WRITTEN QUESTION E-2550/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 September 2002)

Subject: Public transport in urban areas 2: introduction of standard information about routes and fares and introduction of daily passes with the same recognisable names throughout Europe

1. Is the Commission aware that some towns which for a number of years, for example after the introduction of a new network of routes, the purchase of new vehicles or the opening of new tram-lines, ensured that the transport system was accessible, have since neglected this concern, with the result that they have relapsed into being difficult of access for outsiders?

2. Will the Commission, inter alia as part of its policy on tourism, take measures to arrange a European scheme under which municipal authorities and local transport companies in as many towns as possible with populations over 100 000 permanently offer a uniform standard package which at the minimum meets the quality requirements referred to in the previous set of questions?

3. Will the Commission support this standard package by promoting the introduction of a single recognisable European name for the daily pass and likewise for the information leaflet containing the network of routes, so that they are easy to obtain everywhere?

4. Can this standard package be promoted by publicly identifying the towns which comply with such a European quality standard, thereby encouraging any towns which are not yet participating in the scheme to do so and preventing some towns from again in due course relapsing into being difficult of access for outsiders?

5. Will the Commission take measures, wherever possible, to encourage the extension of this standard package and these European names to European states which have entered into long-term cooperation with the EU, including those states which are expected to become EU Member States within the foreseeable future?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2549/02 and E-2550/02given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2002)

The Commission is aware of these problems, and agrees that it is worthwhile to address them. Effective solutions benefit tourists and other visitors, resident citizens, and the environment.

The Commission already actively encourages authorities and operators to tackle these problems. It has launched research projects to identify solutions; cooperated with the European Committee for Standardization to develop quality standards for public transport, drawing on this research; sponsored the European Local Transport Information Service, a computerised database of good practice(1); encouraged networking between city authorities at European level to address transport problems; and

organised the Citizens' Network Benchmarking Initiative, under which authorities and operators studied good examples of integration in cities like Madrid and Prague. It has supported the development of new services that using mobile telephones and the internet to provide travel information on the move, tailored to individuals' needs and updated in real time.

The Commission will continue to develop these practical tools, and shares the view that in some cases, a higher level of encouragement or obligation is needed. This is mainly a matter for Member States. The Community has a role to play in addressing such quality problems where poor standards in one Member State impede people from another; or where it is important to reinforce public service objectives alongside market opening in network industries like electricity, gas, telecommunications, postal services and public transport.

Accordingly, in its proposal for a Regulation on public services in public transport(2), the Commission has proposed quality factors that all authorities will be required to take into account including ticketing and information as well as minimum requirements for the information that all operators must make available.

Later this year, the Commission plans to propose a Regulation on customer rights in passenger rail. This will address the question of how long distance rail travellers get information and tickets for public transport in their cities of destination.

The Commission is launching a study of integration in public transport, to report before the end of 2003. It will cover ticketing and information.

It will examine whether there is a need for Community action to secure adequate standards.

These measures support the Community's objective of promoting sustainable tourism and offering tourists alternatives to the use of the car, by encouraging transport companies, tour operators, tourist attractions, tourism businesses and tourist information services to work together to manage the quality of tourist destinations.

The Commission believes that the idea of a standard public transport ticketing and information package has merit. It wishes to examine it further recognising that an international standard would need to leave room for authorities to take account of local conditions and regional or national standards. It will ensure that this happens as part of the study of integration in public transport.

(1) www.eltis.org.

(2) OJ C 151 E, 25.6.2002.