Safe transport on both sides of the Mediterranean
Links between North African Mediterranean partner countries (MPCs) and southern Europe have been strengthened through the identification of common research themes at the regional level. The coordination of different Mediterranean organisations has been achieved thanks to an ad-hoc network that will ensure the project's lasting impact in the region. The project 'Enhancing safety and security aspects in transport research in the EuroMediterranean region' (Esteem) has successfully identified the sub-areas to be investigated, including road safety management, human factors in road safety, use of information systems and infrastructure design. Researchers compared the situation of the four sub-areas in European countries with the MPCs in order to understand what security measures should be adopted for the transport field. Stakeholder consultation has enabled better understanding of how current challenges can be overcome and which aspects of European best practice should be applied to the MPCs. Findings by project partners have been used to draw up road maps for future research. Project events have been supported by networking and dissemination activities to ensure the initiative has a lasting impact in the region. A secretariat for the Esteem project has also been created and together with its website can be used to disseminate results from surveys and workshops. Other dissemination tools have been developed such as a project leaflet, logo, newsletters and calls for papers. The Esteem project has contributed to future research road maps for both the FP7 'Transport programme' and MPC governments, and will help coordinate high-quality research and transport policies. The initiative will therefore provide major benefits for citizens of countries on either side of the Mediterranean Sea.
