The report presents and justifies the main priorities in the Hungarian road transport policy, network development and design, including (i) promoting the integration into the European Union, (ii) improving the conditions for co-operation with the adjacent countries and regions, (iii) promoting a more balanced regional/subregional growth, (iv) ensuring efficient, market-conforming transport operation and the intermodality, and (v) improving the quality of human life and promoting the protection of the environment. Concerning the development of road network, it presents Government decrees passed in recent years as well as methods applied or under development to improve preparations for developments. It describes the levels of design and decision-making on development as well as the current related regulation. It gives a review of ongoing researches aimed at exploring the socio-economic impacts of road development. In this context, the main findings of a questionnaire survey conducted among potential road users are especially interesting. The report discusses how the socio-economic function of roads is rated and how opinions about such rating are changed, in particular with regard to the increased importance of environmental aspects and dialogue with the population as experienced in recent years.uFinally, the report deals with the enlargement and changed structure of expert groups preparing road designs. Persons representing more and more professions are involved in the work of these groups because only this way can their activity be effective. The curriculum of the higher-grade technical education has also undergone a substantial change. Besides obtaining knowledge, increasing emphasis is placed on the development of abilities and skills to help graduated civil engineers to find a job and accommodate flexibly to the changing environment. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448.
Abstract