Brussels, 30/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - It's done. Gilles Savary (PES, France) presented, on Wednesday 21 January, his draft own-initiative report on the action plan relating to urban mobility (see EUROPE 9817). The text, which suggests 20 measures for increasing the attractiveness of public transport in towns - especially those of over 100,000 inhabitants - should be presented on 11 February to the transport committee and voted on 31 March, before the same committee. A European financial instrument allowing the joint funding of mobility studies and “greener” modes of transport, an information network and the sale of urban transport securities, and the reactivation of the CIVITAS programme are among the measures proposed which, according to Mr Savary, will make it possible to coordinate individual initiatives on town transport, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity. The project also aims to put pressure on the European Commission as, given the opposition of certain member states, it is unable to adopt its own action plan in this field.
“The European Parliament is taking up the initiative discarded by the Commission”, the Socialist MEP comments in his blog, reproaching the Commission for not following up the publication, in September 2007, of its Green Paper on a new urban mobility culture, albeit welcomed by the European Parliament. “We need an incentive policy”, the MEP stressed, pointing out that, by 2020, 80% of European citizens will be living in towns. The Commission had in fact announced in the Green Paper on urban transport (see EUROPE 9509) the publication in 2008 of an action plan that would identify measures to be taken to ensure the fluidity and cleanliness of traffic in urban areas. Put to the college by the DG TREN, the plan gave rise to concern especially from Germany (where the Länder were against too great an involvement on the part of the Commission in this area) and therefore ended up shelved. Its adoption remains suspended, despite efforts made by Antonio Tajani, Transport Commissioner, who recently gave his assurance that he would do everything possible to get the plan adopted before the European elections in June 2009.
Twenty measures to ensure mobility
In his own-initiative report, Mr Savary calls for initiatives taken in the field of urban transport to be more consistent, as these are currently sprinkled out among different financial instruments and policies. By taking stock of these instruments, the EU could, without encroaching on the principle of subsidiarity, provide added value, the MEP states. Among other things, he suggests: - immediately launching a programme for improving statistics and databases on urban mobility with Eurostat, which would integrate data on traffic (including the use of bicycles and walking), statistics on noise, pollution, accidents and congestion and indicators of the supply and quality of transport services; - developing a third generation CIVITAS programme to promote urban transport, with financing for calls for proposals including annexed services linked to intermodal transport (pricing, etc), comfort programmes (ergonomy) in urban transport, innovation in terms of accessibility mainly for persons with reduced mobility (PRM), and integrated information programmes on the urban transport network; - increasing funding and research in the field of intelligent transport networks (ITN), which should be another way to strengthen urban mobility; - implementing and generalising sustainable urban mobility plans in towns of over 100,000 inhabitants mainly integrating a plan for interconnection between the different transport networks, a plan for developing non-aggressive traffic (cyclists and pedestrians), a master plan for parking facilities and guidelines for freight supplies, including with the use of the public network and transport network management plans for persons with reduced mobility; - the study, as part of the 2014-2020 financial perspectives, of a European financial instrument allowing the co-funding of mobility plans and investment in green transport modes, as well as the development by the Commission of a report on urban tolls and guidelines for the latter. Other measures recommend: - the setting up of an information network and the sale of transport securities in the main EU towns; - a charter for those using public transport in towns; - the setting in place of a policy for the standardisation and certification of material regarding safety, comfort, interoperability, accessibility for persons with reduced mobility and environmentally-friendly vehicles; - and the development of guidelines for minimum service quality provisions and the allocation of a large part of the credits made available thanks to the recovery plan for the financing of urban transport work (to be carried out by the end of 2009).
POLIS, a network of European cities and regions from across Europe which promotes, supports and advocates innovation in local transport, supports the Parliament's initiative. “All the measures proposed are of great interest and several of them are in line with Polis' expectations”, POLIS President Francesc Narvaez states in a press release, mainly citing the European Financial Instrument, the ITS, extension of the CIVITAS programme, and the consequences of the European recovery plan for urban mobility. (A.By./transl.jl)