FEHRL Research Coordinator Gunilla Franzén of VTI is excited about new challenge of five years of research

The challenge to partake in the programme is really exciting. It gives us an opportunity to use our broad competence in the area of road and railway technology as well as a chance to cooperate with the sector in a new and efficient way to solve our common challenges. To be entrusted with the sum of 40 million Swedish crowns (4.4 million Euros) per year over a period of five years for research is really inspiring, says Gunilla Franzén, head of the Infrastructure department at VTI.

A total amount of 200 million Swedish crowns (almost 22 million Euros) will be invested in future research in the area of road and railway technology. In the programme VTI will work together with KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology, and the Swedish Transport Administration. The programme will also involve other universities, research institutes, contractors, suppliers, consultants and inventors.
 
The main issue of the programme is to improve transport services in Sweden by creating energy-efficient, accessible, reliable and cost-effective infrastructure.
 
– The task being so large, and as it spans from research and development to implementation of technical innovations, it demands cooperation within the whole sector. The idea is to engage representatives of the sector to work together in a number of areas, each focused on a specific challenge, such as energy efficient road and railway and more value for the money.
 
The programme is also expected to improve the competence of the whole sector in Sweden, which in the long run will promote Swedish road and rail technology knowhow internationally and especially within the EU. The programme will also focus on using available research infrastructure as a common tool for solving the challenges of the future.

Click here to see this text on the VTI website and contact Gunilla at gunilla.franzen@vti.se for more details.