Updating of the Regional Balkans Study (REBIS)
The Western Balkans Infrastructure Framework (WBIF) grant was directed to the Regional Balkans Infrastructure Study (REBIS), managed by the World Bank with the aim of developing an efficient South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO) Comprehensive Network and strengthening the underlying transport planning systems.
The main project objective was to develop a Priority Action Plan for improving the efficiency of the South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO) Comprehensive Network and identifying priority physical investments, as well as non-physical improvements. These included regulatory, institutional and managerial changes that would eliminate bottlenecks and barriers affecting the network’s performance. Based on the Action Plan, and beyond the scope of this study, feasibility studies would then be conducted for the identified interventions on the basis of economic viability. These would be included in the SEETO Multi Annual Plan along with other eligible priority projects. Within the above framework, the general work plan for the project included:
- The development of a transport demand model for the Western Balkans region, including all transport modes. The development of the model was reliant on key variables such as trade flows, income and population and aimed to provide robust estimates of traffic projections for a period of 20 years on the SEETO Comprehensive Network.
- The identification of the main corridors/routes on the SEETO Comprehensive Network based on the EU TEN-T criteria, which among other functions, promoted the alleviation of bottlenecks and missing links on major routes, regional integration, mobility and sustainable development to meet the required social and economic criteria, and determine main regional transport links.
- The analysis of the physical and non-physical barriers to the efficient operation of the SEETO Comprehensive Network and the identification of potential efficiency-enhancing investments and measures. The prioritization methodology for the proposed investments and measures was based on a Multi-Criteria Analysis. Weights on the criteria used are defined in close collaboration with the World Bank, SEETO Secretariat, European Commission and the regional Participants. A preliminary-level economic analysis was carried out to assess the viability of the proposed investments and measures.
The identification of the implementation time for their implementation and corresponding cost estimates for the proposed intervention was a priority action plan for physical and non-physical improvements in the SEETO Comprehensive Network.