CONRAD - Improving connectivity of rural areas of mid-size towns through target group driven approach in the Danube region

Priority

Better connected and energy responsible Danube region - Support environmentally-friendly and safe transport systems and balanced accessibility of urban and rural areas

Project Idea Promoter
(name of the institution)

Municipality of Jaszbereny (HU)

Needs and challenges
(Needs, main problems or challenges to be addressed)

People living in rural areas face various drawbacks compared to urban population due to worse availability of urban functions. In the Danube Region ratio of people living in rural areas surpasses the EU average. Understandably only basic functions can exist in each settlement therefore accessibility of central functions is always crucial. Services assuring accessibility of urban centers have efficiency gaps to a significant extent, like isolated, parallel or conflicting solutions, unknown or known but conflicting demands, obsolete tariff systems and schedules. The causes may vary among project partners just like the adequate responses to these.

Objectives
(main and specific objectives to be achieved)

Better connecting rural areas around mid-size urban centers (through the development of regional public transport strategies and implementation of pilots) in an efficient and sustainable way using a target group driven approach. In addition, the project aims at an improved financial and social sustainability of public transport of the participating regions.

Main results and core outputs

Identified regional service gaps at partners
Regional strategies and action plans at partners to eliminate service gaps
Completed pilot projects at municipality partners in fields like introduction of on-demand transport services adjusted to the needs of target groups (shared taxi, car sharing), interurban/inter-settlement bike rental system, bike friendly solutions on bus and train transport, mobile applications supporting public transport, sharing or co-ownership of motor vehicles; additional driving routes for buses; public transport to the main tourist spots; electric car rental system
Joint recommendations to Danube Region policy makers

Main foreseen activities

1) Exploring the transport profile of target groups identified in the preparatory phase (demand side). Confronting target group demands with the currently available services (service gap analysis).
2) Strategic planning, action planning: each project partner makes a plan how to eliminate identified service gaps.
3) Pilot projects: project partners test new tools and methods that contribute to the elimination of service gaps for the identified target groups
4) Joint strategy, joint policy recommendations: sharing of results and learnings of the project with stakeholders of the Danube region

Innovative character of the project idea

Customised target group driven approach at participating municipality partners
Innovative solutions and methods tested in pilot projects at municipality partners

Estimated Total Budget
(in EUR)

2000000

Estimated duration
(in months)

30

ERDF Partners

- Lead partner: Municipality of Jászberény (HU)
- Microregion Elsbeere (AT)
- Municipality of Kamnik (SI)
- Municipality of Karlovac (CR)
- Municipality of Turda (RO)
- Bay Zoltán Nonprofit Ltd. for Applied Research (HU)

IPA Partners

none

Associated Strategic Partners

Association of Jász Municipalities

ERDF Partners

midsize town municipalities, interurban associations, agencies, transport operators from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania

IPA Partners

midsize town municipalities, interurban associations, agencies, transport operators from the Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Moldova

Associated Strategic Partners

interurban associations, agencies, transport operators, ministries

Name

Zoltan Bendo

Address

Zsolt utca 10/B, fsz. 1., 1016 Budapest

Country

Hungary

Telephone number

+36304360431

E-mail address

bendo.zoltan@tenderix.hu

Is the applicant the project's potential Lead Partner?

If not, is the potential Lead Partner already being chosen?