Hence, it appeared to be of particular importance to hold a discussion on the way to develop road freight transport statistics in the partner countries, to present the European Road Freight Transport Survey and to assess whether and how this European methodology could be of interest in this circumstance.

In this inception phase, it was agreed to implement the STEP C2.8 project on “Transport Statistics: Road Freight Transport” with the objective of promoting the development of transport statistics in compliance with EU and international standards.

This online training course aimed at ensuring knowledge and adoption of the major features of the EU regulation on road freight transport statistics and of the EU recommendations manual “Road Freight Transport Methodology – 2016 edition” within the partner countries’ national statistical institutes. It also allowed the partner countries to take stock of the situation and of the difficulties faced in all partner countries, including issues related to the content, quality and accessibility of the road vehicles’ register, which is a key tool in the development of such statistics.

Finally, this training allowed the participants to elaborate on national roadmaps for the development of road freight transport statistics aligned with EU standards. It relied on the transfer of specific knowledge and know-how by a highly specialised expert, Mr. Peter Ottosen from Statistics Denmark, and on presentations by representatives of the partner countries on their current situation regarding the production of road freight transport statistics, the challenges they face and their objectives in this area.

The lively discussions proved that the training was appreciated and useful to all participants. Most importantly, it afforded the opportunity to identify the next steps towards the development of road freight transport statistics within the partner countries, including the possible content of the technical assistance missions planned in the frame of this STEP project. These achievements will constitute essential elements for the development of the cooperation on road freight transport statistics over the lifetime of the STEP Programme and for the achievement of the expected results within the framework of this specific project.