Urban mobility in the EU

SUMMARY OF:

Commission communication (COM(2009) 490 final ) — Action Plan on Urban Mobility

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS COMMUNICATION?

It proposes various short- to medium-term measures to ensure urban transport in the European Union (EU) is environmentally sustainable, competitive and meets society’s needs.
The measures, grouped under 6 themes, were to be taken gradually between 2009 and 2012 by local, regional and national authorities.

KEY POINTS

The communication proposes:

Promoting integrated policies: urban transport management should be linked to other policies such as environmental protection, land-use planning and housing.
Focusing on citizens: the public should enjoy reliability, information, safety and ease of access for all forms of urban transport.
Greening urban transport: the EU will continue to support the development of, and markets for, new, clean vehicle technologies and alternative fuels.
Strengthening funding: while most investment is provided by local, regional and national authorities, the European Commission will help them explore opportunities for EU financing.
Sharing experience and knowledge: the Commission will assist all those involved in urban transport to make best use of existing experience and support the exchange of information.
Optimising urban mobility: the Commission will help local authorities to optimise the efficiency of their urban logistics and to develop intelligent transport systems.

Directive 2009/33/EC requires contracting authorities and others to take account of the energy and environmental impact of road vehicles when purchasing them.

BACKGROUND

EU governments welcomed the action plan on 24 June 2010. They noted the challenge and opportunity it presents ‘to improve the sustainability and safety of mobility in urban and metropolitan areas while keeping it affordable to the general public’.
Details of EU-funded research into urban mobility can be found on the Eltis web portal.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Action Plan on Urban Mobility (COM(2009) 490 final, 30.9.2009)