Most Members of the European Parliament want to see cities as greener and cleaner as possible. Not for its own sake, but to ensure a good quality of life for European citizens living in cities. This is clear from the decision adopted by the EP plenary in December 2015. This may mean less of the car and more of traveling via transport like Deutsche Bahn, one of the leading transport and logistics companies in Europe. So you may want to make it a point to check on DB timetable information (db fahrplanauskunft) from time to time.
Urban Mobility: Urban Transport Management
The report cites data from Eurobarometer No. 406 published in 2013, from its special report that European citizens believe that low public transport fares, good public transport services, and good cycling infrastructure may have the most beneficial effects on urban mobility. According to statistics, about half of the journeys made in urban areas are shorter than five kilometers, so they can usually be made on foot, by bicycle or by public transport, or by any other means of transport that must reflect in urban transport management.
More than 30% of road fatalities and serious injuries occur in urban areas, often affecting vulnerable road users and accidents, are linked to high concentrations and speeds of vehicles.
Issues With Transportation In Urban Areas
Points out that the widespread use of diesel in transport, especially in old and non-particulate vehicles, is one of the main reasons for the high concentration of particulate matter in cities, and that alternative fuels and transport in urban transport should be promoted to change this situation without jeopardizing urban mobility. The decision also talks about another very dangerous pollution of transport, noise.
The decision welcomes the Commission’s communications on urban mobility but is concerned that the European Commission is talking about developing transport concepts at the European level, which should then be adapted to the circumstances in the Member States. Instead, a bottom-up approach based on parallel field experiments should be followed instead of a top-down approach. To this end, the establishment of platforms for the exchange of experiences between local stakeholders should be strongly supported, and it should be possible to learn from success stories widely.
In several areas, for a total of sixty-two points, the decision sets out what sustainable urban and urban mobility planning must take into account and what the European Union and the Member States must do to develop sustainable urban mobility. The first issue is to return space and infrastructure to all citizens and to improve accessibility. It is about the importance of making planning, development, and decision-making more transparent, the constant consultation of all stakeholders involved in urban mobility, such as passengers, retailers, and freight carriers. The information should be publicly and easily accessible.
ICT-supported Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan
An ICT-supported Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan is an important tool to ensure appropriate and secure mobility solutions for all citizens. SUMPs should also take into account the special communication needs of persons with reduced mobility, and barrier-free infrastructure is critical for the mobility of persons with reduced mobility. A secure infrastructure must be provided for everyone, offering adequate space for the most vulnerable road users.
The development of SUMPs should be considered as an important element in the financing of EU projects in the field of urban transport, and the Union can provide financial and information support for the development and implementation of these plans. The urban policy should allow for the seamless integration of different transport solutions, such as public transport, car-sharing, cycling, and car rental services.
As the adverse environmental effects of the European Union’s transport system due to its dependence on oil must be reduced, urban mobility measures must be prevented from generating additional transport needs in the event of already excessive car use. To this end, the European Structural and Investment Funds should be used systematically to develop and implement comprehensive and integrated intermodal SUMPs. SUMPs should be in line with the current EU agenda and objectives, in particular those set out in the 2011 Transport White Paper on road-to-rail modal shift.
Improving the Environment, Quality of Life, and Health
The second theme is improving the environment, quality of life, and health. The decision emphasizes that there is local, regional, national, and cross-border air pollution, so action is needed at all levels of government to reduce it. A multi-level governance approach needs to be strengthened, in which all actors take responsibility for the actions that can and should be taken at their level.
Calls on cities to thoroughly assess the needs of citizens and businesses and modes of transport for sustainable urban mobility and to take the necessary measures to improve urban living standards, including increasing the share of sustainable modes of transport, including walking and cycling, with policies to promote intermodality.
The competent authorities shall, following the principles of precaution and proportionality, take measures to reduce traffic noise in cities and to improve air quality in cities. Ensure that the concentration of pollutants does not exceed the levels set by the World Health Organization guidelines. Let the 2025 and 2030 emission limits for cars be effective and ambitious!
It seems necessary to change attitudes towards the ownership and use of vehicles, so the decision calls on the Commission to develop and support collective forms of mobility. Analyze the impact on society of new forms of mobility, in particular car-sharing, based on the shared economic model.