On 18 December, 2014, the European Commission adopted new rules to improve EU-wide traffic information services for road users.

The new rules are set to help provide road users across the EU with more accurate, accessible and up-to-date traffic information related to their journeys (Real-Time Traffic Information). This can include information about expected delays, estimated travel times, information about accidents, road works and road closures, warnings about weather conditions and any other relevant information. Such information can be delivered to drivers through multiple channels: variable message signs, radio traffic message channels, smartphones, navigation devices, etc. A functioning market already exists for Real-Time Traffic Information services, which is why the objective of the new rules adopted is to make existing information services available to more users, facilitate the sharing of digital data, and foster the availability of more accurate data.

The draft specifications have gone through extensive consultations with the experts nominated by the Member States and other public and private stakeholders. The specifications will apply to the comprehensive Trans-European road network and motorways not included in this network as well as to ‘priority zones’ (especially interurban/urban busy roads) when national authorities voluntarily identify such zones. The specifications do not make the deployment of Real-Time Traffic Information services obligatory. However, when these services are already deployed in a Member State or will be deployed after the date of application of the delegated regulation, the specifications will have to be followed.

The key enabler to the provision of accurate, reliable and content rich Real-Time Traffic Information services is to improve accessibility and interoperability of existing and up-to-date data across the EU. Therefore, the specifications foresee that each Member State sets up a national access point (single window) for the exchange of data.

Now that the specifications have been adopted, they will be transmitted to the Council and the European Parliament for their right of scrutiny. The Delegated Regulation will apply from 24 months after its entry into force.