The Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) on the “Smart Cities and Communities” initiative is focused on the significant acceleration of the industry which integrates technologies from the energy, transport and IT sectors with the sole purpose of reducing emissions, improving life quality and increasing the competitiveness of the industry with significant contribution to meeting EU’s 20/20/20 objectives.
The Strategic Implementation Plan will bring added value to Europe by aligning the existing initiatives of the cities and projects and building sustainable economies. The plan focuses on three pillars related to “sustainable urban mobility”, “sustainable districts and built environment” and “integration of infrastructures and energy, transport and IT processes”.
In order to meet the objectives of reducing emissions in conformity with the EU 20/20/20 objectives, the existing IT, energy and transport systems have to transform significantly. EU has to transfer to a sustainable production, efficient use of energy, development of a sustainable mobility and IT system.
Improved mobility for citizens and development of the business environment increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of cities, while reducing congestion, air quality improvement, the accessibility and sustainability of cities require significant changes in the transport and operation systems and in the behaviour of citizens and the business environment of transport. Public transport and environmentally friendly modes of transport have to become far more attractive. Currently, the automotive vehicles are intensely used in the cities, but efficient modes of transport are necessary to attract the citizens to public transport, while it requires an improved integration into a single multi-modal system. Public transport services and other transport modes, timetables and ticketing system, transport points are not always well-connected, so “it should be reconsidered the way in which the private and the public sectors have to cooperate and how the citizens and the business sector have to be involved in a much more direct way within mobility systems and supplied services”, is stated in the Strategic Implementation Plan.
In this context, “the first priority should be reducing and avoiding demands for transport modes which eliminate large volumes of emissions while facilitating the increase of people and freight mobility and ensuring that efficient transport is created around an integrated smart infrastructure and mobility planning”. The second priority is shifting to efficient and integrated modes of transport, such as public transport. Thirdly, impact can be reduced through a clean and improved transport technology and a favourable political approach determined by an improved mobility management.
Urban transport strategies and the new public-private actions will help achieve the sustainability objective in cities and regions. Part of member states, regions and cities have already established their initiatives regarding electric transport and mobility.
Source: European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities and Communities, Strategic Implementation Plan
[ by Pamela Luică ]Share on:
