The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) and the Ministry of Interior presented a comprehensive national reform of traffic management and road safety. At its core is the establishment of a Unified National Road Enforcement System comprising four interconnected technological components: toll terminals, a sensor network for real-time monitoring, a central “Digital Core” and a National Operations Centre.
As part of the reform, a high-tech Executive Agency “Road Transport Operator” is also being established under the MTC. It will take over the administration of the toll system, the maintenance of intelligent transport systems (ITS) and the Big Data information platform of the “Digital Core”. The new structure will have no powers to carry out roadside checks, stop vehicles or impose fines, but will instead operate as a central digital hub. Within fractions of a second, the centralised software will cross-check incoming data against more than five government registers and databases, including those of the Ministry of Interior, the Executive Agency “Automobile Administration”, the toll system, the Customs Agency and the Motor Third Party Liability Insurance database. When an infringement is detected automatically, an indelible Electronic Evidence Record will be generated and a targeted alert will be sent directly to the mobile devices (tablets) of Ministry of Interior road patrols for immediate action in the field.
“We are embarking on an ambitious plan to eliminate fragmented responsibilities and transform the MTC into a digital information hub. The establishment of the new agency is not about expanding the bureaucracy, but about far-reaching workforce and organisational optimisation. Our aim is to put an end to random checks and manage traffic and risk through advanced technology rather than with traffic batons at the roadside,” Minister Georgi Peev said.
An initial legal analysis indicates that implementing the plan will require amendments to eight laws and more than ten pieces of secondary legislation.
“Full automation of the processes will deliver a net 28% reduction in staffing levels at the National Toll Administration (NTA), through the elimination of 171 low-skilled and administrative posts. The reform will put an end to institutional fragmentation and duplicate roadside stops,” Minister Georgi Peev added.
The functions of the institutions will be allocated as follows:
• The Ministry of Interior (Traffic Police) will become the sole authority responsible for physical roadside enforcement, carrying out checks on the basis of automated signals and alerts generated by the “Digital Core”.
• The Executive Agency “Automobile Administration” will cease roadside checks entirely and focus its capacity on licensing, conducting examinations and carrying out inspections at the premises of transport operators, bus and coach stations, and periodic roadworthiness testing centres.
• The State Agency for Road Safety will be transformed into a single point for risk management and multifactor risk analysis.
• The Road Infrastructure Agency and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works will retain their role as the authorities responsible for road infrastructure. As is currently the case, revenue collected from vignettes and tolls will continue to be paid into the central government budget and subsequently allocated to the Road Infrastructure Agency for road repairs and maintenance.
Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev said that consolidating all roadside enforcement within the Ministry of Interior and increasing its staffing by 400 posts would lead to a many-fold increase in efficiency. Through the cameras and alerts generated by the Digital Core, we will be able to detect and stop high-risk drivers and overloaded lorries while they are still on the move, rather than merely reacting after the event, he explained.
Sensor networks will be introduced on Bulgaria’s national roads to automatically measure the tyre pressure and tread depth of heavy goods vehicles while they are in motion, as well as to enable wireless reading of electronic tachographs. All periodic roadworthiness testing centres and practical driving tests will be subject to artificial intelligence (AI) video auditing. Where an anomaly is detected, the AI system will automatically disable the measuring equipment and invalidate the test or inspection on the spot.
Drivers with “New Driver” status — during the first 24 months after obtaining a driving licence — will be required to complete a mandatory one-day practical training course at a centre equipped with a specialised driving training ground, where they will learn how to handle hazardous situations such as aquaplaning, emergency braking and skidding on slippery surfaces. The analysis indicates that approximately six such centres would be sufficient to enable new drivers to acquire specific skills that cannot be developed during a standard driving course.
Minister Georgi Peev said that technology would be embedded directly into the road infrastructure to scan for risks without disrupting traffic. Together with defensive driving training for new drivers at specialised training grounds and AI auditing of roadworthiness testing centres, we are building a modern prevention mechanism capable of genuinely saving lives.
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