Safeguarding Europe's transport networks

Europe''s heterogeneous transportation infrastructure, which covers many modalities and crosses borders, presents special challenges for the security sector. An EU-backed project has developed a comprehensive framework that takes a holistic approach to protecting Europeans as they move around.

Both at the national and, increasingly, at the European level, Europe''s transportation infrastructure is highly interconnected. Buses, trains, private automobiles, trams and other forms of land transport link together seamlessly.

However, this complexity presents special challenges and can make the system – which is, in reality, made up of many systems – vulnerable. In addition, an accident or attack on one transport asset can have, possibly unexpected, knock-on effects on other parts of the network.

Financed by the EU, the ''Strategic risk assessment and contingency planning in interconnected transport networks'' (STAR-TRANS) project aimed to address these challenges through a holistic approach to transport security. The project developed a comprehensive framework for evaluating risks and rolling out coherent contingency management procedures across all the interrelated transport networks.

STAR-TRANS created models that can represent possible risk incidents, the structure and assets of Europe''s heterogeneous transport systems, and the relationship between the different assets in the networks. In this regard, the project developed a STAR-TRANS modelling language and an impact-assessment modelling language.

The project''s outcomes will help European policymakers and transportation infrastructure operators to protect transport assets, both within individual countries and across borders, against direct and indirect threats.

Related link:
http://cordis.europa.eu