NEW! NICHES+: Call for champion cities for innovative urban transport concepts (open until 15 Sept. 2008)
Funded through the seventh framework programme of DG Research (European Commission), the NICHES+ project started in May 2008 and will run for three years. NICHES+ aims to network actors engaged in developing innovative urban transport concepts and to promote the most promising new concepts from their current niche position to a mainstream urban transport application.
Besides exploring in detail 12 innovative urban transport concepts, NICHES+ also offers the possibility to seven local authorities to take part in the project through a call for proposals. The NICHES+ consortium will financially support seven selected local authorities and offer them free expert advice in preparing for the integration of one or more of the identified innovative concepts into their local transport policy. Thus, the selected cities will have the chance to improve their transport system through promising innovations and become known across Europe for their daring and innovative approaches in tackling local transport problems.
Now is your chance to participate in this promising initiative!
Candidates are invited to carefully read the terms of reference - detailing the procedure, rights and obligations of applicants - as well as to fill in the application form. The call will remain open until 15 September 2008.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ivo Cré at icre@polis-online.org or Silke Moschitz at silke.moschitz@eurocities.eu.
What is NICHES+?
The mission of NICHES+ is to promote innovative measures for making urban transport more efficient and sustainable and to move them from their current ‘niche’ position into a mainstream urban transport application.
The project looks into the details of 12 innovative measures, structured in 4 thematic areas:
Innovative concepts to enhance accessibility
Improved Accessibility through information and orientation
Travel training and personal assistance
Improving accessibility an neighbourhood level
Concepts for Efficient Planning and Use of Infrastructure and Interchanges
Enhanced city functions of interchanges
Coordination measures to enhance the transport function of interchanges
Infrastructure for innovative bus systems
Urban Traffic Management Centres
Mobile information services linked to Urban Traffic Management Centers
Environmental monitoring linked to urban traffic management centers
Public Private Partnerships for Urban Traffic Management Center deployment
Automated and Space Efficient Transport Systems
Cybernetic transport systems
Personal Rapid transit
High-tech Buses, advanced vehicles and dualmode systems
NICHES+ builds further on the NICHES project, and is funded by the DG Research under the 7FP. It will run from May 2008 until April 2011.
Niches will involve 7 champion cities in the implementation of innovative concepts.
The NICHES+ consortium consists of EUROCITIES, Newcastle University, TRANSMAN, TRG, and Rupprecht Consult. The project is coordinated by Polis.
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