Cross-border commuters data – a solution for Twin Cities transport planning?

Cross-border twin cities are a unique form of urban settlement in Europe. They are characterised by a dense population living in close proximity to each other across national borders. This spatial closeness creates enormous potential for cooperation and joint development, especially in terms of establishing integrated labour markets. However, complex commuter flows between twin cities, both in terms of work and leisure commuting can create high demands on local infrastructures.

As twin cities require well-coordinated traffic planning, as inadequate planning of cross-border road networks and public transport systems risks overloading infrastructure, causing congestion and a decline in quality of life. Various studies such as the NORDFINRA project, the DG REGIO study on providing public transport in cross-border regions or the JRC report on cross-border transport infrastructure in the EU,  have addressed this issue in twin cities and other border regions alike, which confirmed the need for a coordinated approach and joint development and planning of transport infrastructure as a backbone of joint development.

Such infrastructure however cannot be planned and developed on an ad hoc basis, and the required investments are large-scale and long-term. They require robust evidence and planning to convince decision-makers and guide choices. Cross-border commuter data and its development over time is a critical source of information for such planning and investing procedures. 

The output of the Cross-Border Data Collection Project finally will allow for a comprehensive, NUTS3 level production of cross-border workers following a joint methodological framework. The data produced within this framework can support crucial future infrastructure investments and improve both effectiveness and cost-efficiency for twin cities and other border regions.

Curious about our project?

The Cross-Border Data Collection Project is commissioned by DG REGIO and carried out by a consortium led by ÖIR GmbH, in collaboration with Statistics Netherlands, and supported by INSEE and Statistics Denmark. For more information on the project or our methods, please reach out to our team at crossborderdata@cbs.nl.