The project aims to continue the efforts made under the IIC project to establish a basis for regional development through a conscious use of transport corridors in an efficient and sustainable way by use of intermodal transport solutions. Nordic Transportpolitical Network (NTN) is a regional cooperation about transport, and the ?NTN-corridor? covers the transport systems in south-western Norway, western Sweden, western Denmark, and Schleswig-Holstein. The project will also outline how different nodes and routes within the corridor link up as part of regional transport strategies and plans. Parts of these strategies could then be implemented regionally. This approach could also be used as a generic method for promoting and developing other transport corridors. Moreover a joint database containing similar statistical data on goods transport in the regions included in the corridor will be built up and the partnership will also try to develop sustainable transport solutions.

The Interreg II C project, Nordic Transport Political Network, NTN, was a joint transport political network created around a transport corridor defined by the participating regions. NTNs aim was to organise transport systems more efficiently, thus contributing to sustainable regional development. The overall aim of NTN II is to create a basis for regional development through the promotion of an intermodal transport corridor from Southern Norway and Western Sweden through Jutland and Northern Germany down to central Europe.

Expected Outcomes

Main outcomes include documenting transport data in the corridor with an associated system for future data maintenance, and developing a system for the description of transport networks, terminals and route structures through the corridor for use as a common framework for the development of strategies and concrete actions.

Activities

The project is divided up into four activities. The first activity will involve formulating policies and objectives in the region and ensuring new knowledge is distributed to partners inside and outside the region. Then follows the specification and establishment of a common database with data to support decision-making, and the development of methods for providing this data in a form suitable for the partners. There is a need to develop a common system for the monitoring of developments in the NTN corridor and for the collection of data that is not limited by national borders. The third activity will look into the transport network, terminals and route structures in the corridor and this information will be used to develop strategies and actions for individual actors, administrations and transport terminals across the NTN II area. The final activity involves mapping out options and means for the development of sustainable transport solutions in the NTN corridor.

Reported Outcomes

On 31st May - 1st June NTN arranged a European conference on Sustainable Goods and Passenger Transport in Kristiansand, Norway. Approximately 110 participants attended the event and over 40 good practice cases were presented. There was participation from nine different countries. In February 2005 the NTN Political Steering Group wrote to the Danish Minister of Energy and Transportation encouraging the State of Denmark to provide framework conditions that would make the use of railway transportation attractive, which would benefit both industry and environment. The Minister responded to this letter and NTN will now follow on this response over the coming months. As part of Work Package 4 a hydrogen link project has been developed. This is a study project for a Green Nordic Hydrogen Transportation Corridor stretching from the South of Norway to Hamburg via Denmark. Here a corridor will be outlined to connect the Noregian Hydrogen Road with Western Denmark and Hamburg. The project was presented at the conference in Kristiansand. A hydrogen truck was put on exhibit offering the participants the opportunity for a test drive, including the Norwegian Minister of Traffic. As a result of a two day workshop that was held in Hanstholm, on ways of developing the marketing basis for the NTN corridor between politicians and key stakeholders, the Hanstholm Declaration was made.