Transport networks in Europe are insufficiently integrated and subject to widespread and increasing congestion, particularly on the roads. This publication reviews these issues and, more specifically, examines the problem of providing better access to Western Europe for peripheral regions and for Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the need to upgrade networks.

Current responses to these problems are inadequate. Statistics and analytical tools are lacking, national approaches are highly differentiated, and analyses and concepts are rudimentary and overly sectoral.

This publication analyses, on an homogeneous basis, the inland transport infrastructures, the investment forecasts and the main traffic flows in 30 European countries of the ECMT. This comparative presentation may be considered as a first step towards better knowledge of the European background.