The requirements and demands of the trans-European transport network (TEN) are becoming increasingly significant in European countries, but also at the same time more expensive and increasingly challenged to improve mobility, safety, and productivity. The issues tackled in this paper revolve around developing a pragmatic set of performance indicators that will provide a cost effective and acceptable basis upon which policy is measured and efficient allocation of resources is determined. The paper presents the approach and progress of an ongoing project "INDICATORS", commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate General for Energy and Transport to the consortium of TRL, DHV, Dorsch Consult and ISIS, to specify a consistent and permanent performance monitoring mechanism to evaluate the trans-European infrastructure and traffic taking into account national and European-wide technical, institutional, legal and contractual aspects. This performance monitoring framework would constitute an important basis for the European Commission and national European administrations for planning, funding, prioritising, and developing/upgrading the Trans-European transport network of the EU Member States and Candidate countries. The paper presents the interim results of an integrated 5-stage approach for the development of reliable and consistent transportation performance indicators across all modes, sectors, and EU countries including Candidate countries for Accession. The paper concludes with the specifications and recommendations for a consistent and commonly-accepted evaluation system to monitor the performance of the trans-European transport network and its components in response to national and European requirements.
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