PURPOSE: to propose a framework for action towards competitive and resource-efficient urban mobility.
BACKGROUND: mobility within cities is increasingly difficult and inefficient. Many European towns and cities suffer from chronic traffic congestion, which is estimated to cost EUR 80 billion annually and account for some 23%, of all CO2 emissions from transport. Cities need to make more efforts to turn past trends around and contribute to achieving the 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions called for by the Commission's White Paper on transport.
A Eurobarometer survey (2013) on attitudes towards urban mobility shows that a strong majority of citizens considers congestion, the cost, and the negative environmental and human health impacts of urban mobility and transport patterns to be important problems.
Against this background, this Communication aims to reinforce the support to European cities for tackling urban mobility challenges to ensure a competitive and resource-efficient European transport system.
It is also crucial to overcome fragmented approaches and develop the single market for innovative urban mobility solutions by addressing issues like common standards and specifications or joint procurement.
CONTENT: the strategy sets out actions to be implemented on two levels : (i) EU-level action to contribute to the joint effort; (ii) EU-wide action involving Member States.
These actions are as follows:
Urban mobility plan: the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan concept proposes that action on urban mobility be embedded into a wider urban and territorial strategy. Therefore, these Plans should be developed in cooperation across different policy areas and sectors (transport, land-use and spatial planning, environment, economic development, social policy, health, road safety, etc.); across different levels of government and administration; as well as with authorities in neighbouring areas – both urban and rural.
In this area, Member States are called upon to:
- conduct a careful assessment of the present and future performance of urban mobility in their territory;
- develop an approach to urban mobility which ensures coordinated and mutually reinforcing action at national, regional and local level;
- review – and amend where necessary – the technical, policy-based, legal, financial, and other tools at the disposal of local planning authorities;
- adopt measures to avoid fragmented approaches to ensure continuity and compatibility of urban mobility measures.
The Commission, in turn, will set up, in 2014, a European Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans to coordinate EU cooperation on developing the concept and tools further; provide a one-stop shop; and expand the present http://www.mobilityplans.eu/website into a virtual knowledge and competence centre. It will also support national, regional and local authorities to develop and implement Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, through funding instruments.
Urban Logistics: in this area, Member States and urban authorities need to provide a framework (e.g. delivery spaces, access regulations, enforcement etc.), to ensure that there is a business case for the private logistics operators to invest in new technologies and solutions. They should also Creating platforms for cooperation, exchange of data and information, training, etc., for all actors of urban logistics chains.
The Commission will improve the dissemination and uptake of urban logistics best practice (2014) and prepare guidance documents that provide practical assistance on how to improve urban logistics performance, e.g. by developing delivery and servicing plans, city logistics in access regulation schemes etc. (2014-2016). It will also facilitate procurement of clean vehicles used for urban logistics by reviewing the scope of the Clean Vehicle Portal18 (2015-2016).
Smarter urban access and road user charging: making urban centres as accessible as possible requires making choices about the use of urban space. Loading and unloading spaces, 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. In this context, it is proposed to conduct a thorough review of the effectiveness and impacts of existing and planned urban access regulation schemes and provide a framework that allows local transport authorities to design, implement, and evaluate access regulation schemes, including urban road user charging.
The Commission will foster an exchange with Member States and experts on urban access regulations across the Union.
Urban Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS): ITS help to optimise the use of existing infrastructure through a variety of means, such as traffic signals, journey planners, smart ticketing or cooperative systems (including vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems). Member States should use the Guidelines when key ITS applications are deployed in their conurbations and develop proper interfaces between urban and surrounding interurban transport networks.
The Commission will facilitate the deployment of vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communication systems in urban areas.
Urban Road Safety: some 11 000 people die in road traffic in EU urban areas every year. The majority of fatal or serious road traffic crashes involving vulnerable road users take place inside urban areas (involving mainly pedestrians and cyclists). Accordingly, Member States are called upon to take account of issues like safe urban infrastructure, especially for vulnerable road users, the use of modern technology for enhanced urban road safety, traffic rules enforcement, and road safety education. They are also asked to ensure proper gathering of data on road safety indicators at the most detailed level possible.
The Commission will, during 2014-2015, gather and disseminate good practice examples for road safety planning and analyse measures for reducing the number of serious road traffic injuries in urban areas.
Reinforce EU support: several measures are set out. Since its launch ten years ago, the Commission's CIVITAS Initiative has become an engine of urban mobility innovation and made European cities key players in the innovation process. Today, the CIVITAS network of cities counts over 200 member cities and covers virtually all Member States. The Commission intends to launch a reinvigorated CIVITAS 2020 Initiative under Horizon 2020. CIVITAS will continue to support local partnerships in implementing and testing new approaches under real-life conditions on issues such as: tackling urban road congestion, reducing the use of conventionally-fuelled vehicles in urban areas, reducing impacts and costs of urban freight, etc.
Launched in 2012, the Smart Cities Partnership looks to facilitate strategic partnerships between industry, European cities and other parties to develop the urban systems and infrastructures of tomorrow. The initiative will foster closer cooperation across sectors like transport, energy, and information and communication technologies.
Furthermore, the coming European Green Vehicles Initiative will provide a strengthened framework for supporting the development of clean, safe and efficient urban vehicles for rail and road.
With respect to financial support, the Communication envisages mobilising the structural funds particularly in the EU’s less developed regions, as well as using the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI-funds) for key policy objectives in transport in the period 2014-2020. The Commission will also use the Connecting Europe Facility.
Lastly, it will upgrade its efforts to support sustainable urban mobility policies in its cooperation activities particularly with developing regions. In addition, more efforts will be made to take advantage of existing EU partnerships with key partner countries and regions (e.g. with the EuroMed countries, Brazil, Singapore, or China).