Novi Sad (Serbia)
Novi Sad, the second largest city of Serbia, has a population of around 400,000 citizens and a geographical position that favours economic growth. The city has links to important transport routes being connected to the region through important road, rail and river routes.
Like in other Serbian cities, Novi Sad historically display large public transport modal shares relative to passenger car use. Even though the number of cars has increased significantly in the last 30 years,
compared to European cities of similar size and population, the motorisation level remains relatively low.
Based on the transport demand forecast of 2009, it is estimated that, in 2029, the number of cars will increase by 64% compared to the current levels, which corresponds to 2.5% annual growth. In addition, the city inhabitant mobility is also expected to increase, with 3 trips per day estimated for the end of the forecast period, irrespective of the mode and thus including walking. Hence, maintaining the high levels of public transport use and promotion of other environmentally friendly modes of transport is an important part for a strategic decision of policy makers.
If the current trends in modal split continue, street network saturation is expected in the period between years 2019 and 2029. To avoid congestion, new infrastructure and mobility management measures will be implemented based on official development plan - NOvi Sad TRAnsportation Model (NOSTRAM). At present, the public transport of the city relies on bus lines, but the authorities plan to reintroduce tram lines to ensure urban mobility, economic growth and reducing the environmental impact.
