We are writing a travel journal from our journey across European countries and their National Access Points (NAPs), where we search for something delicious — DATEX II Safety Related Traffic Information (SRTI) data. In this journal, you’ll discover what we found: whether the “places” (NAPs) were open, how the data was served, and how it “tasted” in terms of usability and quality. In the appendix, you’ll find samples (data examples), recipes (schemas), and practical guides on how to place and receive an order (protocol descriptions).
Importance of Data Exchange Across Europe
Interoperable data exchange for traffic information is crucial for ensuring safe and efficient transportation across Europe. The ITS Directive and its delegated acts, notably 886/2013, set the framework for sharing Safety Related Traffic Information (SRTI) among EU member states. This ensures that drivers and transport authorities can access real-time, accurate information to support decision-making on the road.
Such data exchange requires:
- The availability of catalogue records in National Access Points (NAPs) in each country.
- The use of standardized data formats (such as DATEX II) and protocols.
- Providing clear documentation for both the data format and the protocol.
- Monitoring and evaluating the real-time status of the provided information.
Purpose of the Study
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the real status of:
- The existence of NAPs across European countries.
- The availability of catalogue records that detail the existence of data distributions and their formal quality.
- The availability and clarity of documentation provided for both formats and protocols.
- The ability to subscribe to data distributions offered by various publishers.
- The technical feasibility for consumers to access and use the data.
- The technical quality of the content, including whether it conforms to the provided schema.
Scope of the Study
Our study encompasses all countries in Europe, focusing specifically on Safety Related Traffic Information (SRTI), typically published using the DATEX II SituationPublication format.
For each country, we evaluated at least one or, in some cases, two distributions to ensure coverage and variety.
Methodology
We approached this study from the standpoint of a regular consumer, avoiding reliance on personal contacts or insider knowledge that is unavailable from official sources.
Searching for NAPs
NAPs for particular countries are identified according to List of National Access Points published by European Commission.
Evaluating Formal quality of Catalogue Records
For the evaluation of catalogue records, we applied the NAPCORE Methodology, which assesses the formal quality of web service documentation.
Searching for usable distributions
When searching for usable distributions, we attempted to find one or two records which allowed us to really consume some content. If there were many distributions, we preferred those, which covered major roads or whole country. We did not try to consume more than two (in some cases four) distributions in a country.
Identifying Publishers
When identifying publishers, we used only those, we needed to use to consume distributions found as described above. Thus the list of publishers is not necessarily complete.
If distribution of a publisher was subject to evaluating formal quality of catalogue records, the publisher was included too.
Assessing distribution quality
To assess the quality of the data distributions, we continuously collected samples over a real-time period and validated them against the provided schema. In cases where a schema was not provided, we used the DATEX II SituationPublication unprofiled schema as a fallback.
We did not attempt to fix minor content issues, as it is the responsibility of publishers to provide data that strictly conforms to the relevant schema.
Get familiar with the offerings!
