By Jacques Barrot - Vice President of the European Commission
Our cities are the engines of the European economy. Around 60 percent of European citizens live in an urban environment and almost 85 percent of the EU’s gross national product is generated in urban areas.
All European cities are different, but they share similar challenges: congestion, pollution, health issues, safety and security. Good urban mobility would enhance the quality of life of European citizens. Throughout Europe, increased traffic in town and city centers has resulted in chronic congestion, with the many adverse consequences that this entails in terms of delays and pollution. Urban road traffic is responsible for 40 percent of CO2 emissions and 70 percent of emissions of other pollutants arising from road transport. The number of road accidents in towns and cities is growing each year: One in three fatal accidents now happen in urban areas, and it is the most vulnerable people, namely pedestrians and cyclists, who are usually the victims. While it is true to say that these problems occur on a local level, their impact is felt on a continental scale: Climate change, increased health problems and bottlenecks in the logistics chain are just some examples. Faced with this difficult task, local authorities in cities and towns in Europe should not be left alone. My purpose is not to impose solutions from the center that will be ill-suited to local circumstances. My role is rather to identify, in partnership with all parties, what obstacles exist to successful urban mobility and how to remove them. The European Union has a duty to focus attention and, where relevant, to play a leading role on this issue. How must we rethink urban mobility? My vision for urban mobility is based on five key objectives:
1. Mobility in our cities should be fluid. And I am not the only one who thinks so: According to a recent opinion poll, 90 percent of Europeans think that the traffic situation in their area should be improved. Throughout Europe, increasing traffic in city centers is leading to permanent congestion. The delays and other adverse effects caused by traffic jams cost the European Union 1 percent of its gross domestic product. Experience shows that there is no single answer for reducing congestion. Alternatives to private car use, such as public transport, walking and cycling, should be made attractive and safe. Citizens should be able to switch between modes easily using good parking facilities outside city centers. Innovations in traffic management practice like car pooling and car sharing and developing more efficient freight transport will also help to get our cities moving.
2. Transport should be less polluting. The main environmental problems in towns and cities stem from the dominance of oil as a transport fuel, which generates CO2 and air pollutant emissions. These have a negative impact on everyone’s health. New and clean technologies, let’s call them “green propulsion,” have an important role to play in achieving cleaner urban transport. Traffic restrictions in city centers and the creation of green zones and urban charging schemes can also be part of the solution provided that public transport facilities are increased and improved. Recent opinion polls show that more than half of EU citizens are prepared to pay a little bit more to use transport that pollutes less.
3. Mobility should be smart. Technology offers enormous possibilities to improve mobility if we can work out how to harness it. European cities are facing a relentless increase in the demand for freight and passenger movements. Today, goods sit around for far too long in the back of trucks. Our possibilities to build extra infrastructure capacity are limited, due to a lack of space, environmental constraints and low acceptance by citizens. Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and traffic control systems must be used to help to increase the efficient management of urban mobility, including freight distribution. Travelers should be able to make informed choices on the best mode of transport, travel time and costs, taking into account the situation on the traffic network.
4. It is essential that our cities should be accessible for all. Society is changing. It is getting older, and it expects smarter transport that still remains affordable. Citizens want seamless, flexible and accessible public transport and safe infrastructure for walking, cycling and private vehicle use. Efficient and thoughtful urban planning, with good links between suburban and urban transport facilities is essential. Innovative solutions for quality collective transport must be found.
Shouldn’t all European citizens have some basic rights when they use public transport?
5. Transport should be safer and more secure. About two-thirds of road accidents and one-third of road fatalities occur in urban areas, with pedestrians and cyclists being the most vulnerable road users. If we want to save lives, we need to take action to ensure safer behaviour, safer vehicles and safer infrastructure. I am also examining how to ensure a better enforcement of traffic rules throughout Europe.
If these are the five areas of concern, how can we afford to make these advances? The Green Paper I have just presented to the Commission is designed to open a broad consultation and debate with governments, with industry and with citizens about the future of urban transport. I hope the Green Paper will generate further debate on all these important issues. In autumn 2008, having listened to this debate, I plan to present an action plan proposing some concrete measures, presenting a clear vision on responsibilities and tasks and a timetable for action, a real European policy for urban mobility. Together we must find the means to improve urban mobility. We need to make sustainable mobility available to all European citizens, allowing economic actors to play a full role in our cities. I urge everyone, citizens and stakeholders, to make their contribution. It is time to put urban mobility on the European agenda and open a new chapter in European transport policy. Let’s work together toward greener cities.
(Kathimerini)