Managing a successful transition to a more sustainable urban mobility creates significant troubles for cities all around the European Union. Local authorities need support to counteract the negative economic, environmental and societal effects assigned to today’s urban mobility models.
It is therefore necessary that urban mobility should maintain its predominant position in EU’s political agenda. The Commission and member states should consolidate the support that local authorities grant so that the cities of the European Union could achieve a radical change regarding the efforts they make to obtain a more competitive and resource-efficient urban mobility.
Last December, the European Commission published a Communication on the establishment of an Urban Mobility Package. The new Communication seeks to involve all governmental levels. Thus, the Commission will consolidate its support provided in the areas with added value in the EU, while member states are encouraged to create the right framework-conditions for local authorities to develop and implement integrated and comprehensive strategies for an improved, sustainable urban mobility. To facilitate a closer exchange between the Commission and member states, the Commission proposes hosting a group of experts on urban mobility in member states.
Thus, the Commission will establish in 2014 a European platform of sustainable urban mobility plans to coordinate coo-peration in the EU on developing the concept and the relevant instrument, to set up a one-stop shop and to extend the current www.mobilityplans.eu website, transforming it into a virtual centre of knowledge and competence.
Strong points: coordinated urban logistics and (a greater) use of public transport
Urban logistics is essential for the good operation of cities and it is a significant part of urban traffic as part of regional, national and international supply chains. It is expected to develop, increasing the already significant external costs. However, logistics needs are often neglected in urban planning and urban management.
The Commission recommends the adoption of a concrete set of measures at different levels to deal with several relevant issues, such as urban logistics, urban access regulation, implementation of ITS solutions (intelligent transport systems) in the urban environment, and will closely monitor subsequent actions.
A Eurobarometer poll (also published in December 2013 which can be consulted on the Commission’s web page) reviewed the attitude towards urban mobility. Thus, the majority of citizens believe the major problems are congestion, cost, as well as the ne-gative effects of urban mobility and of current transport models on the environment. Most respondents were rather pessimistic about the improvement prospects of traffic in their cities. “Transforming urban mobility requires coordinated action by decision makers and competent authorities at all levels of government”, says the Commission.
New approaches to urban mobility planning are emerging as local authorities seek to break out of past silo approaches and develop strategies that can stimulate a shift towards cleaner and more sustainable transport modes, such as walking, cycling, public transport, and new patterns for car use and ownership. Many cities across EU have experimented with innovative solutions for urban mobility and shared their experience through various cities networks.
The Commission has actively promoted the concept of sustainable urban mobility planning for several years. EU-funded initiatives have brought together stakeholders and experts to analyse current approaches, discuss problem areas and identify best planning practices. With Commission support, guidelines for the development and implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans were developed, for instance, which provide local authorities with concrete suggestions on how to implement strategies for urban mobility that build on a thorough analysis of the current situation, as well as a clear vision for a sustainable development of their urban area.
The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan concept considers the functional urban area and proposes that action on urban mobility is embedded into a wider urban and territorial strategy.
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans are about fostering a balanced development and a better integration of the different urban mobility modes. This planning concept highlights that urban mobility is primarily about people. It therefore emphasises citizen and stakeholder engagement, as well as fostering changes in mobility behaviour.
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans can help cities make efficient use of existing transport infrastructure and services and deploy urban mobility measures in a cost-effective way.
The concept has gained considerable momentum in recent years and the Commission will continue to support development and promotion of the concept in the future.
Concrete measures
Thus, the Commission proposes in its Communication a series of measures that member states should consider. We can talk about conducting a careful assessment of the present and future performance of urban mobility in their territory, also in view of key EU policy goals. The second measure implies developing an approach to urban mobility which ensures coordinated and mutually reinforcing action at national, regional and local level. The third measure refers to ensuring that Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans are developed and implemented in their urban areas and that they are integrated into a wider urban or territorial development strategy. The fourth measure refers to reviewing – and amending where necessary – the technical, policy-based, legal, financial, and other tools at the disposal of local planning authorities. And the final suggestion refers to measures to avoid fragmented approaches to ensure continuity and compatibility of urban mobility measures to safeguard the functioning of the internal market, where appropriate.
Making urban centres as accessible as possible requires making choices about the use of urban space. Loading and unloading spa-ces, bus lanes, cars, parking, pedestrian facilities, cycle lanes and parking all compete for urban road space and cities have to manage these competing demands according to local priorities and circumstances. Urban vehicle access regulations can help optimise urban access, improve air quality and contribute to the goal of phasing out conventionally fuelled cars in cities by 2050.
There is currently a wide diversity of schemes being implemented across Europe and a better understanding of these different types of access regulations, their costs and impacts is needed. These different rules and requirements, and the lack of information about how to comply with the various schemes, risk fragmenting the internal market and creating new barriers to the movement of people and goods.
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