Sustainable Development and Strategic Transport Management in the Øresund Region

Abstract

This paper describes how concept of traffic planning has developed over the years and it has produced both long-term and short-termed solutions of different kinds. In general, however, in many urban and regional areas, traffic planning has until now not been able to treat and resolve the increasing problems relating to uncurbed traffic growth. Therefore new planning strategies and approaches are needed. In addition, the quality of transport networks and other types of traffic infrastructure are becoming more and more important features for metropols and regions when competing in attracting investment, development and knowledge. This is especially relevant for a cross-boarder region as the Oresund region treated in this paper. To ensure a sustainable development while at the same time upgrading the quality of urban and regional transport is thus a major challenge. To deal with this situation the paper outlines a wider approach to sustainable regional transport planning. This is done by setting up a so-called holistic approach to planning and afterwards, based on holistic planning, by presenting the ideas of Strategic Transport Management (STM) as an important new planning and management concept. Finally some conclusions are given together with a perspective.