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Connecting Authorities for Safer Heavy Goods Traffic in the Baltic Sea Region (C.A.S.H.)
Start date: Aug 31, 2009, End date: Sep 8, 2012 PROJECT  FINISHED 

13,361 road fatalities occurred in 2007 in the BSR. 10 percent of these are caused by an accident involving heavy vehicle. The problem C.A.S.H. addresses is traffic safety of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV's), including Dangerous Goods (DG) and oversized transport in international traffic in each of the participating countries/regions. Although EU legislation on HGV and DG transport is being harmonised at the European level, the implementation and interpretation of existing regulations as well as the operating procedures varies substantially between countries. This is very much the case also in the BSR. C.A.S.H. aims at connecting the proper authorities across borders and creating co-operation and dialogue between them in order to improve and promote safer border-crossing HGV. The main emphasis is on road transport, but some port/maritime (much of border crossing HGV trafiic is by ro-ro vessels) and border officials (e.g. to Russia) will also be involved. C.A.S.H. focuses on three main themes: (1) harmonising training requirements of HGV and DG inspection officials in the Baltic Sea region in WP3; (2) enhancing cooperation between authorities involved in safety of border-crossing Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV), Dangerous Goods (DG) and oversize transport in WP4; and (3) testing state-of-the-art safety and security equipment and IT systems to be used by relevant authorities in WP5. WP3 analyses and evaluates the content of training of officials dealing with HGV and DG transport and creates new joint training programmes with the goal to harmonise the way officials inspect HGV’s and DG transport. WP4 has the largest WP budget and it focuses on information exchange between BSR authorities through joint exercises and staff exchange. The third task (WP5) involves transnational testing of the latest appliances used in HGV and DG transport inspections, and Risk analysis and security issues related to cross-border HGV transport in the BSR. The main expected outcome of the project is improved and enhanced co-operation between authorities involved in safety of border-crossing Heavy Goods Vehicle and Dangerous Goods Transport. Ultimately this will lead to less accidents, and consequently, less people injured or dead in HGV related road traffic. Inspection officials in the BSR enjoy harmonised training on how to monitor, inspect and secure HGV and DG transport and are applying the same standards and methods when inspecting HGV’s and DG transports across the BSR. Also the end-users, i.e. shippers and transport companies of goods across the BSR and beyond will benefit from the results. Faster and more uniform inspections will reduce costs of transport which is in the interest of all European Union citizens, and help create a level playing field for carriers complying to the rules. An additional outcome will also be better cooperation in HGV related crime prevention in the BSR, thus improving security. Achievements: C.A.S.H. project has enhanced knowledge of working methods and created operational networks for police authorities. One of the most successful part of the C.A.S.H. project has been the numerous Joint Exercises (14), Staff Exchanges (22), trainings and workshops for authorities inspecting heavy goods vehicles. Also numerous publications (17 public and 2 confidential reports and 13 notes in different languages) produced by universities, regional councils as well as police authorities around the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) have increased knowledge and raised awareness on the road transport safety and security questions. According to C.A.S.H. key findings, day-to-day police work does not vary between countries. The most fundamental difference lies in the BSR countries' systems of legal sanctions; this calls for uniform regulations and penalties e.g. for securing of loads. Also, exchange of monitoring information on international transport operations should be intensified between authorities. Cooperation and information exchange between the police and the logistics business should be increased for solving crime. In addition, cooperative meetings between the control authorities should be held regularly in order to chart problems associated with control operations and to develop legislation. Also, training of new heavy goods vehicles (HGV) drivers should be augmented with attitude education provided by the police, with the focus on safety issues. Harmonising training of enforcement officers is an important objective. This was initiated in C.A.S.H. project and work should continue towards this end. C.A.S.H. project provided a manual for competent authorities to conduct HGV inspections and guidelines for competent authorities to harmonise a common training structure relating to e.g. dangerous goods, load securing as well as control of driving and resting hours. It is also important to include training for different levels of operational staff. C.A.S.H. also tested safety equipment and IT systems to be used by relevant authorities. The project recommends that exchanging test results on state-of-the-art equipment is more feasible than joint procurement. Long-term objective should be harmonisation of regulations and used control equipment regarding road freight transport in all Baltic Sea Region countries. In addition, enforcement authority should be involved in discussions with the parties offering technology at the product development stage. All these results have been disseminated to policymakers, relevant ministries, authorities and interest groups nationally and internationally in order to influence the future transport policy. For example creation of operational networks, exchange of information and harmonisation of some parts of training have already been done in the BSR countries participating in the C.A.S.H. project.
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  • 68.7%   2 327 308,10
  • 2007 - 2013 Baltic Sea Region
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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