24.11.2017   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 399/10

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having regard to the Commission communication of 17 December 2013 entitled ‘Together towards competitive and resource-efficient urban mobility’ (COM(2013)0913),

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having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2011 on ‘the Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area — Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system’ (1),

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having regard to its resolution of 23 June 2011 on ‘European Urban Agenda and its Future in Cohesion Policy’ (2),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 30 September 2009 entitled ‘Action Plan on Urban Mobility’ (COM(2009)0490),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 18 July 2014 entitled ‘The urban dimension of EU policies — Key features of an EU urban agenda’ (COM(2014)0490),

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having regard to the Commission Green Paper of 25 September 2007 entitled ‘Towards a new culture for urban mobility’ (COM(2007)0551),

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having regard to the Commission's Special Eurobarometer 406 of December 2013 on ‘Attitudes of Europeans towards urban mobility’,

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having regard to the Commission’s launch of the European Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans,

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having regard to the Commission Green Paper of 29 November 1995 entitled ‘The Citizens’ Network: fulfilling the potential of public passenger transport in Europe’ (COM(1995)0601),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 31 March 1998 entitled ‘Transport and CO2 — Developing a Community Approach’ (COM(1998)0204),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 25 February 2015 entitled ‘The Paris Protocol — A blueprint for tackling global climate change beyond 2020’ (COM(2015)0081),

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having regard to Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (3),

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having regard to Regulations (EC) No 715/2007 (4) and (EC) No 595/2009 (5) regarding the reduction of pollutant emissions from road vehicles,

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having regard to its resolution of 27 October 2015 on emission measurements in the automotive sector (6),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 18 December 2013 entitled ‘A clean air programme for Europe’ (COM(2013)0918),

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having regard to the World Health Organisation air quality guidelines and the Health Economic Assessment Tool,

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having regard to the World Health Organisation report entitled ‘Burden of disease from environmental noise — Quantification of healthy life years lost in Europe’,

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having regard to the European Environment Agency’s TERM report of December 2013 entitled ‘A closer look at urban transport’,

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having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,

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having regard to its resolution of 3 July 2013 on ‘Road safety 2011-2020 — First milestones towards an injury strategy’ (7),

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having regard to its resolution of 12 October 1988 on the protection of pedestrians and the European charter of pedestrians’ rights (8),

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having regard to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic,

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having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘CARS 2020: Action Plan for a competitive and sustainable automotive industry in Europe’ (COM(2012)0636),

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having regard to its resolution of 10 December 2013 on ‘CARS 2020: towards a strong, competitive and sustainable European car industry’ (9),

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having regard to the Commission communication of 2 July 2014 entitled ‘Towards a circular economy: A zero waste programme for Europe’ (COM(2014)0398),

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having regard to Directive 2004/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 coordinating the procurement procedures of entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors (10),

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having regard to Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (11),

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having regard to European Court of Auditors Special Report No 1/2014 on the ‘Effectiveness of EU-supported public urban transport projects’,

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having regard to the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities,

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having regard to the Covenant of Mayors,

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having regard to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinions of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Regional Development (A8-0319/2015),

A.

whereas estimates suggest that by 2050 up to 82 % of EU citizens will live in urban areas;

B.

whereas the expected significant increase in urban population confronts urban centres with societal, quality of life and sustainable development challenges, which will require holistic planning measures;

C.

whereas urban mobility still relies overwhelmingly on the use of conventionally powered cars, and whereas transport in the EU is consequently dependent on oil and oil products for more than 96 % of its energy needs, or about one third of total energy consumption;

D.

whereas urban transport is responsible for up to 25 % of all CO2 emissions and for some 70 % of all emissions in urban areas that are responsible for climate change, and is the only sector in the EU whose greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to increase;

E.

whereas according to Special Eurobarometer 406, published in 2013, some 50 % of European citizens use their private cars every day, whilst only 16 % use public transport and only 12 % bicycles;

F.

whereas according to the same report, European citizens regard lower public transport fares (59 %), better public transport services (56 %) and better facilities for cyclists (33 %) as effective ways to improve urban mobility;

G.

whereas about 50 % of journeys in urban areas are shorter than 5 km and in many cities could therefore be made on foot, by bicycle, or by public/collective or any other available means of transport, such as ride-sharing;

H.

whereas the widespread use of diesel in transport, especially in older vehicles and those without particle filters, is one of the main causes of high particulate concentration in EU cities and whereas, therefore, in urban transport modes the use of alternative fuel and changes in the customary ways of using these modes should be promoted, without jeopardising urban mobility;

I.

whereas, according to the European Environment Agency, in 2011 more than 125 million European citizens were exposed to noise pollution above the safety limit of 55 dB, with road traffic being the main cause;

J.

whereas high-quality transport services are of fundamental importance for people living in urban areas to meet their mobility needs in their working lives and their training, tourism and leisure activities; whereas sustainable urban transport can help to reduce energy consumption, atmospheric and noise pollution, the number of accidents, traffic congestion, land use and soil sealing;

K.

whereas targeted measures towards sustainable urban mobility are possible and necessary in order to achieve EU targets and enforce legislation related to transport and environment;

L.

whereas, with due regard for subsidiarity, the EU should help to develop, in support of local actions, an integrated, long-term approach to urban mobility, which will reduce traffic pollution, congestion, noise and road accidents, provide due support to cities and ensure better information, coordination and cooperation among EU Member States;

M.

whereas it is important to underline the significance of public transport for urban economies, including deprived areas, and to recognise its social benefits, such as helping to fight poverty and social exclusion and ensuring access to jobs for all citizens;

N.

whereas good, easy public collective transport is the best deterrent against private transport and one of the best ways to alleviate traffic jams;

O.

whereas 73 % of European citizens consider road safety to be a serious problem in cities, and whereas more than 30 % of road fatalities and serious injuries happen in urban areas and often involve vulnerable road users (VRUs) and pedestrians;

P.

whereas 38 % of all fatalities occur in urban areas and 55 % on inter-urban roads, whereas the victims are most often cyclists and other vulnerable road users, and whereas accidents are linked to high vehicle concentrations and speed;

Q.

whereas sustainable urban transport is one aspect of broader territorial planning policies, and whereas green urban areas can partially offset the impact of road traffic pollution;

R.

whereas the use of alternative propellants and means of transport involves the development of the necessary infrastructure, together with efforts to change people’s mobility-related behaviour;

S.

whereas, as important centres of economic activity and innovation, cities and other larger urban areas have rightly been recognised as crucial nodes in the new TEN-T strategy and are the main link in the transport chain for passengers and freight;

T.

whereas multimodal networks and the integration of different transport modes and services in and around urban areas are potentially beneficial in improving passenger and freight transport efficiency, thus helping to reduce carbon and other harmful emissions;

U.

whereas the Heads of State and Government, meeting at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), made a commitment to supporting the development of sustainable transport networks (12);

V.

whereas a ‘one size fits all urban areas’ solution does not exist and cities across the European Union face specific situations and needs, related in particular to geographical and climate conditions, demographic structure, cultural traditions, and other factors;

W.

whereas urban mobility and urban transport management are the responsibility of local and regional authorities, which design and implement these public policies within their areas, in conjunction with the national framework in force and the EU urban agenda;

X.

whereas it is concerned that the Commission is talking in terms of transport concepts to be devised at European level, which would then have to be adapted according to the circumstances in Member States; whereas, rather than adopting a top-down approach along those lines and without disregarding the need for common rules and standards, it would be preferable to follow a bottom-up approach involving parallel experimentation on the ground, thereby encouraging innovation; whereas, accordingly, it strongly supports the setting-up of platforms for exchanges of experience among local stakeholders with a view to enabling success stories to be publicised more widely;

1.

Underlines that the work done so far at European level and in many cities has been positive and should be continued, and therefore welcomes the aforementioned Commission communication on urban mobility;

2.

Points out that land planning is the most important phase for creating smooth and safe transportation networks that are long-lasting and have a real impact on traffic volumes and distribution; stresses that safety must always be viewed as a key element of sustainable urban planning;

3.

Is convinced that the provision of information to, and the consultation of, EU citizens, retailers, freight transport operators and other stakeholders involved in urban mobility are crucial in order to make planning, development, and decision-making more transparent; stresses that this information should be publicly and easily accessible; points out that it is desirable to foster cooperation among the relevant actors and between cities at EU level with a view to sharing sustainable mobility solutions;

4.

Is convinced that long-term Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) supported by ICT technologies are important tools for providing adequate and safe mobility solutions for all citizens; invites the competent authorities to take account in SUMPs of special needs as regards communications for persons with reduced mobility (PRMs); emphasises that barrier free infrastructure is crucial for PRMs mobility; stresses that it is necessary that SUMPs encompass specific strategies on road safety and provide safe infrastructure with adequate space for the most vulnerable road users;

5.

Emphasises the importance of SUMPs in achieving EU targets regarding CO2 emissions, noise, air pollution and accident reduction; considers that the development of SUMPs should be an important element to be considered in financing EU projects in the area of urban transport and that EU financing and informational support could provide incentives for the development and implementation of such plans; calls on the Commission to provide the competent authorities with the necessary advisory and technical support in the development of SUMPs, taking full account of the principle of subsidiarity;

6.

Encourages the authorities in the Member States to draw up sustainable urban mobility plans which give priority to low-emission transport modes, including electric traction and vehicles powered by alternative fuels, and which include intelligent transport systems; supports the establishment of traffic zones and intermodal platforms where priority is given to use by public transport;

7.

Encourages the Member States and European cities to develop a parking policy (parking space supply, use of intelligent parking systems and appropriate pricing) which can be part of an integrated urban policy and at the same time to put greater efforts into the development of functional intermodal hubs, providing varied transport services and enabling a smooth combination of transport solutions, such as collective transport, shared transport, cycling and rental services; calls for better connectivity of suburban parking spaces with rail and public transport services through, for example, ‘park and ride’ options; recalls the need to eliminate deficiencies in provision for citizens with disabilities;

8.

Underlines that, taking into account the need to reduce the negative impact on the environment of oil dependency in the EU transport system (run overwhelmingly on oil and its by-products), the ESI funds should be systematically used for the development and implementation of comprehensive, integrated SUMPs which will complementarily and mutually reinforce urban mobility measures in the wider spatial planning context, without generating additional transport needs for excessive use of cars, by putting emphasis on an integrated transport system based on cooperation among individual types of transport;

9.

Strongly believes that the Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans should provide strong support for cities and regions in the design and implementation of SUMPs; stresses the importance of considering all cities, regardless of size, for investment in urban mobility and of the key role that European cities and regions have to play in boosting and promoting sustainable urban mobility; calls for the involvement of representatives of local and regional authorities of different sizes and representatives of diverse stakeholders (e.g. cyclists’ associations) in the European Platform and the Member States’ Expert Group on Urban Mobility and Transport;

10.

Emphasises that SUMPs should be consistent with the current EU agenda and objectives, in particular those on the modal shift from road to rail set out in the 2011 White Paper;

11.

Urges the Commission, the Member States and regional and local authorities to assess and audit the Urban Mobility Plans in line with the objectives and goals of the Transport 2050 strategy;

12.

Points in particular to the many harmful effects of the current transport model on fundamental elements of the natural environment, including air, water and soil, and on the various ecosystems;

13.

Is convinced that air pollution has a local, regional, national and cross-border dimension and requires action at all levels of governance; asks, therefore, for a strengthening of the multi-level governance approach where all actors take the responsibility for measures that can and should be taken at that very level;

14.

Invites cities to carefully assess the needs of citizens and businesses and the specificities of transport modes, in order to ensure sustainable mobility in cities, and to take the necessary measures to improve the quality of life in cities, inter alia by fostering a modal shift towards sustainable modes of transport, including walking and cycling, and by promoting an integrated intermodal and/or co-modal policy;

15.

Invites local authorities to take the wellbeing of their citizens into account when designing sustainable mobility plans: in particular, invites the competent authorities to take measures to reduce traffic-related noise in cities;

16.

Encourages the competent authorities to take preventive measures, in accordance with the precautionary and proportionality principles, to improve air quality in towns and cities and to guarantee that pollutant concentrations do not exceed the levels set in the World Health Organization guidelines; to that end, supports local setting-up of low-emission zones; stresses that it is the responsibility of the competent authorities to offer safe and healthy mobility solutions to their citizens; is of the opinion that these solutions could be based on affordable, smart, reliable, accessible public transport systems; encourages the Member States, as well as local authorities, to consider, when there is a risk of the abovementioned WHO guidelines being exceeded, to take measures to improve access to public transport, for example by alternating traffic;

17.

Points out that there is a need for a holistic approach to air pollution in European cities; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward effective measures that enable the Member States to comply with the Ambient Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC), notably by setting effective and ambitious emission ceilings for 2025 and 2030 under the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC), and by ensuring better coordination of measures under the NEC Directive and the Ambient Air Quality Directive, by setting ambitious car emission performance standards for 2025 and 2030 in a timely review of the CO2 and cars Regulation (EC) No 443/2009, and by setting a clear timeframe for the implementation of Real-World Driving Emission Testing for private vehicles;

18.

Calls on the Commission to make assessments, within the Member States’ individual plans, regarding the siting of stations used to measure and monitor atmospheric pollution in the main urban agglomerations with air quality problems, bearing in mind that poor siting of such stations very often renders the data inaccurate and could thus create a public health risk;

19.

Notes the behavioural changes in the area of vehicle ownership and use (car-sharing, car-pooling); encourages the Commission to develop and support transport systems involving collective and public forms of mobility;

20.

Believes that the Commission should assess how society is likely to be affected by new forms of mobility based on the sharing-economy model, including ride-sharing; takes the view that, at national level, Member States should pursue the concept of a ‘shareable city’, where mobility and transport are concerned, since this could benefit citizens, especially in small and medium-sized towns and cities, where the public transport network is smaller, and might make it possible to develop peer-to-peer mobility solutions;

21.

Emphasises that highly developed, efficient, affordable, safe and accessible public transport is an integral part of sustainable urban development; is convinced that reliable public transport services may play an important role in reducing congestion, air pollution and noise in cities; calls on the Member States, therefore, to promote public transport with the view to increasing its use by 2030; also encourages national and local authorities to promote the availability of digital services on public transport and stations, to support the development of innovative forms of mobility and to implement intelligent transport solutions and other state-of-the-art technologies; stresses that car-sharing, ride-sharing and car-pooling services make better use of existing resources and help to reduce the number of cars in cities; recognises the importance of the European satellite navigation programmes Galileo and EGNOS and mobile high-speed networks; supports the formation of a regulatory framework that enables the use of new forms of mobility and new sharing models that make better use of existing resources;

22.

Stresses the importance of public information on urban public transport offers, also taking into account tourists’ language needs and the benefits of sustainable tourism policy; encourages local authorities to provide real-time information on the internet and on sufficiently numerous displays in cities; invites authorities and transport operators to improve the availability of free digital services on public transport and stations;

23.

Highlights the social benefits of rail-bound public transport in terms of accessibility of urban areas, urban regeneration, social inclusion and improvement of the image of cities;

24.

Acknowledges the quality and diversity of the jobs offered by public transport operators and the related benefits for the economy; calls on the Commission to monitor and assess the contribution of public transport to green jobs and green growth strategies at national and European level;

25.

Calls on the Member States to take effective action to ensure security on public transport, whilst respecting local-level powers;

26.

Recalls that non-motorised individual mobility, such as walking and cycling, offers the best potential for CO2 neutrality;

27.

Encourages the Member States to review their strategies in order to improve non-motorised transport with a view to meeting the convergent interests of improving mobility and the urban environment; encourages the Member States to promote, where appropriate, the use of bicycles, including by setting ambitious targets for cycling rates by 2030 and to improve conditions for walking and cycling;

28.

Encourages the Commission and the Member States to raise awareness of cycling and alternative transport modes, to contribute to a modal shift towards sustainable transport modes and to continue supporting the European Mobility Week Campaign; invites cities to organise bicycle-sharing systems in connection with public transport; welcomes initiatives at national, regional and local level to promote and organise ‘EU Car-Free Sunday’ and ‘EU Bicycle Day’ events with a view to improving air quality in cities;

29.

Encourages private companies, administrations and the EU institutions to further improve mobility management services for their members, staff and visitors; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote policies aimed at encouraging companies to reduce journeys from and to workplaces, inter alia by permitting and promoting teleworking and encouraging the use of ICT technologies and teleconferencing; considers that mobility measures, such as those coordinated by the European Platform on Mobility Management (EPOMM), have a great potential for solving urban congestion and providing accessibility for all;

30.

Encourages the Member States and local authorities to define environmental performance requirements in public procurement procedures, particularly when purchasing vehicles for public transport or vehicles used by public authorities;

31.

Considers that energy efficiency and the use of low-carbon and renewable energy sources are key to achieving sustainable urban mobility, while at the same time improving environmental conditions, and that technology neutrality should be respected when adopting measures to meet EU targets for CO2 emissions and energy saving;

32.

Encourages the Member States to support the goals of the Transport White Paper of halving the number of ‘conventionally fuelled’ cars in urban transport by 2030 and of phasing them out in cities by 2050; invites cities to promote and support shifts towards alternative means of transport and less-polluting vehicles, taking into account their real carbon footprint with the view to achieving the EU targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60 % by 2050; welcomes incentives for travellers to combine different modes of transport;

33.

Draws attention to the importance of the use of electric vehicles and vehicles powered by alternative fuels (second- and third-generation biofuels, hydrogen based on renewables, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG)) for the reduction of emissions in cities; recalls the provisions laid down in Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels and encourages the Member States, in close cooperation with regional and local authorities and the industry concerned, to swiftly develop such infrastructure, particularly along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T); invites the public and the private sector to promote the installation of recharging facilities in collective parking areas;

34.

Asks the Commission and national and local authorities to promote, where possible, inland navigation as an integrated mobility solution for soft mobility in cities;

35.

Underlines the importance of a bottom-up approach; therefore supports strongly, for example, the Covenant of Mayors, with over 6 000 signatories, on reducing GHG emissions, and welcomes the appeal made by Commissioner Canete on 13 October 2015 in Brussels to get a more ambitious Convention under way; supports the Commission in playing a positive role as active catalyst for such initiatives;

36.

Calls on the Commission and the Member States to put ambitious measures on ‘Sustainable Urban Mobility’ high on the agenda of the COP 21 to be held in Paris in December 2015; encourages the Commission to give active support to the Action Agenda initiatives on integrated sustainable urban mobility;

37.

Recalls that Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) make mobility safer, more efficient, environmentally friendly and fluid, and therefore calls on the Commission and the Member States to intensify efforts on ITS, including innovation and implementation in the fields of provision of real-time travel information, highly automated vehicles, smart infrastructure and intelligent traffic signal systems; recalls the importance of ITS in providing accurate, real-time traffic and travel data, and therefore invites the Commission to bring urban mobility into the focus of the Digital Agenda; encourages stakeholders to cooperate closely in the development of interoperable and integrated mobility services such as multimodal public transport, shared mobility and intermodal integrated ticketing facilities; asks the Commission to prioritise the development of innovative applications and new technologies enabling road users to take a more proactive role as developers and data producers in the transport system, in order to contribute to platforms for mobility services, in accordance with EU rules and data protection;

38.

Encourages all parties to fully utilise the possibilities of data and digitalisation and to use deregulation to promote new business models;

39.

Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support research programmes on new technologies, new business models, and new integrated sustainable urban mobility practices and urban logistics; supports the Horizon 2020 priorities regarding societal challenges for smart, green and integrated transport and urban mobility, as well as the development of ‘Mobility-as-a-Service’ (Maas) initiatives across Europe; believes that Horizon 2020 must boost research and innovation in the areas of quality of life, sustainable jobs, demographics, active mobility changes, environment and climate action; is of the opinion that the Commission should take account of these priorities, secure sufficient EU funds for future R&D activities in urban rail systems and improve the performance of sustainable transport solutions;

40.

Notes that thorough safety preconditions as well as advanced traffic and speed management lead to a drastic reduction in road fatalities and serious injuries in cities; points out that a security force with the task of managing and controlling traffic and performing consistent checks on traffic safety offences, such as speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs and medicines and using mobile phones and other communication and information devices contribute to reducing road accidents in cities;

41.

Invites the Member States and local authorities to rethink speed management by 2020, taking into account local conditions, in order to ensure safety, inter alia in housing areas and around schools and educational and social facilities, and to consider the development and design of safer road infrastructure; calls on the Member States and local authorities to use all modern solutions, including advanced intelligent traffic management, to provide safety for all road users, including pedestrians; encourages European cities to exchange best practices regarding safety management;

42.

Believes that the development of innovative, sustainable, environmentally friendly urban logistics strategies, involving private and public actors, is of the utmost importance for solving congestion and environmental problems in cities; is of the opinion that logistics should be based on sustainable modes of transport; calls for a better optimisation of the supply chain in urban areas, based on new, cost-effective types of operation, technology and business model; points to the importance of SUMPs that encompass co-modality logistics strategies, and underlines that, where appropriate, rail, clean inland navigation and seaports need to be integrated into logistics strategies and sustainable urban mobility plans; calls on the competent authorities to reduce, where possible, heavy vehicle traffic in city centres;

43.

Points out that high-density areas and other areas such as shopping and retail centres are facing increased road traffic and congestion problems, and points to the importance of effective and comprehensive planning policies to link up these areas to efficient public transport and smart home delivery services;

44.

Invites the Commission to develop policies to encourage the freight industry to green its fleet and to encourage local authorities to provide support and/or incentives to operators to make urban freight transport more sustainable; recalls that rail and other more sustainable transport modes, together with well-planned interchange and logistics, can play an important role by bringing goods to the urban periphery;

45.

Stresses that cost-benefit assessments of investments should be directed to maximising external societal benefits and minimising external costs arising from, for example, climate change, accidents, health, noise, air pollution and spatial use;

46.

Stresses that urban mobility should contribute to, and be fully integrated into, EU resource efficiency objectives, in particular those linked to the circular economy;

47.

Recalls that urban road and parking pricing based on the non-discrimination, interoperability and polluter-pays principles can be part of an integrated urban mobility policy;

48.

Recalls the ‘use of revenues’ principle with regard to road charging, and calls, where appropriate, for a proportion of revenue from the use of road infrastructure (road charging and/or Eurovignette) to be dedicated to improving sustainable urban mobility;

49.

Believes that urban mobility should be reflected in the Connecting Europe Facility/Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) measures, wherever appropriate and in line with TEN-T legislation, including support for urban nodes and the integration of mobility plans for cities in cross-border areas, as this both stimulates economic and social development and supports better accessibility; believes that efficient interconnection between various modes of transport and between transport networks, including peri-urban and interregional networks, would improve citizens' mobility; supports the development of integrated ticketing systems, which could potentially improve accessibility to public transport;

50.

Calls on the Commission, the Member States and local authorities to make use of the new possibility of financing urban projects within the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in urban nodes; recalls the possibility for the CEF to finance synergy projects with an extra-cofinancing rate of transport projects with energy and telecommunications, which has enormous potential for urban projects; invites the Commission to consider appropriate EU funding for sustainable mobility projects when reviewing the budgets of the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund; asks the relevant authorities to ensure there is a strong relationship between smart and sustainable urban mobility policy and urban mobility projects financed by EU funds, and to set clear utilisation targets and indicators in order to avoid under-utilisation of the projects and undermining of their economic and social benefits; recognises the need for new forms of sustainable funding for public transport which enable environmental sustainability, digitalisation and accessibility, stimulate the economy of urban areas and create new jobs;

51.

Points to the recently adopted European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and the particular attention and focus given in this instrument to horizontal priorities and to smart and sustainable urban projects; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support sustainable urban mobility projects, to ensure the necessary synergies between the various funding sources and programmes, and to develop links between urban mobility, the new Digital Agenda and the Energy Union;

52.

Stresses the importance of capacity-building within local authorities and in periurban areas for drawing up and implementing integrated development strategies to facilitate cooperation between different territories, and consequently to foster interdependence and complementarity;

53.

Considers that investment in sustainable public transport is not only a response to urban mobility problems, but also includes ‘elements of urban renewal’ that impact the general economic system of the city and facilitate the creation of a green urban environment, as well as access to centres of mixed activities (commercial, residential, leisure, culture, education); stresses that the proper coordination of mobility and urban planning is crucial in order to maximise the impact of investments;

54.

Calls for the initiatives promoting youth employment and other ESI funds to be used to promote employment in areas that stimulate the development of sustainable urban mobility; stresses that the implementation of urban mobility projects has a positive impact on all regions and their populations, by promoting the filling of existing and innovative job openings in relevant fields, including professions where there is a workforce shortage;

55.

Urges the Commission to set up easily accessible overviews of EU co-funded urban mobility programmes; demands, furthermore, that user-friendly information be provided on the EU co-funding opportunities for urban transport projects; asks the Commission to ensure, when managing EU-funded urban mobility projects, that: (a) management tools are put in place to monitor the quality of the service and the level of user satisfaction once projects are operational, (b) urban mobility projects are included in a sound mobility policy, and (c) the abovementioned points are also addressed by the Member States’ authorities; asks the Commission to supply a qualitative and quantitative analysis of cohesion policy support for sustainable urban mobility when undertaking its mid-term review of the implementation of ESIF;

56.

Calls on the Member States to promote multi-level governance to foster cooperation between regional, national and European authorities in the development of policies, including in the design, implementation and monitoring of urban policies that have a clear impact on urban areas;

57.

Refers to the Commission’s Citizens’ Network initiative as a good basis for promoting and supporting intermodal sustainable mobility chains based on walking/cycling/public-collective backbone transport alongside car-sharing/car-pooling/taxis;

58.

Calls on the Commission to promote and encourage best practice exchanges and guidance in order to tackle urban mobility challenges and facilitate the transfer of skills and technologies in the field of sustainable mobility, in particular for the benefit of public and private stakeholders who develop sustainable mobility solutions and of the cooperative, mutual and non-profit sector; invites the Commission to establish a Sustainable Mobility Network of best-practice examples of spatial planning and space use; calls further on the Member States to encourage cities to participate in the Smart Cities and Communities European Innovation Partnership; invites the Commission and the Member States to launch public-awareness campaigns to promote mobility that is efficient, sustainable and less dependent on the use private, conventionally fuelled cars;

59.

Supports the work of the Urban Mobility Observatory (Eltis) and believes that communication around this initiative, including its portal, should be enhanced;

60.

Welcomes the Commission’s efforts to coordinate and consolidate EU initiatives in the field of urban mobility, such as CIVITAS 2020 for research and innovation, the Urban Mobility Observatory for the exchange of best practice and experience, and the Platform on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans; calls on the Commission to reinforce its efforts to reduce fragmentation and the lack of coordination between the relevant EU initiatives and programmes and to take into account the success of programmes such as URBAN and URBACT; calls on the Commission to encourage the authorities in the Member States to create networks of excellence in the field of urban mobility, to continue the efforts of the CIVITAS 2020 initiative and to encourage more EU citizens to sign up to this project;

61.

Is convinced that additional efforts should be made to network and coordinate EU pilot projects, e.g. by Civitas, Polis and Eltis, and to integrate cities with their practical experience and know-how when discussing the implementation of future mobility policies; to that end, urges the Commission to set up easily accessible overviews of EU co-funded urban mobility programmes; demands furthermore that it be made clear — in a user-friendly manner — how to obtain EU co-funding for urban mobility projects; stresses the need to finance not only infrastructure, but also IT services, monitoring processes and inter-regional projects, and to establish strategic partnerships between industry and European cities with a view to developing the urban systems of tomorrow;

62.

Advocates a strong link between mobility plans and urban sustainability and other initiatives such as Smart Cities and the Covenant of Mayors, which are oriented towards a more sustainable and self-sufficient city; considers that the voluntary commitment established in the Covenant of Mayors can serve as a springboard for addressing all parties concerned in the creation of mobility and sustainability plans that can be advertised in a cost-efficient manner; welcomes the initiative entitled ‘CiTIEs: Cities of Tomorrow: Investing in Europe’, and calls on the Commission to use the existing platforms to develop communication tools aimed at bringing together stakeholders in the field of sustainable urban development;

63.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.