Planning for sustainable urban mobility in Southern Europe: insights from Rome and Madrid

Starting from the relationship between urban planning and mobility management, TeMA has gradually expanded the view of the covered topics, always following a rigorous scientific in-depth analysis. This section of the Journal, Review Notes, is the expression of a continuous updating of emerging topics concerning relationships among urban planning, mobility and environment, through a collection of short scientific papers. The Review Notes are made of four parts. Each section examines a specific aspect of the broader information storage within the main interests of TeMA Journal. In particular, the Urban Practices section aims at producing, analyzing and reporting data on recent and relevant policies in the urban domain. The present note in particular reports on the recent initiatives undertaken by two major Southern European capitals to foster sustainable mobility: Rome (IT) and Madrid (ES). To this aim, the note briefly introduces the legal background and current developments of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), a framework developed by the European Commission to support local administrations in developing holistic urban mobility strategies. This is followed by (i) an overview of the mobility situations in Rome and Madrid and by (ii) an analysis of the objectives, the strategies and the measures set in their respective SUMPs. A comparative analysis of the two SUMPs is proposed in the last paragraph as summary factsheet of the contribution.

section_content: This document sets out a concept for the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans that has emerged from a broad exchange between stakeholders and planning experts across the Union, which were supported by Commission initiatives like the ELTIS Plus project. The concept reflects a broad consensus on the main features of a modern and sustainable urban mobility and transport plan. It is not proposed that this concept represents a one-size-fits-all approach to urban transport planning. Instead the concept can and should be adapted to the particular circumstances of the Member State and urban areas. 

The elements below should be seen as guiding principles.

section_content: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan has as its central goal improving accessibility of urban areas and providing high-quality and sustainable mobility and transport to, through and within the urban area. It regards the needs of the 'functioning city' and its hinterland rather than a municipal administrative region. 

In pursuit of this goal, a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan seeks to contribute to development of an urban transport system which:

(a. ) Is accessible and meets the basic mobility needs of all users; (b. )

Balances and responds to the diverse demands for mobility and transport services by citizens, businesses and industry; (c. ) Guides a balanced development and better integration of the different transport modes; (d. ) Meets the requirements of sustainability, balancing the need for economic viability, social equity, health and environmental quality; (e. )

Optimises efficiency and cost effectiveness; (f. )

Makes better use of urban space and of existing transport infrastructure and services; (g. )

Enhances the attractiveness of the urban environment, quality of life, and public health; (h. )

Improves traffic safety and security; (i. )

Reduces air and noise pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy consumption; and (j. )

Contributes to a better overall performance of the trans-European transport network and the Europe's transport system as a whole.
section_name: Goals and objectives

section_content: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan presents, or is linked to an existing, long-term strategy for the future development of the urban area and, in this context, for the future development of transport and mobility infrastructure and services.
section_name: Long-term vision and clear implementation plan

section_content: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan equally includes a delivery plan for short-term implementation of the strategy. 

(1)

Timetable and budget plan: The delivery plan should include a timetable for implementation as well as a budget plan. Sources for the requisite funding should be identified. The delivery plan ideally should cover a period of 3-10 years. 

(2) Responsibilities and resources: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should provide a clear allocation of the responsibilities for the implementation of the policies and measures set out in the plan and identify the required resources for each actor.
section_name: EN

section_content: The development of a sustainable urban mobility should build on a careful assessment of the present and future performance of the urban transport system. 

(3) Status analysis and baseline: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should provide a comprehensive review of the current situation and the establishment of a baseline, through an 'urban mobility performance audit'', against which future progress can be measured. This analysis should include a review of the institutional set-up, planning process and delivery mechanisms. It should also include an Impact Assessment on the proposed measures. 

(4) Performance indicators: Suitable indicators should be identified to describe the current status of the urban transport system from the relevant policy perspectives: quality and accessibility of transport services and infrastructure; land-use and spatial development; safety and security; energy; environment; social inclusion and gender equity; economic development; health; education; etc. ). A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should identify 'hotspots' within the urban areas where performance of the present transport system is particular poor with regard to any of above policy perspectives. 

(5) Specific objectives: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should identify specific performance objectives, which are realistic in view of the current situation in the urban area, as established by the status analysis, and ambitious with regard to the goal and general objectives of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. 

(6) Targets: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should set measurable targets, which are based on a realistic assessment of the baseline and available resources. These targets should reflect the specific objectives of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.
section_name: Assessment of current and future performance

section_content: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan fosters a balanced development of all relevant transport modes, while encouraging a shift towards more sustainable modes. The plan puts forward an integrated set of technical, infrastructure, policy-based, and soft measures to improve performance and cost-effectiveness with regard to the declared goal and specific objectives. 

The following topics would typically be addressed:

(a. ) Public transport: Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should provide a strategy to enhance the quality, security, integration and accessibility of public transport services, covering infrastructure, rolling stock, and services.
section_name: Balanced and integrated development of all modes

section_content: Non-motorised transport: Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should incorporate a plan to raise attractiveness, safety and security of walking and cycling. Existing infrastructure should be assessed and improved where necessary. The development of new infrastructure EN should be envisaged not only along the itineraries of motorised transport. Dedicated infrastructure should be considered for cyclists and pedestrians to separate them from heavy motorised traffic and to reduce travel distances, where appropriate. Infrastructure measures should be complemented by other technical, as well as policy-based, and soft measures.
section_name: (b.)

section_content: Inter-modality: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should contribute to a better integration of the different modes, and should identify measures aimed specifically at facilitating seamless and multi-modal mobility and transport. (d. ) Urban road safety: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should present actions to improve road safety based on an analysis of the main road safety problems and risk areas in the concerned urban area. 

(e. )

Road transport (flowing and stationary): For the road network and motorised transport, a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should address moving and stationary traffic. Measures should aim at optimising the use of existing road infrastructure and improving the situation in the identified 'hot-spots' and overall. The potential for reallocating road space to other modes of transport or other public functions and use which are not related to transport should be explored. 

(f. ) Urban logistics: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should present measures to improve the efficiency of urban logistics, including urban freight delivery, while reducing related externalities like emissions of GHG, pollutants and noise.
section_name: (c.)

section_content: Mobility management: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should include actions to foster a change towards more sustainable mobility patterns. Citizens, employers, schools, and other relevant actors should be engaged.
section_name: (g.)

section_content: Intelligent Transport Systems: ITS being applicable to all transport modes and mobility services, both for passengers and freight, they can support strategy formulation, policy implementation and monitoring of each of the measures designed under the framework of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.
section_name: (h.)

section_content: The development and implementation of a Sustainable Urban Mobility plan follows an integrated approach with a high level of cooperation, coordination and consultation between the different levels of government and relevant authorities. The Local Planning Authority should put in place appropriate structures and procedures. 

Integrated planning and implementation encompasses (a. )

Interdepartmental consultation and cooperation at the local level to ensure consistency and complementarity of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan with local policies, strategies and measures in related policy areas (such as transport; land-use and spatial planning; social services; energy; health; education; enforcement and policing, etc. ).
section_name: Horizontal and vertical integration

section_content: Close exchange with the relevant authorities (i) at the different levels of administration and government (e. g. district, municipality, agglomeration, region, and Member States) and (ii) in neighbouring urban areas. This exchange should involve in particular those bodies and authorities with responsibility for transport and mobility services and infrastructure inside or leading to the urban area.
section_name: (b.)

section_content: Familiarity with and due consideration for policy objectives and relevant development and/or transport plans, which already exist or are being developed and which impact on the concerned urban area.
section_name: (c.)

section_name: Participatory approach

section_content: A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan follows a transparent and participatory approach. 

The Local Planning Authority should involve the relevant actors -citizens, as well as representatives of civil society and economic actors -in developing and implementing the plan from the outset and throughout the process to ensure a high level of acceptance and support.
section_name: EN

section_content: The implementation of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan should be closely monitored. 

The progress towards the goal and specific objectives of the plan and meeting the targets should be assessed regularly on the basis of the selected indicators. Appropriate action should be taken to ensure timely access to the relevant data and statistics. A monitoring report should provide the basis for a review of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan implementation.
section_name: Monitoring, review, reporting

section_content: Local Planning Authorities should have mechanisms to ensure the quality and validate compliance of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan with the requirements of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan concept.
section_name: Quality assurance