Green Paper - Towards a new culture for urban mobility {SEC(2007) 1209}
Date: 2007-09-25
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: air quality, common transport policy, financing, new technology, public transport, sustainable development, transport infrastructure, transport safety, urban transport

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 25.9.2007 
COM(2007) 551 final 

GREEN PAPER 

Towards a new culture for urban mobility 

(presented by the Commission) 

{SEC(2007) 1209} 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

2.1. 

2.2. 

2.3. 

2.4. 

2.5. 

3. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3 

Addressing the challenge ............................................................................................. 6 

Towards free-flowing towns and cities ........................................................................ 6 

Towards greener towns and cities ................................................................................ 8 

Towards smarter urban transport ............................................................................... 10 

Towards accessible urban transport ........................................................................... 12 

Towards safe and secure urban transport ................................................................... 15 

Creating a new urban mobility culture....................................................................... 17 

3.1. 

Improving knowledge… ............................................................................................ 17 

3.2.  …and data collection.................................................................................................. 18 

4. 

5. 

Financial resources..................................................................................................... 18 

Consultations.............................................................................................................. 21 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Public consultation in preparation for the Green Paper on urban mobility 

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GREEN PAPER 

Towards a new culture for urban mobility 

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

In the European Union, over 60% of the population lives in urban areas1. Just under 85% of 
the EU's gross domestic product is created in urban areas. Towns and cities are the drivers of 
the  European  economy.  They  attract  investment  and  jobs.  They  are  essential  to  the  smooth 
functioning of the economy. 

Urban areas now constitute the living environment of the vast majority of the population, and 
it is imperative that the quality of life in these areas should be as high as possible. That is why 
we must now pool our thoughts and consider the question of urban mobility. 

European towns and cities are all different, but they face similar challenges and are trying 
to find common solutions. 

Throughout  Europe,  increased  traffic  in  town  and  city  centres  has  resulted  in  chronic 
congestion,  with  the  many  adverse  consequences  that  this  entails  in  terms  of  delays  and 
pollution.  Every  year  nearly  100  billion  euros,  or  1%  of  the  EU's  GDP,  are  lost  to  the 
European economy as a result of this phenomenon. 

Air and noise pollution is getting worse year by year. Urban traffic is responsible for 40% of 
CO2 emissions and 70% of emissions of other pollutants arising from road transport. 

The  number  of  road  traffic  accidents  in  towns  and  cities  is  also  growing  each  year:  one  in 
three fatal accidents now happen in urban areas, and it is the most vulnerable people, namely 
pedestrians and cyclists, who are the main victims. 

While  it  is  true  to  say  that  these  problems  occur  on  a  local  level,  their  impact  is  felt  on  a 
continental  scale:  climate  change/global  warming,  increased  health  problems,  bottlenecks  in 
the logistics chain, etc. 

Local authorities cannot face all these issues on their own; there is a need for cooperation and 
coordination at European level. The vital issue of urban mobility needs to be addressed as part 
of a collective effort at all levels: local, regional, national and European. The European Union 
must play a leading role in order to focus attention on this issue. 

Europe has a capacity for reflection proposal-making and mobilisation for the formulation 
of policies that are decided and implemented locally. 

In  2006,  when  the  mid-term  review  of  the  Transport  White  Paper  was  presented2,  the 
European Commission announced its intention of presenting an Urban Transport Green Paper. 

1 
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Of over 10 000 inhabitants (source Eurostat). 
COM(2006) 314. 

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The  Commission  has  carried  out  a  broad  public  consultation  in  recent  months.  Two 
conferences  and  four  workshops  have  brought  together  the  main  stakeholders.  An  Internet 
consultation  has  been  launched.  Numerous  contributions  have  been  received  by  the 
Commission3,  and  the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  has  also  expressed  its 
views4. 

This consultation process resulted in the avenues mapped out in this Green Paper. Above all, 
it  confirmed  the  existence  of  strong  expectations  on  the  part  of  stakeholders  for  the 
formulation  of  a  genuine  European  urban  mobility  policy.  With  this  Green  Paper,  the 
Commission  wishes  to  launch  a  broad  public  debate  as  to  what  a  European  policy  on  this 
issue might contain.  

Rethinking urban mobility involves optimising the use of all the various modes of transport 
and organising "co-modality" between the different modes of collective transport5 (train, tram, 
metro,  bus,  taxi)  and  the  different  modes  of  individual  transport  (car,  motorcycle,  cycle, 
walking).  It  also  involves  achieving  common  objectives  in  terms  of  economic  prosperity 
managing  transport  demand  to  guarantee  mobility,  quality  of  life  and  environmental 
protection.  Lastly,  it  involves  reconciling  freight  transport  and  passenger  transport  interests 
whatever the mode of transport used. 

A European urban mobility strategy that lives up to people's expectations. 

Urban  mobility  is  recognised  as  an  important  facilitator  of  growth  and  employment  with  a 
strong impact on sustainable development in the EU. The Commission therefore has decided 
to present a Green Paper on urban mobility in order to explore if and how it can add value to 
action already taken at local level. Several EU policies have already addressed urban transport 
issues  in  past  years.  Legislative  initiatives  have  been  developed,  sometimes  in  a  rather 
fragmented way. 

The  consultations  exercise  organised  by  the  Commission  in  view  of  the  preparation  of  the 
Green  Paper  has  provided  information  resulting  in  a  set  of  policy  options  and  25  open 
questions  about  these  options.  With  this  Green  Paper,  the  Commission  launches  a  second 
consultation process until 15 March 2008, with a view to presenting, in early autumn 2008, an 
Action Plan which will identify a series of concrete actions and initiatives towards better and 
sustainable urban mobility. For each proposed action, the Action Plan will indicate a time line 
for implementation and the allocation of responsibilities between the various actors. 

The  Commission's  role  is  to  organise  this  debate  with  all  the  stakeholders  with  a  view  to 
proposing  an  overall  strategy  compatible  with  the  principle  of  subsidiarity.  The  target 
audience of the new consultation process will be, amongst others, social groups like citizens 
living in towns or cities, users of urban transport (public or not), employers and employees in 
collective  transport  organisations;  economic  groups  like  business  at  local  level,  including 
SMEs, the urban transport industry, the car industry; national, regional and local authorities, 
stakeholders' representatives and associations in the relevant fields. 

3 

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Commission  Staff  Working  Paper:  Public  consultation  in  preparation  of  the  Green  Paper  on  urban 
mobility. 
CESE 615/2007. 
Collective transport is wider than public transport and includes e.g. taxis or transport on demand. 

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This  strategy  will  be  based  on  the  past  and  future  consultations  and  the  experience  already 
acquired by the Commission in the urban transport field since 1995 and its Green Paper and 
Communication  on  a  Citizens'  Network6.  In  addition,  use  will  be  made  of  the  numerous 
lessons that have been learned from research and development projects. 

However, there is one overriding idea that constantly recurs: To be effective, urban mobility 
policies  need  to  be  based  on  an  approach  which  is  as  integrated  as  possible,  combining  the 
most  appropriate  responses  to  each  individual  problem:  technological  innovation,  the 
development  of  clean,  safe  and  intelligent  transport  systems,  economics  incentives  and 
amendments to legislation. 

This  overall  strategy  will  take  into  account  all  the  relevant  initiatives  undertaken  in  the 
context of Community policies, the constant concern being to make a practical contribution to 
implementing the Lisbon Strategy.  

The European  Union must play a  facilitating  role in helping to bring about this change, but 
without  imposing  top-down  solutions  which  may  not  necessarily  be  appropriate  for  the 
diverse local situations. 

European added value may take various forms: promoting the exchange of good practice at all 
levels (local, regional or national); underpinning the establishment of common standards and 
the  harmonisation  of  standards  if  necessary;  offering  financial  support  to  those  who  are  in 
greatest  need  of  such  support;  encouraging  research  the  applications  of  which  will  make  it 
possible  to  bring  about  improvements  in  mobility  safety  and  environmental;  simplifying 
legislation and, in some cases, repealing existing legislation or adopting new legislation. 

Any strategy formulated at European level can only be successful if decisive action is taken at 
the local level; concrete actions will be taken over and implemented by local authorities. 

Creating a new urban mobility culture. 

The challenge facing urban areas in the context of sustainable development is immense: that 
of reconciling the economic development of towns and cities and accessibility with improving 
the quality of life and with environmental protection, on the other. 

In order to address these issues, which have many and varied implications, a joint effort will 
make  it  possible  to  encourage  the  search  for  innovative  and  ambitious  urban  transport 
solutions  with  a  view  to  arriving  at  a  situation  where  towns  and  cities  are  less  polluted  and 
more accessible and where traffic within them flows more freely. 

Working  together,  we  must  seek  ways  of  achieving  better  urban  and  suburban  mobility, 
sustainable mobility, and mobility for all the inhabitants of Europe, while allowing economic 
operators to play their role in our towns and cities. 

2. 

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE  

Urban  mobility  should  make  possible  the  economic  development  of  towns  and  cities,  the 
quality  of  life  of  their  inhabitants  and  the  protection  of  their  environment.  To  this  end, 

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COM(95) 601, COM(1998) 431. 

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European towns and cities face five challenges which need to be met as part of an integrated 
approach. 

2.1. 

Towards free-flowing towns and cities 

The issue:  

Congestion  in  towns  and  cities  is  one  of  the  main  problems  identified  during  the 
consultations.  It  has  negative  economic,  social,  health  and  environmental  impacts  and 
degrades the natural and built environment. It is often located on urban ring roads and affects 
the  capacity  of  the  Trans-European  Transport  Network  (TEN-T).  A  fluid  transport  system 
would allow people and goods to arrive on time and to limit these negative effects. At local 
level, it is a major challenge to reduce the negative impacts of congestion whilst ensuring that 
urban  areas  continue  to  do  well  economically.  The  effort  of  cities  that  are  pioneers  in 
combating congestion must be recognised. 

The options:  

Experiences  from  stakeholders  show  that  there  is  no  single  solution  to  reduce  congestion. 
However, alternatives to private car use, such as walking, cycling, collective transport or the 
use of the motorbike and scooter, should be made attractive and safe. Citizens should be able 
to  optimise  their  travel  through  efficient  links  between  the  different  modes  of  transport. 
Authorities  should  promote  co-modality  and  reallocate  space  that  becomes  available  after 
congestion  mitigation  measures.  Intelligent  and  adaptive  traffic  management  systems  have 
also proven their efficiency in reducing congestion.  

Promoting walking and cycling… 

To improve the attractiveness and safety of walking and cycling, local and regional authorities 
should  ensure  that  these  modes  are  fully  integrated  into  the development  and  monitoring  of 
urban  mobility  policies.  More  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  development  of  adequate 
infrastructure.  There  are  innovative  ways  of  ensuring  the  full  involvement  of  families, 
children  and  youngsters  in  policy  development.  Initiatives  in  cities,  companies  and  schools 
can promote cycling and walking, for example through traffic games, road safety assessments 
or  educational  packages.  Stakeholders  have  proposed  that  bigger  towns  and  cities  could 
consider appointing a policy officer specifically for walking and cycling.  

…Optimising the use of private cars 

Less car-dependent life-styles can be promoted through new solutions like car-sharing. More 
sustainable use of the private car should be encouraged for example by carpooling, which will 
lead  to  roads  with  fewer  cars  each  of  them  carrying  more  people.  Other  options  may  also 
include “virtual mobility”: tele-working, tele-shopping, etc.  

As suggested during the consultation, adequate parking policy is also necessary to reduce the 
use of cars in the centre of the cities. Providing more parking spaces may, in the long term, 
encourage car transport, in particular if they are free of charge. Parking fees can be used as an 
economic instrument. Differentiated fees can be considered to reflect the limited availability 
of public space and create incentives (e.g. free parking spaces at the periphery and high fees 
in the centre). 

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Attractive Park&Ride facilities can provide an incentive for combining private and collective 
transport. Seamless links to efficient, high quality public transport have allowed, in this way, 
to free inner urban areas from traffic through integrated transport systems, such as in Munich. 

In  certain  cases  new  infrastructure  might  be  needed,  but  the  first  step  should  be  to  explore 
how to make better use of existing infrastructure. Urban charging schemes, such as in London 
and  Stockholm,  have  demonstrated  positive  impacts  on  the  fluidity  of  transport.  Intelligent 
transport  systems  (ITS)  allow  for  optimised  trip  planning,  better  traffic  management  and 
easier demand management. Flexible and multiple use of infrastructure such as in Barcelona 
(flexible  bus-lanes,  flexible  loading  zones/parking  places),  can  lead  to  reducing  pressure  on 
road space.  

Mobility Management complements traditional infrastructure-based measures by influencing 
travel  behaviour  before  it  starts  and  shifting  people’s  attention  towards  more  sustainable 
transport  options.  For  example,  developers  could  be  encouraged  to  prepare  a  site-specific 
mobility  plan  as  part  of  the  procedure  for  obtaining  planning  permission.  The  idea  of  a 
"mobility impact assessment" for large scale infrastructure developments was also proposed 
by stakeholders.  

And freight transport… 

Freight logistics has an urban dimension7. In view of stakeholders, any urban mobility policy 
must cover both passenger and freight transport. Distribution in urban areas requires efficient 
interfaces between long-haul transport and short distance distribution to the final destination. 
Smaller, efficient and clean vehicles could be used for local distribution. Negative impacts of 
long  distance  freight  transport  passing  through  urban  areas  should  be  reduced  through 
planning and technical measures. 

The "service economy" leads to new demands for road space. There is evidence that 40% of 
all vehicles other than passenger cars are service-related (vehicles for removals, maintenance 
services,  small  deliveries,  etc.).  Courier  services  often  use  motor-cycles  or  mopeds. 
Consolidated  distribution  in  urban  areas  and  zones  with  access  regulations  is  possible  but 
requires  efficient  planning  of  the  routes  to  avoid  empty  runs  or  unnecessary  driving  and 
parking. The development of these solutions requires the involvement of all stakeholders.  

Urban  freight  distribution  could  be  better  integrated  within  local  policy-making  and 
institutional  settings.  Public  passenger  transport  is  usually  supervised  by  the  competent 
administrative  body  while  freight  transport  distribution  is  normally  a  task  for  the  private 
sector. Local authorities need to consider all urban logistics related to passenger and freight 
transport together as a single logistics system. 

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This dimension will also be elaborated in the "Logistics Action Plan" currently under preparation. 

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1. 

2. 

3. 

Should  a  "labelling'"  scheme  be  envisaged  to  recognise  the  efforts  of  pioneering 
cities to combat congestion and improve living conditions?  

What measures could be taken to promote walking and cycling as real alternatives 
to car?  

What could be done to promote a modal shift towards sustainable transport modes 
in cities?  

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

2.2. 

Towards greener towns and cities 

The issue:  

The main environmental issues in towns and cities are related to the predominance of oil as a 
transport fuel, which generates CO2, air pollutant emissions and noise.  

Transport is one of the most difficult sectors to manage in terms of CO2 emissions. Despite 
progress  in  car  technology  the  growth  in  traffic  and  the  'stop-go'  nature  of  driving  in  urban 
areas means that cities are a major, and growing, source of CO2 emissions which contribute to 
climate change. Climate change is causing dramatic shifts in the global eco-system and urgent 
action  is  required  to  keep  impacts  to  a  manageable  level.  The  European  Council8  has  set  a 
target  to  reduce  EU  greenhouse  gas  emissions  with  20%  by  2020.  Contributions  from  all 
sources are necessary.  

CO2  emissions  from  new  passenger  cars  sold  in  the  EU  have  decreased  by  12.4%  between 
1995  and  2004,  following  a  voluntary  agreement  between  the  European  Commission  and 
industry.  To  enable  the  EU  to  reach  its  120  g  objective  by  2012,  the  Commission,  in  a 
Communication  of  February  20079,  outlined  a  comprehensive  new  strategy.  A  legislative 
framework should ensure 130 g CO2/ km by improvements in vehicle motor technology, and a 
further reduction of 10 g CO2/ km by other technological improvements and by an increased 
use  of  biofuels.  Pollutant  emissions  from  vehicles  have  also  been  successfully  reduced 
through  a  gradual  tightening  of  the  EURO  emissions  standards.  As  a  result  of  the  EU 
regulation setting, on a continuous basis, lower limits for new vehicles, an overall reduction of 
30-40% nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions from road transport has been achieved over 
the past 15 years since the adoption of the first EURO standard, despite rising traffic volumes. 

However,  despite  these  improvements,  environmental  conditions  are  still  not  satisfactory: 
local authorities are facing serious problems to meet the requirements on air quality, such as 
the limits of particulates and nitrogen oxides in ambient air. These have a negative impact on 
public health.  

Noise  abatement  measures  have  also  been  facilitated  by  a  European  directive  on  noise 
mapping.  On  the  basis  of  the  information  collected  under  the  noise  directive10,  local 
authorities are now able to draw up noise abatement plans and implement concrete measures. 
Noise abatement plans can profit from an exchange of information at EU level. According to 

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European Council Conclusions, 8/9 March 2007; compared to the level in 1990. 
COM(2007) 19. 
Directive 2002/49/EC. 

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stakeholders, noise reduction at source could be reduced by tightening EU standards for noise 
emissions  from  road  and  rail  vehicles  and  from  tyres.  Underground  transport  systems  also 
contribute to reducing noise in cities. 

Extension, rehabilitation and upgrading of clean urban public transport such as trolley buses, 
trams,  metros  and  suburban  rail  as  well  as  other  sustainable  urban  transport  projects  should 
continue to be promoted and supported by the EU. 

The options: 

New technologies … 

Driven  by  industry  and  in  response  to  the  European  emissions  thresholds,  conventional 
combustion engine technology is becoming cleaner. Catalytic converters and particulate filters 
will yield significant improvements in reduction of pollutant emissions in the future. Research 
and  technological  development  co-funded  by  the  EU  has  had  a  strong  focus  on  clean  and 
energy efficient vehicle technologies and alternative fuels, such as biofuels, hydrogen and fuel 
cells11.  

The  environmental  performance  of  the  existing  vehicle  fleet  could  be  further  improved  by 
setting harmonised minimum performance standards for the operation of vehicles. A gradual 
tightening  of  these  standards  over  time  could  lead  to  a  continuous  process  of  upgrading  or 
phasing out of old heavily polluting vehicles. Such a general approach could help to increase 
the  use  of  clean  and  energy  efficient  vehicles  in  urban  transport  and  on  the  longer  term 
prevent a fragmented patchwork of different low-emission zones.  

Further  promotion  of  a  broad  market  introduction  of  new  technologies  could  be  achieved 
through economic instruments, such as incentives for the purchase and operation of clean and 
energy  efficient  vehicles  by  public  authorities,  and  non-economic  instruments,  such  as 
restrictions  for  heavy  polluters  and  privileged  access  for  low-emitting  vehicles  in  sensitive 
areas, provided they do not distort the internal market rules. 

There are opportunities to promote the exchange of best practices in the field of clean urban 
transport  beyond  Europe's  boundaries  and  to  capitalise  on  the  knowledge  and  experience 
gained  in  EU  initiatives  such  as  CIVITAS12  where  certain  projects  allow  third  countries  to 
profit from experiences of European Union cities with integrated urban mobility approaches. 
Europe has a strategic interest, from a long term energy availability and price perspective, to 
contribute  to  low  energy  intensive  growth  elsewhere.  Such  international  dialogue  can  also 
help to create export opportunities for European industry. 

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See for example the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Towards Europe-wide 
Safer, Cleaner and Efficient Mobility: The First Intelligent Car Report - COM(2007) 541, 17.9.2007. 
CIVITAS website: www.civitas-initiative.eu  

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… Supported by green procurement 

As  already  envisaged  by  the  Commission13  and  proposed  by  stakeholders  during  the 
consultation,  the  market  introduction  of  clean  and  energy  efficient  vehicles  could  be 
supported by green public procurement.  

A possible approach could be based on the internalisation of external costs by using life-time 
costs for energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and pollutant emissions linked to the operation 
of the vehicles to be procured as award criteria, in addition to the vehicle price. Inclusion of 
life-time costs in the procurement decision process would increase the awareness for running 
costs.  This  would  give  a  competitive  advantage  to  the  cleanest  and  most  energy  efficient 
vehicles and at the same time minimise the overall cost. The public sector thereby could set an 
example  for  “sustainable  economics”,  to  be  taken  up  by  other  market  actors.  In  addition, 
public procurement could give preference to new Euro standards. The earlier use of cleaner 
vehicles could also improve air quality in urban areas. The Commission intends to present a 
revised proposal along these lines before the end of 2007. 

… And joint green procurement 

Some authorities have improved the environmental performance of their public transport fleet 
and taxis by procuring cleaner vehicles and offering economic incentives to private operators. 
Public financial support for new infrastructure for the distribution of alternative fuels also has 
been instrumental in several towns and cities. Joint procurement of clean and energy-efficient 
vehicles by public authorities could accelerate the building of a market for new technologies 
and  ensure  their  economic  viability.  The  Commission  is  already  providing  support  for  the 
development of joint green procurement schemes by public authorities across the EU through 
pilot projects14. On the basis of the results of these projects, the Commission could envisage a 
wider application of such measures. 

… And new ways of driving 

Eco driving, which reduces energy consumption through a change of driving habits should be 
encouraged, in particular by driving schools and through the training of professional drivers. 
Electronic  driver  support  systems  could  help  to  improve  driving  behaviour.  Improved 
infrastructure  and  traffic  management  systems  and  more  "intelligent"  cars  will  also  have  an 
important contribution to make. 

What about traffic restrictions? 

In  some  cases  local  traffic  restrictions  and  urban  charges  have  been  introduced.  These 
individual actions are laudable for the impacts that they have already achieved. But, according 
to some stakeholders, there is the risk of creating a fragmented patchwork of urban areas with 
new “border lines” across Europe. For example, some authorities restrict access to city centres 
on the basis of EURO standards, others use a different basis.  

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Proposal for a Directive on the promotion of clean road transport vehicles - COM(2005) 634. 
STEER programme http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/intellinget/index_en.html 

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A lot of stakeholders have called for guidance and development of harmonised rules for urban 
Green Zones (pedestrianisation, restricted access, speed limits, urban charging, etc.) at the EU 
level in order to enable a wide use of such measures without creating disproportionate barriers 
to mobility for citizens and goods. Furthermore, harmonisation and interoperability of similar 
technologies  will  reduce  costs.  The  issue  of  a  European  registry  of  all  vehicles  and  cross-
border enforcement across cities could be further examined at EU-level, as suggested by some 
stakeholders. 

4.  How could the use of clean and energy efficient technologies in urban transport be 

further increased?  

5.  How could joint green procurement be promoted?  

6.  Should  criteria  or  guidance be  set out for the definition of Green Zones and  their 
restriction measures? What is the best way to ensure their compatibility with free 
circulation? Is there an issue of cross border enforcement of local rules governing 
Green Zones?  

7.   How could eco-driving be further promoted? 

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

2.3. 

Towards smarter urban transport 

The issue:  

European  towns  and  cities  are  confronted  with  a  constant  increase  in  freight  and  passenger 
flows. However, there are substantial limits to the development of the infrastructure needed to 
cope with this increase, as a result of a lack of space and environmental constraints. Against 
this  background,  stakeholders  have  highlighted  that  Intelligent  Transport  Systems  (ITS) 
applications are currently underexploited for the efficient management of urban mobility, or 
are developed without due attention to interoperability.  

The options:  

Traffic and travel data processing can provide information, assistance and dynamic control of 
transport  to  travellers,  drivers,  fleet  operators  and  network  managers.  A  number  of 
applications  are  already  available  for  road,  rail  or  transport  on  waterways.  In  the  years  to 
come,  these  applications  will  be  further  enhanced  by  the  Galileo  satellite  system  that  will 
allow for a more accurate positioning. 

Smart charging systems … 

There is increased awareness of smart charging as an effective method of managing demand. 
In  collective  transport,  the  use  of  ITS  ensures  a  better  management  of  operations  and  new 
services  (fleet  management,  traveller  information  systems,  ticketing  systems,  etc).  To  allow 
data  to  be  shared  between  these  applications,  data  exchange  protocols  need  to  be  in  place. 
Stakeholders have emphasised that standards should be interoperable and open to innovation; 
that  intelligent  payment  systems  should  use  smart  cards,  interoperable  between  transport 
modes, between various functions (such as transport-related payments, non-transport services, 
parking,  and  customer  loyalty  schemes),  between  areas  and,  in  the  longer  term,  between 

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countries. Possibilities for differentiated tariffs according to time or target group (for example 
peak/off-peak) could be part of the system. 

… Better information for better mobility 

One of the critical success factors for mobility in urban networks is, for travellers, to be able 
to  make  informed  choice  on  mode  and  time  for  travel.  This  relies  on  availability  of  user-
friendly, adequate and interoperable multi-modal trip information for planning a journey.  

Stakeholders  indicate  that  ITS  allows  a  dynamic  management  of  existing  infrastructure. 
Additional capacity in excess of 20-30% or more can be gained by more effective use of road 
space.  This  is  particularly  important  since  there  is  usually  little  scope  to  provide  additional 
road space in urban areas. The active management of urban transport infrastructures can also 
have a positive impact on safety and the environment. A particular area for ITS could be the 
management of seamless connections between networks at the urban-interurban interface. 

The  efficiency  of  urban  freight  distribution  can  also  be  increased  with  the  help  of  ITS,  in 
particular through better timing of operations, higher loading factors and more efficient use of 
vehicles.  It  requires  integrated  systems  that  combine  intelligent  route  planning,  driver 
assistance systems, intelligent vehicles and interaction with infrastructures. 

Local authorities and private stakeholders should be fully engaged in the implementation and 
operation of these applications and services from the early stages onwards. Stakeholders will 
include  technology  providers,  transport  and  infrastructure  operators,  industry,  value-added 
service providers, digital mapmakers, enforcement agencies and infrastructure users. 

Stakeholders  have  proposed  that  the  Commission  should  support  a  wider  dissemination  of 
good  practices  in  the  field  of  ITS.  In  particular,  the  establishment  of  a  framework  for  ITS 
deployment  in  EU  towns  and  cities  has  been  proposed  to  address  the  interoperability  and 
exchange of data and information.  

8.  

9. 

Should better information services for travellers be developed and promoted?  

Are  further  actions  needed 
interfaces  and 
interoperability of ITS applications in towns and cities? Which applications should 
take priority when action is taken?  

to  ensure  standardisation  of 

10. 

Regarding ITS, how could the exchange of information and best practices between 
all involved parties be improved?  

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

2.4. 

Towards accessible urban transport 

The issue:  

Accessibility  primarily  concerns  people  with  reduced  mobility,  disabled  people,  elderly 
people,  families  with  young  children,  and  the  young  children  themselves:  they  should  have 
easy access to urban transport infrastructure.  

EN 

12 

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Accessibility  also  refers  to  the  quality  of  access  that  people  and  business  have  to  the  urban 
mobility system, made up of infrastructure and services. 

Urban  infrastructure,  including  roads,  cycle  paths  etc.,  but  also  trains,  buses  and  public 
spaces,  parkings,  bus  stops,  terminals,  etc.,  should  be  of  high  quality.  Efficient  connections 
inside towns and cities, connecting cities with the surrounding region, between the urban and 
interurban  networks,  and  with  the  Trans-European  Transport  Networks  (TEN-T)  are  also 
considered  essential.  Good  connections  to  airports,  railway  stations  and  ports,  and  to 
intermodal freight terminals, are of particular importance to interconnect the different modes 
of transport.  

Furthermore,  citizens  expect  public  transport  to  cater  for  their  needs  in  terms  of  quality, 
efficiency  and  availability.  In  order  to  be  attractive,  public  transport  has  to  be  not  only 
accessible  but  also  frequent,  quick,  reliable,  and  comfortable.  Experience  shows  that  an 
obstacle  to  modal  shift  from  private  to  public  transport  is  often  the  low  quality  of  service, 
slowness and unreliability of public transport15.  

According  to  stakeholders,  there  is  insufficient  attention  to  co-modality  and  a  lack  of 
integrated  collective  transport  solutions,  such  as  suburban  railway  systems,  tram-train 
systems,  and  well-located  Park&Ride  facilities  at  collective  transport  terminals  in  the 
outskirts of towns and cities. Freight logistics distribution often requires centres or terminals 
in suburban areas.  

The options:  

Collective transport meeting citizens needs … 

The mid-term review of the Transport White Paper emphasised the need for basic passenger 
rights in all modes of transport, with a particular focus on passengers with reduced mobility. 
Stakeholders have recommended that the Commission should promote the idea of a European 
Charter on rights and obligations for passengers using collective transport.  

Stakeholders emphasised that citizens expect collective transport to meet their needs for basic 
mobility and to satisfy their needs for accessibility. Society is changing, is getting older, and 
is expecting more  intelligent  mobility solutions. Efficiency is essential; without travel times 
that are comparable to the car, collective transport cannot become competitive.  

Citizens also expect more flexible transport solutions for both freight and passenger mobility. 
In many places, taxi companies have already started to explore new markets. Smaller vehicles 
could also be used for demand responsive services.  

Social aspects of mobility in towns and cities present a challenge. Urban transport needs to be 
affordable,  also  for  people  with  low  incomes.  Citizens  with  reduced  mobility  and  senior 
citizens  expect  increased  and  higher  quality  mobility.  Personal  mobility  is  key  to 
independence.  

15 

According to studies on services of general interest, urban transport is the service of general interest 
which consumers in the European Union are least satisfied with. 13% EU-25 consumers have difficult 
access to public transport while 4% have no access at all. 
http.//ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/serv_gen/cons_satisf/index_en.htlm. 

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… Building upon an appropriate EU legal framework  

The  two  Public  Procurement  Directives16  apply  in  full  to  public  service  contracts  such  as 
transport  by  bus  and  tram.  Furthermore,  the  new  regulation  on  public  passenger  transport 
services  by  rail  and  by  road17  will  offer  increased  transparency  and  help  authorities  and 
operators improve the quality and efficiency.  

The new Regulation allows competent authorities to define public service obligations in order 
to  guarantee  services  of  general  interest  in  the  field  of  land  passenger  transport.  It  allows 
authorities to impose social tariffs. Where the fulfilment of public service obligations involves 
financial  compensation  and/or  the  award  of  an  exclusive  right,  it  requires  a  contract  to  be 
concluded between the authority and an operator selected following a tendering procedure.  

Both under the Directives and the new Regulation, competent authorities are free to carry out 
the services themselves or tender them out. They can introduce selection criteria with respect 
to the capacity of tenderers and award criteria with respect to the quality of services.  

… And by means of innovative solutions and appropriate skills 

One  of  the  recommendations  that  emerged  from  the  consultation  was  that  the  European 
Commission  should  promote  less  costly  collective  transport  solutions,  such  as  bus  rapid 
transit,  as  an  alternative  to  the  more  expensive  tram  and  metro  systems.  "Bus  rapid  transit" 
systems offer fast and frequent public bus transport services along dedicated corridors, usually 
with stations that have metro-type characteristics. Innovative best practices that have already 
been  developed  could  be  promoted.  One  specific  area  is  the  use  of  (clean)  taxis  in  the 
collective transport chain and for demand-responsive transport, with the help of ITS. The need 
to  develop  guidance  on  intermodal  terminals  for  collective  transport  was  also  raised  during 
the consultation. 

Good accessibility also requires that shops, companies and zones where economic activities 
take  place,  including  freight  terminals  and  ports,  are  well  served  via  the  urban  transport 
networks to enable freight transporters, service providers, workers and customers to get there 
easily. This is particularly important when restricted access zones are implemented.  

Urban  transport  needs  to  attract  and  keep  highly  qualified  staff.  Training  programmes,  for 
example  for  ecodriving,  as  suggested  during  the  consultation,  can  increase  the  skills  of 
collective transport or freight transport staff and reduce CO2 emissions and pollution.  

Europe  is  a  major  tourism  destination  at  a  global  level  and  many  tourists  go  to  towns  and 
cities.  Tourism  can  contribute  to  economic  development  and  employment.  According  to 
stakeholders, tourists are a specific group of transport users with their own requirements, both 
in  terms  of  size  and  patterns,  which  can  put  specific  pressures  on  urban  transport  systems. 
This should be kept in mind when one looks at accessibility inside the urban area, and also at 
access to this area from outside.  

16 
17 

Directive 2004/17/EC and Directive 2004/18/EC of 31 March 2004. 
Regulation  on  public  passenger  transport  services  by  rail  and  by  road  and  repealing  Council 
Regulations (EEC) No 1191/69 and (EEC) No 1107/70 (interinstitutional file 2000/0212 (COD)). 

EN 

14 

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…  Through  balanced  coordination  of  land  use  and  an  integrated  approach  to  urban 
mobility 

The stakeholders that are the most concerned, and in particular the representatives of towns 
and cities belonging to networks for the exchange of experience have stressed the problems of 
urban  conglomerations  which  have  to  meet  the  challenges  of  better  accessibility  to  all  the 
catchment  areas  affected  by  metropolitan  development.  The  trends  towards  suburbanisation 
and urban sprawl lead to low-density, spatially segregated land use. The resulting dispersal of 
home, work and leisure facilities results in increased transport demand18. The lower densities 
in  peripheral  areas  make  it  difficult  to  offer  collective  transport  solutions  of  a  sufficient 
quality to attract substantial amounts of  users. Health care for the elderly  can  become  more 
difficult  to  organise  if  the  transport  solutions  are  not  right  (on  top  of  “social  isolation”). 
Customised  solutions  could  serve  better  suburban  areas,  such  as  transport  on  demand  or 
transport services that interlink the usually radial and city-centre oriented connections.  

According to stakeholders, coordination between authorities could help tackle the challenges 
of urban mobility. Furthermore, urban mobility could benefit from integrating several policy 
sectors, such as urban planning, economic and social affairs, transport, etc. 

Mobility plans integrating the wider metropolitan conurbations, covering both passengers and 
freight transport in the city or town and in its surrounding region, also form a sound basis for 
that  appropriate 
efficient  urban  mobility  planning.  Stakeholders  have  emphasised 
the  development  and 
organisational  structures  need 
implementation of these plans.  

to  be  established 

to  facilitate 

The  Thematic  Strategy  on  the  urban  environment19  identified  a  number  of  environmental 
problems  which  could  be  improved  by  the  development  and  implementation  of  sustainable 
urban transport plans (SUTPs)20. In its Strategy, the European Commission committed itself 
to prepare guidance on how to prepare such SUTPs. Given the launch of this Green Paper and 
the wide ranging discussion on urban transport, it seems appropriate to take the opportunity to 
address the question of the follow-up on SUTPs as part of Action Plan on urban mobility. 

18 

19 
20 

Report from the European Environmental Agency "Urban sprawl in Europe - The ignored challenge", 
2006. 
COM(2005) 718. 
See: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/urban/urban_transport.htm 

EN 

15 

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11. 

How  can  the  quality  of  collective  transport  in  European  towns  and  cities  be 
increased?  

12. 

Should the development of dedicated lanes for collective transport be encouraged?  

13. 

Is  there  a  need  to  introduce  a  European  Charter  on  rights  and  obligations  for 
passengers using collective transport?  

14.  What  measures  could  be  undertaken  to  better  integrate  passenger  and  freight 

transport in research and in urban mobility planning?  

15. 

How can better coordination between urban and interurban transport and land use 
planning be achieved? What type of organisational structure could be appropriate? 

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

2.5. 

Towards safe and secure urban transport  

The issue:  

Every  EU  citizen  should  be  able  to  live  and  move  in  urban  areas  with  safety  and  security. 
When walking, cycling, or driving a car or a truck, one should be able to do so at minimum 
personal  risk.  This  requires  a  good  design  of  infrastructure,  especially  at  intersections. 
Citizens are becoming increasingly conscious that they must act responsibly, to protect their 
own and other people’s lives. 

In 2005, 41 600 people were killed on the roads in the EU21. This is far from the joint target of 
no  more  than  25  000  fatalities  a  year  by  201022.  About  two  thirds  of  the  accidents  and  one 
third of the road fatalities are in urban areas and affect the most vulnerable road users. The 
risk of being killed in a road accident is six times higher for cyclists and pedestrians than for 
car users. Often, the victims are women, children and elderly citizens.  

The  sometimes  perceived  low  personal  security  of  passengers  inhibits  certain  social  groups 
from  travelling,  or  from  using  public  transport  services.  This  concerns  not  only  vehicles, 
terminals  and  bus/  tram  stops  but  also  the  walk  to  and  from  the  stops.  The  result  may  be 
unnecessary car use and may prevent people from living an active life.  

The options:  

The European road safety policy covers behavioural, vehicle and infrastructure issues.  

Safer behaviour … 

Stakeholders  have  proposed  that  the  Commission  could  improve  road  safety  by  further 
promoting best practices and engaging in a more intensive and structured dialogue with local 
and  regional  stakeholders  and  with  Member  States,  notably  on  new  technologies  -  in 
particular ITS - for increasing safety.  

21 
22 

CARE: Community database on road accidents. 
COM(2001) 370. 

EN 

16 

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To make citizens more aware of their traffic behaviour, education and information campaigns 
are of high priority. Special road safety campaigns and special initiatives for training young 
persons  could  be  organised  and  one  of  the  next  European  road  safety  days  could  focus  on 
urban areas. Stakeholders have also suggested encouraging safe behaviour among cyclists, for 
example by promoting the use of bicycle helmets across Europe or by encouraging research 
on more ergonomic design of helmets. Strict enforcement of traffic rules is also essential for 
all motorcyclists, scooter drivers and cyclists. Stakeholders have suggested that the EU could 
support activities to generalise the use of enforcement devices in towns and cities for all road 
users. 

... Safer and secure infrastructures 

In the view of stakeholders, improving perceived safety and security depends on a number of 
measures in the urban environment. High quality infrastructure, including good pavements for 
pedestrians  and  cyclists,  can  make  a  difference.  Enhancing  visibility,  for  example  by 
providing  better  lighting,  and  more  visible  enforcement  officers  on  the  street  can  help  to 
increase  the  feeling  of  security.  ITS  solutions  can  also  make  a  substantial  contribution  by 
providing  rapid  and  appropriate 
traffic  management. 
Stakeholders have suggested that the EU could also define recommendations for incorporating 
urban transport safety and security standards in urban infrastructure design.  

information  and  safety-based 

A specific matter is anti-terrorism security in urban transport. The Commission will examine 
a Communication on this topic in the near future. 

Safer vehicles … 

Safer vehicles are of a particular importance in urban areas where they share the street with 
pedestrians, bikes and collective transport. Technologies such as night vision, break assistant, 
collision avoidance and sleep warning can make a difference to the safety of all street users. 
The  European  Commission  communications  on  e-Safety23  and  on  the  i2010  intelligent  car 
initiative  "ICT  for  safe  and  intelligent  vehicles"24  present  valuable  solutions  that  could  be 
applied to urban context. Passenger transport could also be handled by “city vehicles”, while 
stakeholders  have  suggested  that  over-dimensioned  trucks  and  cars,  could  have  restricted 
access only. 

23 
24 

COM(2003) 263. 
COM(2006) 59. 

EN 

17 

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16.  What further actions should be undertaken to help cities and towns meet their road 

safety and personal security challenges in urban transport?  

17. 

18. 

How  can  operators  and  citizens  be  better  informed  on  the  potential  of  advanced 
infrastructure management and vehicle technologies for safety? 

Should automatic radar devices adapted to the urban environment be developed and 
should their use be promoted?  

19. 

Is video surveillance a good tool for safety and security in urban transport?  

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

3. 

CREATING A NEW URBAN MOBILITY CULTURE  

3.1. 

Improving knowledge…  

It  has  become  clear  during  the  consultations  that  in  order  to  create  a  new  "urban  mobility 
culture" in Europe, there is a need to set up partnerships. New planning methods and tools can 
also play a major role in this new urban mobility culture. Education, training and awareness 
rising have an important role to play. 

The  competencies  of  professionals  working  in  the  urban  mobility  field  have  to  be 
strengthened. According to stakeholders, the EU could play a greater role here by facilitating 
the organisation of staff training and exchange actions in a systematic way.  

Urban mobility is an issue which already figured in networking initiatives launched as part of 
the  EU's  regional  policy,  such  as  URBACT  and  the  Regions  for  Economic  Change 
initiative25.  The  European  Commission  intends  to  further  strengthen  and  support  new 
networks related to urban mobility within these initiatives. 

As suggested during the consultations, the Commission could actively explain and promote its 
work in the field of urban mobility policy. The Commission could organise a European public 
awareness  campaign  on  its  activities  regarding  sustainable  urban  mobility,  together  with 
stakeholders  already  active  in  this  field.  This  could  include  focused  information  and 
awareness campaigns to influence the mobility behaviour of specific target groups. Another 
proposal  is  for  the  development  of  an  annual  European  conference  on  "advanced  urban 
transport solutions". This could be steered by the CIVITAS Forum. 

3.2.  …and data collection 

The consultations and earlier data collection initiatives have demonstrated that there are big 
gaps in urban mobility statistics at the EU level and that, despite some initiatives developed 
under  the  EU’s  regional  policy,  there  is  lack  of  common  definitions.  These  gaps  should  be 
addressed in order to provide the necessary information to decision-makers and practitioners 
at all levels.  

25 

See: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm 

EN 

18 

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Stakeholders have suggested that the European Commission could play a role in this field by 
establishing  an  observatory,  based  on  its  general  experience  with  collection,  harmonisation 
and  exploitation  of  statistics  at  European  level.  This  observatory  could  help  to  provide  the 
policy-makers  and  the  general  public  with  the  necessary  data  and  improve  knowledge  on 
urban mobility. It could also serve as an information provider and exchange platform for best 
practices. 

20. 

Should  all  stakeholders  work  together  in  developing  a  new  mobility  culture  in 
Europe?  Based  on  the  model  of  the  European  Road  Safety  Observatory,  could  a 
European  Observatory  on  Urban  Mobility  be  a  useful  initiative  to  support  this 
cooperation? 

4. 

THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES 

Substantial  financing  of  various  kinds  is  needed  in  order  to  invest  in  infrastructure  and 
passenger  interchanges,  the  maintenance  and  operation  of  networks,  fleet  renewal  and 
maintenance,  and  public  awareness  and  communication  campaigns.  For  the  most  part,  the 
responsibility for this investment lies with the local authorities concerned.  

According to a recent study26, over 40% of the urban tram and light rail fleet in the EU-15 and 
67%  of  the  fleet  in  the  new  Member  States  is  over  20  years  old  and  ought  to  be  replaced 
before 2020. 

The  successful  financing  of  urban  transport  projects  requires  a  mixture  of  budgetary, 
regulatory and financial instruments, including specific local taxes. A long-term view must be 
taken.  

Financing tools for cities and towns … 

All stakeholders at local, regional, national and EU level must contribute. Users should also 
contribute and pay a fair price for collective transport services. They are willing to pay for a 
high-quality service. Private financing, usually in the form of public-private partnerships, can 
play  a  role  but  requires  stable  legal  frameworks.  Parking  charges  and  urban  road  user 
charging  could  also  contribute  to  urban  transport  financing,  in  particular  by  earmarking  the 
revenues  raised  for  the  financing  of  urban  transport  measures.  The  congestion  charging 
scheme in London has provided useful lessons for improving bus services. 

Stakeholders  proposed  that  the  EU  could  consider  enlarging  the  scope  of  the  "Eurovignette 
directive” by introducing an urban dimension, so that road charging could apply to all types of 
vehicles  and  infrastructures.  This  could  also  be  linked  to  the  development  of  a  harmonised 
methodology, by mid-2008, to calculate external costs in transport. 

According  to  stakeholders,  market-based  mechanisms  such  as  the  possible  use  of  the 
Emissions  Trading  Scheme  (ETS)  -  by  granting  emission  rights  or  equivalent  credits  to 
authorities investing in new and cleaner infrastructure - could be further analysed. However, 
negative impacts on the functioning and the environmental effectiveness of the system must 
be avoided. 

26 

Light rail and metro systems in Europe, ERRAC, 2004. 

EN 

19 

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In  its  policy  on  State  aid,  the  Commission  is  committed  to  taking  into  account  the 
environmental  benefits  of  investment  in  clean  transport  and  of  the  need  for  a  shift  to  less 
polluting  means  of  transport.  By  way  of  example,  the  draft  guidelines  for  environmental 
protection27  allow  for  specific  exceptions,  in  the  case  of  aid  for  the  acquisition  of  new 
transport  vehicles  to  speed  up  the  adoption  of  Community  standards  before  they  become 
mandatory. Furthermore, the Commission's proposal for a new block exemption Regulation28 
explicitly  singles  out  as  eligible  asset  investments  in  means  of  transport  and  transport 
equipment  other  than  road  freight  and  air  transport.  Finally,  the  Commission  is  currently 
considering issuing guidelines on State aid in the railway sector, to improve transparency and 
legal certainty in an economic activity that is opening gradually to competition, and is crucial 
to ensuring sustainable mobility in Europe. One of the issues that the Commission will have 
to consider is the need to replace quickly an ageing rolling stock in the interest of reliability, 
safety  and  improved  interoperability.  In  certain  geographic  areas  of  Europe,  this  need  is 
particularly  acute,  and  regional  aid  thus  appears  to  be  an  appropriate  instrument  to  address 
this challenge. 

… European financial support has many facets 

At EU level several sources of financing are available, for instance the Structural Funds, the 
Cohesion  Fund  and  loans  from  the  European  Investment  Bank.  As  in  the  past,  the  EU’s 
Cohesion Policy will remain an  important source  of funds in the eligible regions during the 
period 2007-2013. In the previous period 2000-2006, the funding for transport projects from 
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) was around € 35 billion, of which slightly 
more  than  €  2  billion  went  on  urban  transport.  According  to  the  programming  documents, 
ERDF and Cohesion Fund will contribute to almost € 8 billion for urban transport during the 
2007-2013 period. Another € 9.5 billion is set aside for integrated projects for urban and rural 
regeneration that may contain transport-related investments.  

The  cohesion  instruments  in  the  current  period  2007-2013  provide  a  more  broad  and  solid 
basis for co-financing urban transport and collective transport across Europe29. The ERDF and 
Cohesion  Fund  regulations  make  explicit  reference  to  clean  urban  transport  and  public 
transport but also, for the first time, to integrated strategies for clean transport. Authorities, in 
particular in the new Member States, should take advantage of these opportunities to upgrade 
their urban transport systems.  

Most  of  the  National  Strategic  Reference  Frameworks  submitted  by  the  Member  States 
include sustainable urban transport as an area for action. EU co-financing from the cohesion 
instruments  is  possible  for  investments  in  infrastructure  (e.g.  railways  and  terminals)  and 
rolling  stock  such  as  clean  buses,  trolley  buses,  trams,  metros  and  suburban  rail.  The  same 
applies to measures such as retrofitting and upgrading or other components that form part of 
an integrated and user-friendly urban transport system (ITS, traveller information, integrated 
ticketing,  traffic  management,  etc).  The  ERDF  can  also  finance  installations  related  to 
environmentally  sustainable  urban  transport  projects  and  provide  support  for  certain  target 
groups of the population (elderly, handicapped) to access normal public transport services. It 
increasingly finances projects related to intelligent transport systems. 

27 

28 
29 

Draft Community Guidelines for State aid for environmental protection  
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/reform/guidelines_environment_en.pdf 
Commission Proposal for a new Block Exemption Regulation - SEC(2007) 513, 24.4.2007. 
See: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm  

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20 

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On  average,  the  European  Investment  Bank30  lends  around  €  2.5  billion  for  urban  transport 
projects every year. Projects include the construction, extension or rehabilitation of collective 
transport infrastructures or the acquisition of rolling stock in major agglomerations and mid-
sized  towns  and  cities  across  Europe.  On  top  of  its  normal  lending  operations,  the  EIB  has 
joined  forces  with  the  Commission  and  the  European  Bank  for  Reconstruction  and 
Development to develop new financial instruments or initiatives.  

The  Seventh  Framework  Programme  for  research  and  technological  development  (FP7) 
promotes  research,  technological  development  and  demonstration  activities  for  urban 
mobility, the energy aspects of transport, clean urban transport and sustainable mobility for all 
citizens.  

FP7  includes  under  the  theme  "transport"  an  activity  area  on  "Ensuring  sustainable  urban 
mobility".  It  covers technical  research, demonstration  and policy  support in the area  of new 
transport  and  mobility  concepts,  innovative  demand  management  schemes,  high-quality 
public transport, and innovative strategies for clean urban transport. Other actions will focus 
on the development of highly innovative, not polluting, smart transport and mobility concepts, 
including their deployment. FP7, under the theme "ICT" is also funding activities related to 
mobility  and  services.  Research  in  road  infrastructure  and  smart  and  clean  vehicles  are 
addressed independently of the geographical context but results can usefully be applied to the 
urban framework 

CIVITAS is a Commission demonstration and research programme for clean urban transport. 
The CIVITAS Initiative helps towns and cities to test and demonstrate integrated packages of 
both  policy  and  technology  measures  that  aim  to  achieve  a  more  sustainable,  clean  and 
energy-efficient urban transport system. CIVITAS has so far co-financed actions in 36 towns 
and cities with € 100 million in EU funding. CIVITAS-Plus has already been launched under 
FP7.  

Stakeholders  have  stressed  the  importance  of  continuing  the  CIVITAS  Initiative.  The 
CIVITAS  "approach"  could  pave  the  way  for  a  dedicated  EU  support  programme  for 
financing  clean  urban  transport  activities  outside  the  research  framework,  as  suggested  by 
stakeholders. This programme could concentrate on actions on a larger scale, focussing on the 
integration  of  innovative  actions  in  towns,cities  and  their  periphery.  Ideas  for  such  a 
programme could be considered once the Action Plan on urban mobility has been adopted. 

The  Intelligent  Energy  Europe  (IEE)  Programme,  financed  under  the  Competitiveness  and 
Innovation Programme (CIP)31, includes the ALTENER and STEER sub-programmes, which 
support  initiatives  relating  e.g.  to  new  and  renewable  energy  sources,  the  promotion  of 
alternative fuels and the promotion of energy efficiency in transport.  

30 
31 

See: www.eib.org 
Decision No 1639/2006/EC of 24 October 2006 (OJ L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 15). 

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21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

How could existing financial instruments such as structural and cohesion funds be 
better used in a coherent way to support integrated and sustainable urban transport? 

How could economic instruments, in particular market-based instruments, support 
clean and energy efficient urban transport?  

How  could  targeted  research  activities  help  more  in  integrating  urban  constraints 
and urban traffic development? 

Should towns and cities be encouraged to use urban charging? Is there a need for a 
general  framework  and/or  guidance  for  urban  charging?  Should  the  revenues  be 
earmarked  to  improve  collective  urban  transport?  Should  external  costs  be 
internalised?  

25.  What  added  value  could,  in  the  longer  term,  targeted  European  support  for 

financing clean and energy efficient urban transport, bring?  

What could be the potential role of the EU? 

5. 

CONSULTATIONS 

The  Commission  wishes  to  continue  to  incorporate  in  its  further  work  the  views  of 
stakeholders. This Green Paper launches the second intensive consultation that will last until 
15  March  2008.  All  interested  parties  are  invited  to  contribute  to  the  vision  of  a  European 
policy for urban mobility and reply to the 25 questions in this paper and also to the general 
issues  it  addresses.  Their  views,  unless  confidentiality  is  explicitly  requested,  can  be  made 
public.  

Comments and suggestions can be put forward: 

–  via e-mail to:  

–  in writing to:  

tren-urbantransport@ec.europa.eu  

European Commission 

Directorate General for Energy and Transport 

Clean Transport and Urban Transport Unit 

(DM28 02/64) 

200, rue de la Loi 

B - 1049 Brussels 

Further information can be found on the European Commission's website at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/clean/index_en.htm. 

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It  is  important  that  this  Green  Paper  rapidly  leads  to  concrete  action.  The  Commission 
believes that, after the consultation exercise, a concrete Action Plan should be drawn up. This 
will be published in early autumn of 2008. The plan will include possible actions at the EU, 
national,  regional,  and  local  levels  and  at  the  level  of  the  industry  and  citizens.  It  will 
carefully identify the appropriate instruments for each action. 

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