The Mobility Policy Document
Decentralization of traffic and transport policy
The general philosophy behind the plan is 'Decentralize what is possible, centralize what is necessary'. This marks out the responsibilities of central and decentralized governments more clearly. The central government also wants to involve the private parties more intensively in developing regions and infrastructural connections. The Sustainable Safety vision is an important basis.
The central government is responsible for:
- layout of the national roads;
- general measures such as legislation, information, and enforcement;
- facilitating lower governments with knowledge and finance.
The lower governments draw up provincial/regional and municipal traffic and transport plans. These can contain measures for:
- layout of their own roads;
- influencing behaviour through information, education, and police enforcement.
Other main points in the Mobility Policy Document are:
- uses of innovative technology;
- safe spatial layout;
- good maintenance; and
- better national and international agreements.
In consultation with the municipalities and water boards involved, the provinces and Framework Act Areas determine the most suitable sets of measure for the area. The Sustainable Safety vision is also an important basis at the decentralized level.
Financing
The provinces and Framework Act Areas receive a special budget for transport and traffic. No funds are earmarked for road safety. This means that the regions themselves can determine how the budget is used. The provinces and Framework Act Areas divide this budget between all regional partners involved. Generally, they receive a maximum contribution of 50% of the cost of a project.