On 30th May, ERTICO Academy and Rupprecht Consult launched a transformative series of webinars designed to elevate the knowledge and skills of mobility practitioners and local authorities in Türkiye. This initiative provided practical insights into deploying and utilising Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to achieve Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) goals. The SUMP Türkiye project, a three-year initiative co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye, supports policy dialogue on sustainable urban mobility among national and Turkish stakeholders. Spanning three webinars, the series offered comprehensive coverage of ITS, from introductory concepts to advanced strategies, and culminated in a focus on integrating public transport.
The journey began on 30th May 2024 with the first webinar, “Starting to Use Intelligent Transport Systems to Meet SUMP Goals.” This session laid the groundwork for understanding ITS, particularly for public authorities with limited experience. The morning session opened with an engaging introduction to ITS by John Paddington, Senior Manager at ERTICO. He explained how ITS supports SUMP objectives and detailed the various types of on-street infrastructure, such as road data collection, fixed-time traffic signals, variable message signs, and CCTV, presented by Itir Coskun from Swarco.
The afternoon session resumed with Devrim Karara from PTV, who introduced the concepts of digital twins, transport modelling, and simulation. Jan Coetzee from ITS Global (South Africa) then took over, elaborating on basic traffic management techniques, including urban traffic control and traffic control centres.
Building on this foundation, the second webinar, “Using Advanced Intelligent Transport Systems and Traffic Management Techniques to Further SUMP Goals,” was held on 13th June 2024. This session delved deeper into advanced ITS solutions for enhanced road traffic management. Moderator Seçil Kocatepe, SUMP Türkiye Deputy Team Leader, began by welcoming participants. Vladimir Vorotovic, Director of Strategy and Innovation at ERTICO, discussed when to consider more advanced ITS technologies to further SUMP goals.
Nicolas Mercier, Deployment Manager IT at Monotch, then explored the role of big data and data platforms in ITS. Ralf Willenbrock, Senior Manager at ERTICO, provided insights into communication technologies for ITS, covering fixed communications, Wifi, 4G/5G, and radio technologies. Then, Ali Timuçin Aşkın from Yunex Traffic presented advanced traffic management strategies, demonstrating how the technologies discussed in the morning could be integrated for more effective traffic management. Shaleen Srivastava, Key SUMP Expert and Team Leader for the Istanbul SUMP Implementation Project, wrapped up the session by exploring the prospective role of ITS in Istanbul’s SUMP implementation.
The series concluded on 4th July 2024 with the final webinar, “Linking Intelligent Transport Systems to Public Transport to Meet Multimodal SUMP Goals.” This session focused on the synergy between ITS and public transport. Participants were introduced to ITS for public transport and learned about integrated traffic management with public transport. Emerging trends in public transport and the potential of automated shuttles were discussed, along with future road transport trends.
Passenger information and ticketing systems also play a vital role in improving public transport services. Google’s and CEN standards enhance journey planning by sharing public transportation schedules and ensuring the interoperability of information travel services. Open data practices and real-time updates further improve service efficiency. Various ticketing options, including contactless payments, fare gates, and portable machines, were discussed. Additionally, technologies like bus cameras and bus priority systems were shown to enhance safety, security, and travel times
Each session in the series was carefully crafted to provide valuable information and foster meaningful discussions, offering participants a unique opportunity to gain cutting-edge insights and practical knowledge in intelligent transport systems. The SUMP Türkiye webinar series demonstrated vital tools and strategies for developing effective transport measures and achieving policy objectives. By integrating advanced technologies and innovative approaches, cities can create more efficient, sustainable, and resilient transportation systems. These insights and tools will be crucial for advancing urban mobility initiatives, improving public transport services, and meeting the evolving demands of urban environments.
Relive the webinars clicking on this link. The webinars have been divided in parts “Bölüm“, so you can choose to relive them by selecting your favourite from the YouTube playlist.