On Monday 26 September, MEPs on the European Parliament’s Transport Committee debated the report by Andrey Novakov (EPP, Bulgarian) on the EU’s new urban mobility framework.
Generally welcomed by MEPs in the committee, Novakov’s report emphasises the importance of developing the necessary infrastructure, particularly to achieve inclusive transport, with easier access for disabled people, passengers with reduced mobility and the elderly.
In addition, emphasis is placed on the deployment of recharging stations - work is underway on this aspect (see EUROPE 12964/2) - and on the development of safe cycle lanes.
In this respect, the rapporteur also stresses the need to work on the issue of electric scooters, the rise of which in major European cities - involving new safety issues - has considerably changed urban mobility.
On this point, the rapporteur was joined by several MEPs, such as Ciarán Cuffe (Greens/EFA, Irish), who believes that a system capping the speed of vehicles when used on pavements could be introduced. Mr Cuffe also called for consideration to be given to applying such standards to large vehicles such as SUVs, 4x4s and HGVs, which are “responsible for tens of thousands of deaths” in the EU.
The Irish MEP also insisted on taking all externalities into account, not just traffic jams and congestion.
Other MEPs, such as Andreas Schieder (S&D, Austrian), stressed the importance of increasing the geographical coverage of public transport, increasing investment, working harder on the issue of multimodal ticketing and taking better account of the opportunities presented by the digitalisation of transport. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)