The PHOEBE Community of Practice met in person for the first time on 3 December in Valencia. With participants from our sister projects, SOTERIA and V4SAFETY, Transport for West Midlands and SWOV, it was a day for knowledge exchange and lively discussions around road safety work and approaches.
The meeting started with an introduction to PHOEBE, discussing the objectives and project structure. Presentations from the Technical University of Delft (TUD), The Floow, EIRA, and iRAP reviewed the technical history and achievements of PHOEBE so far. NTUA followed, outlining the challenges ahead, and POLIS discussed the Community of Practice’s role in PHOEBE’s success. The afternoon kicked off with a technical workshop by TUD. This workshop introduced the framework and allowed participants to engage in an exercise to understand it better. During the exercise, participants were asked to conduct a SWOT analysis, which is also relevant for PHOEBE to assess how its framework is being perceived outside of the project.
Some of the highlights of the SWOT analysis of the framework were:
STRENGTHS
- Solid methodologies as a foundation: transport simulation and iRAP assessments, tool internationally recognized.
- Transparent process.
- Data driven approach
- Road safety assessments provide structured insights that integrate safety into transport planning effectively.
WEAKNESSES
- Use by local authorities depends on the availability of an important level of data and know-how.
- Challenges arise from inconsistencies across simulation levels, data limitations, and validation difficulties.
OPPORTUNITIES
- European trends that are safety oriented like lowering speeds to 30 km/h and growing policy push to advance cycling and walking.
- growing demand for light electric vehicles will make improving road safety more necessary.
THREATS
- misalignment between the way policy, management and design decisions are made in real life, and the rational and linear decision process the PHOEBE tool assumes.
The CoP meeting in Valencia reinforced the idea that creating effective knowledge transfer with relevant stakeholders is critical for the success of PHOEBE and its uptake and transferability. By involving external stakeholders in the process, PHOEBE can ensure that it meets and surpasses its objectives. CoP members’ validation and inputs will be instrumental in increasing the understanding of how broadly applicable the results of PHOEBE are, especially in relation to existing regulations and standards. Moreover, it is essential for PHOEBE to function in reciprocity with road safety professionals and other similar projects, fostering collaboration and shared insights for greater impact.
The PHOEBE Community of Practice plays a crucial role in advancing road safety research and development. It aims to serve as a platform for sharing the latest developments in PHOEBE’s R&D efforts, enabling members to support their own research initiatives effectively. After the lively and fruitful discussions, feedback, and exchange, the CoP and project partners wrapped up the day by cycling through Valencia, seeing their efforts to improve road users’ safety first-hand.
PHOEBE and its CoP will continue with the collaboration and exchange created in Valencia, combining efforts for the work being carried out by PHOEBE, its sister projects, SOTERIA and V4SAFETY and other road safety professionals.
