Developing sustainable transport strategies and delivering transport schemes are often contentious and high profile activities that require skill and sensitivity in engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, from local politicians to the media, local residents and businesses, to national pressure groups.
Until now, there has been relatively little guidance available on how to engage stakeholders in a variety of transport strategies and schemes, and as part of an efficient and effective project management process: Who are the key stakeholder groups? How can effective engagement and media strategies be devised? Which tools are appropriate in situations?
These issues have been addressed in a 3 year EU funded study called GUIDEMAPS - Gaining Understanding of Improved Decision Making and Participation Strategies. The project involved 11 partners from 7 European countries, including 2 new member states. The Handbook is based on 20 practice examples in 16 European cities, covering strategic city wide schemes, major transport infrastructure projects, travel demand management schemes and local neighbourhood schemes.
The Handbook is designed to support the decision makers involved in local and regional transport planning in Europe. It is primarily aimed at transport professionals but is also relevant to all stakeholders involved in decision making, engagement and project management: elected officials, community leaders, transport operators or financiers, campaign groups, NGOs and interested citizens.
The Handbook is available in both hardcopy format and CD ROM. The hardcopy version is in two volumes. Volume 1 contains 94 pages and includes sections on the principles of decision making, project management tools and techniques and engagement tools and techniques. Volume 2 contains 150 pages with more than 60 factsheets which give in depth information on how to tackle each element of project management and engagement.
The CD ROM version contains an interactive version of both volumes plus a description of all of the practice example cities who took part in the project and a database of further references and resources relating to project management and engagement. The interactive design of the CD ROM allows the reader to click on a tool or technique to link it to one of the cities where the technique has been implemented to illustrate how and why it was used and with what effect.
Both the hardcopy and CD-ROM versions are free of charge but a small charge of £7.00 or €10 is made for posting the hardcopy version.
