Intelligent solutions in sustainable transport upper silesia agglomeration

Abstract

The metropolization processes in Poland are currently in progress. The tools for these changes are the following: implementation of EU urban policy (in particular by implementing Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI) strategy) and formation of metropolitan associations. The implementation of the ITI strategy requires formation of ITI associations. In the case of Upper Silesia, such association covers a territory extending beyond a highly urbanized area-the Association of Municipalities and Districts of the Central Subregion includes over 80 municipalities and districts. This situation causes the dispersion of the integration of the metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Association (MA) will be formed in accordance with the Act of 6 October 2015 on Metropolitan Associations, which became effective on 1 January 2016. Both ITI and MA will deal with sustainable transport and mobility, and the basic instrument for sustainable transport is the development of public transport. The sustainable mobility plan, which is already being developed for the ITI strategy of Upper Silesia, provides for the application of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). ITS enables the restriction of the fundamental barrier of metropolization-the activity of 5 public transport organizers characterized by different systems of organizing transport market, financing and transport tariffs. The purpose of the article is to present the conditions for use of selected types of ITS in order to provide sustainable transport for the Upper Silesia Agglomeration, which should lead to an increase in the importance of sustainable public transport.