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Books and Book Editorships:

B. Hörl, A. Voigt, K. Beckmann, P. Endemann, I. Frezadou, B. Heinrichs, P. Heldt, M. Niedermaier, A. Peric, B. Scholl, W. Schönwandt, J. Siegmann, H.-P. Vetsch, S. Zillmer:
"Spatial and Transport Development in European Corridors - Example Corridor: Orient/East-Med - Connecting and Competing in Spaces of European Importance (Position Paper of the ARL 112)";
in series "Positionspapier aus der ARL / position paper of the ARL", series editor: ARL; issued by: ARL - Academy for Spatial Research and Planning; ARL - Academy for Spatial Research and Planning, Hannover, 2019, ISSN: 1611-9983, 12 pages.



English abstract:
The International Working Group Spatial and Transport Development in European Corridors - Example
Corridor: Orient/East-Med officially started in May 2015 with the first meeting of the core
group in Berlin. Several additional bi-annual meetings took place at some of the hot spots of the
corridor: Prague, Vienna, Athens, Belgrade, Sofia and Hamburg. At these meetings, important aspects
of corridor development were discussed with experts of the respective countries, regions
and cities. In addition, the group established its own research efforts and investigated neuralgic
points in the corridor to develop step-by-step suggestions intended to lead to improvements in
various situations. It quickly became apparent that, in comparison to the top-ranking road systems
of the corridor, it was the railway system that urgently needed improvement.

In the groupīs opinion, an attractive railway system with sufficient capacity and quick connections
would enable:
>> The promotion of the much-discussed social cohesion of the population along the corridor,
and, due to the urgently needed investments, the shortfall in economic development could be
decreased, especially in southeast Europe. This could also collectively strengthen the economic
competitiveness of Europe in general.
>> The transfer of freight transport from road to rail, called for by the EU, especially in the case of
the OEM Corridor, would contribute to balancing hinterland transport from the maritime harbours.
The overloaded hinterland corridors in northwest Europe could be relieved of considerable
traffic if the harbours of Piraeus and Thessaloniki and the Adriatic harbours played a
stronger role. In addition, unnecessary Alpine crossings by freight transport could be avoided.
>> The use of appropriate integrated projects to support promising opportunities for sustainable
settlement and spatial development in the catchment areas of capable, efficient railway stations
and in hub areas of public transport.
These central points have prompted the group to concentrate their efforts on the integrated railway
and spatial development of the corridor. The central goal is to publish the findings gained over
the course of several years of cooperation and to discuss these with selected actors in the forefront
of the corridorīs development.

Keywords:
Trans European Network, transport, TEN, Western Balkans States, railway, Core Net, regional development, urban development, OBOR, new silk road, BRI, Belt and road initiative

Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.