Status quo analysis revealed existing weaknesses in the existing transport system in Ploiesti. There are problems related to roads, such as lack of organization and of main links, insufficient public transport, inefficient capacity and undeveloped road network for non-motorized transport users. The SUMP aims to establish strategies for developing urban transport system efficiently meeting the requirements of social, environmental and financial sustainability, ensuring access of all citizens to social and economic activities, improving the safety of all road users, minimizing the negative impact of traffic on environment and ensuring a sustainable and attractive urban space.
The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan for Ploiesti Growth Pole aims to create a transport system that meets the following objectives:
- Accessibility - ensuring all citizens transportation options that allow them access to essential destinations and services;
- Quality - Improving roads safety and security;
- Environment – reducing air and noise pollution, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transport energy consumption;
- Efficient economy - increasing the efficiency and profitability of freight and passenger transport;
- Quality of the urban environment - contributing to the increase of the attractiveness and quality of the environment and urban landscape for the benefit of citizens, the economy and society as a whole.
Context analysis
General context was set up related to the following aspects: study analysis, strategies, plans, proposals and progress in order to correlate and report existing strategies. Analyses were made horizontally and vertically, namely consultations on general strategies, but sector consultation at European, national, regional, county and local level was done as well. Particular attention was paid to the General Transport Master Plan for Romania which is a source of reference data for future transport infrastructure projects.
Measures to secure horizontal and vertical integration and participation of all main stakeholders
Measures which aim at further integration and horizontal and vertical participation of all stakeholders (ensuring the cooperation of different departments of the local council, with other relevant institutions in the region and comprehensive participatory processes). The elaboration and implementation of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan aims at an integrated approach with a high degree of cooperation, coordination and consultation between the various levels of government bodies and between authorities. The local authority will create and develop appropriate structures and procedures to manage such a plan.
Measures to foster a balanced development of all means of transport
In order to integrate and optimize all modes of transport the following mesures are proposed:
- ITS-type measures, traffic management and traffic control
- Set up of a traffic management center.
- Extension of the traffic management by integrating new intersections with traffic lights with adaptive operating system and extensions of other systems such as: public transport management, parking management, information with variable message signs, control of passage access, monitoring and sanctioning.
- Extension of the traffic management by integrating bike lanes in the traffic management system by installing traffic lights for bycicles and detection equipment, by implementing ITS solutions for prioritization of local public transport and transport by bicycle.
Monitoring and evaluation procedures
Main features of the Mobility Plan are: monitoring, analysis and reporting with regular frequency;
Regarding the public transport system management, TCE has implemented a system called RADFLEET in recent years which allows: monitoring the compliance with the schedule of every vehicle in service; real-time information offered to drivers on the advance/delay; real-time information about the prediction of arrival times at each station;
Info on mobility instruments are integrated in a system having two main features: fleet monitoring using GPS-based AVM -Automatic vehicle monitoring and informing passengers with data provided by AVM system.
Compared to other growth poles, Ploiesti presents a particular situation in terms of traffic in relation with Bucharest (Romanian capital), an aspect which will play an important role in future scenarios; both road and rail network will benefit from a road ring (almost completely new railway ring).
Analysis of the current situation highlights the shortcomings in the existing system of transport in Ploiesti. The array of problems ranging from the lack of access in certain areas (for example, the lack of railway underpass), and the many dangerous junctions access.