Brussels, 26/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The promotion of sustainable urban transport with more financial support at European level is the concern expressed by Eurocities, the networks that brings together about a hundred large European cities. In the context of preparing the Green Paper on urban transport, that the Commission plans to publish in autumn 2007 (EUROPE 9354), Eurocities has made its own contribution to the debate. During a meeting with the transport commissioner, Jacques Barrot, on 19 April, Gérard Collomb, Eurocities President and also Mayor of Lyons, suggested forming a public consortium composed of a large number of towns so that they may place grouped orders for the purchase of more environmentally-friendly vehicles. According to Mr Collomb, by grouping orders the purchase price could be brought down, thus stimulating development and production of a number of new technologies. Commissioner Barrot was in favour of this proposal, according to Mr Collomb. In addition to this idea, Eurocities also calls for new financial instruments to be developed in the context of Structural Funds for the establishment and development of policies in favour of urban mobility. Such policies should also provide for the promotion - through awareness campaigns and improved infrastructures - of clean transport such as bicycles, walking routes, public transport (metro, tram, buses), etc. The recommendations of Eurocities with a view to preparing the Green Paper are available on http://www.eurocities.eu . (aby)