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What We Achieved through DANOVA NEXT

The DANOVA NEXT project works towards creating a more accessible, better informed and more inclusive transport system across the Danube Region.

The main focus is on improving air, water and urban public transport for persons with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility, combining strategic planning, digital technologies, practical tools and real-life testing of solutions in transport environments.

DANOVA NEXT approaches accessibility not as a separate feature of transport infrastructure, but as part of the entire travel experience – from advance planning and access to reliable information to wayfinding, use of services and interaction with transport operators.

Among the project’s main results are the creation of the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit, the development of the DANOVA NEXT Web Application, the Strategy for Accessible Transport in the Danube Region, pilot solutions in different transport environments and practical resources that can be adapted and used by other organisations.

DANOVA NEXT Toolkit – Developed under the Leadership of BATTI

One of the most significant practical results of the project is the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit – an interactive online tool that supports transport organisations in assessing and improving the accessibility of their services and infrastructure.

Of particular importance for the participation of BATTI is the organisation’s leading role in the development of the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit. Pasted markdown

The tool is designed for airports, ports, urban public transport operators and other transport organisations that want to gain a clearer understanding of the current accessibility level of their services.

The Toolkit uses a structured self-assessment system that allows organisations to identify both their strengths and the areas where further improvement is needed.

After completing the assessment, the tool provides personalised recommendations, examples of good practices and potential technological solutions that can support organisations in planning their next steps.

In this way, the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit is not simply an accessibility measurement tool. Its purpose is to help transport operators move from assessment to concrete improvement measures.

The tool can also be used periodically, enabling organisations to monitor their own progress and gradually build more accessible services.

Try the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit:
DANOVA NEXT Toolkit

DANOVA NEXT Web Application – Accessible Information for Easier Travel

Another key digital result is the DANOVA NEXT Web Application.

While the Toolkit is primarily intended for transport organisations, the application places the passenger at the centre.

It provides information related to the accessibility of transport facilities and services and aims to support persons with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility in planning safer, more predictable and more independent journeys.

By bringing together information from different transport modes, the application supports a more harmonised approach to the provision of accessibility data across the Danube Region.

This is especially important for passengers who often need to know in advance whether a particular stop, terminal, service or transport facility meets their individual needs. Pasted markdown

Explore the DANOVA NEXT Web Application:
DANOVA NEXT Web Application

Pilot Solutions for More Accessible Transport

DANOVA NEXT is not limited to strategies and digital tools. An important part of the project is the practical testing of innovative solutions in real transport environments.

The pilot activities were implemented in different parts of the Danube Region and include examples from airports, ports and urban public transport systems.

The aim was to test the developed solutions in practice and assess the extent to which they can improve accessibility, independence, safety and comfort for passengers.

The pilot actions also demonstrate an important point – accessible transport cannot be achieved through a single type of intervention. Depending on the specific environment, the following may be needed:

• more accessible infrastructure;
• better and clearer information;
• digital and technological solutions;
• staff training;
• improved communication with passengers;
• active involvement of persons with disabilities in the assessment and development of services.

A particularly important aspect is that the solutions are assessed not only from a technical perspective, but also through feedback from the people who actually use the transport services. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT Video Pills – Solutions in Real-Life Transport Environments

As part of the DANOVA NEXT project activities, the transport partners, under the coordination of SOIH, developed three short thematic videos – DANOVA NEXT Video Pills – presenting the pilot activities and innovative solutions aimed at improving accessibility in the transport sector.

The videos transform the technical project results into clear, visual and easy-to-understand content, showing how the developed solutions function in real transport environments and how they can improve travel for persons with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility.

Three thematic videos were produced, each focusing on a different mode of transport:

• Air transport – presenting pilot activities implemented at the airports of Dubrovnik, Budapest, Podgorica, Sarajevo and Chisinau;
• Urban public transport – showcasing solutions implemented in the transport systems of Prague, Maribor and Bratislava;
• Maritime transport – presenting pilot activities in port environments in Kotor and Pula.

Each video includes real footage of the implemented solutions, equipment and tools procured and used within the project, as well as practical demonstrations of their use in the daily operations of transport operators.

Short comments from representatives of transport organisations, staff members and end users complement the visual examples and demonstrate the practical value and usability of the implemented measures.

In this way, the Video Pills not only present the results of the pilot activities, but also serve as a tool for raising awareness about the importance of accessible and inclusive transport.

They showcase concrete good practices that can be adapted and replicated in other airports, ports and urban public transport systems across the Danube Region and beyond. Pasted markdown

Watch the DANOVA NEXT Video Pills:

 

 

 

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Key Results and Resources of DANOVA NEXT

In addition to the digital tools and pilot activities, DANOVA NEXT developed a range of strategic and practical resources for transport operators, public institutions, local and regional authorities, experts and organisations of persons with disabilities.

Among all project materials, several results stand out for their particularly high practical value and their potential to remain useful after the end of the project. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT Toolkit – Framework for Innovation and Exploitation of Advanced Technologies

The DANOVA NEXT Toolkit is one of the project’s key practical tools and was developed under the leadership of BATTI.

It supports transport organisations in carrying out self-assessments and planning concrete accessibility improvements.

A particularly valuable feature is the connection between assessment and follow-up action – instead of merely identifying existing gaps, the Toolkit provides recommendations and practical guidance that can be used when developing future measures.

For BATTI, this is one of the most significant results of its participation in DANOVA NEXT, as it transforms accumulated knowledge, good practices and technological solutions into a practical online tool that can be used directly by transport organisations. Pasted markdown

Try the tool here:
DANOVA NEXT Toolkit

Strategy for Accessible Transport in the Danube Region

The Strategy for Accessible Transport in the Danube Region represents the main strategic framework of DANOVA NEXT.

The document examines existing accessibility challenges, identifies areas for improvement and proposes approaches for more systematic integration of accessibility into transport policies, services and infrastructure.

The Strategy is a useful resource for transport operators, public institutions and local and regional authorities that want to develop more inclusive transport systems.

It places emphasis not only on physical infrastructure, but also on digital information, technology, governance, institutional cooperation and user participation. Pasted markdown

Explore the Strategy for Accessible Transport

Catalogue of Best Practices

The Updated Catalogue of Best Practices brings together examples of solutions and approaches that can support improvements in transport accessibility.

The catalogue presents good practices related to infrastructure, transport services, digitalisation, passenger information and the use of new technologies.

It is particularly valuable for organisations looking for concrete examples of how specific barriers can be overcome and how proven solutions can be adapted to different transport environments.

The catalogue complements the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit by providing an additional source of ideas and practical solutions for organisations seeking to improve their services. Pasted markdown

Explore the document:
Catalogue of Best Practices

Assessment Feedback Report

The Assessment Feedback Report places the users’ perspective at the centre.

The document presents feedback from people with different needs and helps identify areas where existing transport services still create difficulties.

This is a particularly valuable result because it demonstrates that improving accessibility should not be based solely on technical standards and expert assessments.

The real experience of passengers is an important part of the process and makes it possible to develop solutions based on concrete needs rather than assumptions. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT – Assessment Feedback Report

Pilots Evaluation Report

The Pilots Evaluation Report analyses the impact of the pilot activities implemented within DANOVA NEXT.

The document makes it possible to assess the extent to which the implemented solutions have improved accessibility and the quality of transport services, as well as what lessons can be learned from their practical implementation.

This result is particularly important because it shifts the focus from planning to measurable practical impact.

For other transport organisations, the report can serve as a reference when selecting and preparing similar measures. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT – Pilots Evaluation Report

Joint Framework for Establishment of Smart Transportation Network

One of the broader ambitions of DANOVA NEXT is the development of a Smart Transportation Network, through which different transport organisations can more easily exchange information, solutions and good practices related to accessibility.

The Joint Framework for Establishment of Smart Transportation Network provides the basis for building this network and for improving interaction between the different actors in the transport system.

The idea is that accessibility should not be developed in isolation by individual operators, but should form part of a more connected regional approach, where information and successful solutions can be shared and applied across different countries and transport systems. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT – Joint Framework for Establishment of Smart Transportation Network

DANOVA NEXT Replication Package

One of the important final steps of the project is the creation of the DANOVA NEXT Replication Package.

Its purpose is to ensure that the knowledge and solutions developed within the project do not remain limited to the partner organisations, but can be transferred, adapted and applied elsewhere.

The Replication Package brings together key elements of the DANOVA NEXT work – strategic approaches, assessment methodologies, digital tools, pilot results and resources for improving transport accessibility.

In this way, other airports, ports, urban public transport operators, municipalities and public institutions can use the accumulated experience as a basis for developing their own solutions. Pasted markdown

DANOVA NEXT – Updated Replication Package

DANOVA NEXT – From Project Solutions to More Accessible Transport

DANOVA NEXT demonstrates that creating more accessible transport requires a combination of technology, strategic planning, real-life testing and active participation of the people who use transport services.

The project is not limited to analyses and strategic documents. Real digital tools have been developed, solutions have been tested in transport environments and resources have been created so that the accumulated experience can also be used by other organisations.

For BATTI, a particularly significant result is the leading role in the development of the DANOVA NEXT Toolkit – a practical instrument that transforms the knowledge and experience of the partnership into concrete support for transport organisations.

Combined with the Strategy, the DANOVA NEXT Web Application, pilot activities, evaluations and the Replication Package, the project creates a practical model for more accessible, better informed and more inclusive transport systems.

In this way, the results of DANOVA NEXT can continue to be used after the end of the project, supporting transport organisations and public institutions in creating environments where more people can travel independently, safely and with access to the information they need. Pasted markdown

All project results, documents and materials are available on the official DANOVA NEXT pages:

DANOVA NEXT – Results

DANOVA NEXT – Library