The European exit strategy must include an integrated and sustainable approach to Urban Mobility

The European exit strategy must include an integrated and sustainable approach to Urban Mobility

By

25 May, 2020

In cooperation with 11 other organisations, ECF co-signed a letter addressed to Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean highlighting the need for an integrated and sustainable approach to urban mobility for post-COVID19 Europe.

As Europe is getting ready to restart urban life, it is time to rethink mobility to avoid a bounce back to an inefficient “business as usual”, which was feeding the climate crisis, causing millions of untimely deaths and chronic health problems with road danger, air pollution and lack of physical activity, and jeopardizing our economic life with traffic congestion.

Therefore, we need a European level strategy to pull together guidance and key measures to:

Accelerate the shift towards sustainable, safe and integrated urban mobility;
Foster growth and competitiveness in green technology for transport;
Encourage the implementation of future-proof urban freight logistics systems;
Prevent entrenched and unsustainable interests from benefiting from inertia and historically low oil prices to derail or postpone progress with the European Green Deal;
Support local and regional authorities, public transport stakeholders, cycling businesses and walking and cycling associations to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities brought by this crisis.

The letter draws attention to the following needs:

Public transport

Special attention and support must be given to public transport, and to the needs, aspirations and apprehensions of its passengers.

Walking and cycling

This crisis has brought before us a unique opportunity to reshape urban mobility in Europe. Behavioural experts consistently point out that life-changing events offer the best opportunities to make people consider permanent changes in certain deep-rooted habits, such as mobility habits.

Financial Support Mechanisms Focusing on Sustainability

Local and regional authorities are facing substantial financial costs in the field of urban mobility due to COVID-19. Expenditure remains high, and revenue declines. This is the case for public transport, for all forms of shared mobility, as well as for parking (important as a tool for regulating access to urban areas).

Exchange of Best Practices and Codes of Practice

In order to save time, money and human lives, a European level exchange of best practices that will ensure a better regulation framework to empower the local level should be envisaged. Effective policies, data and lessons learned should be shared between cities and regions, and between member states.