This publication reports on the proceedings of a seminar entitled 'Integrated Intermodal Strategies for Road, Rail and Water Transport' held in Helsinki between 22nd and 27th October 2000.

Organised by the World Road Association (PIARC) and the Institute for Highway and Maritime Education (IHME) of the Finnish Road Enterprise the seminar was instituted as part of a training programme for policy makers, senior government officials, private sector executives, civic leaders and academics.

That programme originated from a framework for training in public development issues created in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland (MOTC) and the World Road Association (PIARC).

Intermodality, a term PIARC considers to mean an integrated sustainable transport context, is especially addressed within Strategic Theme 2 on Sustainable Development. This theme covers the work of Technical Committees C4 - Interurban Roads and Integrated Interurban Transport, C10 - Urban Areas and Integrated Urban Transport, C14 - Sustainable Development and Road Transport, and C19 - Freight Transport.

Through that work, PIARC will be adopting a new emphasis on the emerging issues of seeking sustainable solutions and better integration of different transport modes. Strategic Theme 5, appropriate development levels, is also very important to intermodality because it is concerned with improving the processes of information exchange and technology transfer.