Australian Summit delivers global ITS update

Congestion and safety emerged as key themes at the 2015 858 ITS Australia Summit and National Electronic Tolling Forum held in Melbourne, Australia. recently with discussion focused on gaining greater value from existing infrastructure and planning for automated driving.

The event also attracted significant media attention with the message to the news outlets that ITS technologies will make transport safer, more sustainable and more efficient.

Opened by the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan, the event welcomed 420 plus delegates from Australia and overseas. Minister Donnellan said Victorians made 14 million trips each day by road – using vehicles, bicycles or walking – or by rail on trains or trams.

He said better use must be made of current infrastructure by using ITS solutions to move more people and freight. The Minister emphasised that public transport and intelligent cars are priorities and that Victoria is looking at a future with driverless cars.

ITS Australia chief executive officer Susan Harris outlined the urgent need for establishing and regularly publishing recognised measures for congestion in our cities. “We must encourage a focus on congestion management and the benefits that ITS technologies deliver, in a similar way to road toll data driving our focus and commitment to road safety initiatives,” she said.