COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EU Urban Mobility state of play Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The New EU Urban Mobility Framework
Date: 2021-12-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: carbon neutrality, collaborative economy, motor vehicle pollution, public transport, road safety, road traffic, services of general interest, sustainable mobility, transport infrastructure, urban transport

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 14.12.2021  SWD(2021) 470 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EU Urban Mobility state of play Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions The New EU Urban Mobility Framework      {COM(2021) 811 final}  
 
 
GLOSSARY of key terms, abbreviations and acronyms 

Table of contents 

1. 

Introduction 

2.  Background and context 

2.1 

2.2 

2.3 

2.4 

Cities and urban mobility 

Urban mobility game changers 

2013 Urban mobility package 

Urban mobility and other policies 

3.  Challenges and existing measures 

3.1 

Congestion 

3.2 Air and noise pollution, health aspects 

3.3 

Fewer road fatalities – towards vision zero 

Climate-related emissions, zero-emission road traffic and associated alternative fuel 

3.4 
infrastructure 

3.5 

3.6 

3.7 

3.8 

3.9 

Cities as an important element of a well-functioning TEN-T network 

Resilience of urban mobility 

Inclusiveness 

Connectivity with peri-urban and rural areas 

Biodiversity and natural landscape 

3.10 

Skills and workers 

3.11  Awareness on more sustainable mobility and transport patterns 

3.12  Mobility management 

3.13 

Sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) 

3 

7 

7 

7 

9 

10 

11 

13 

13 

14 

16 

17 

19 

20 

21 

22 

24 

24 

25 

27 

27 

3.14  Monitoring/data-driven decision making – urban mobility indicators (SUMI) and related 
data collection 

29 

Effective, attractive, zero-emission, high quality and safe public transport as the backbone 

3.15 
of urban mobility 

3.16  A new focus on active modes 

3.16.1 

Introduction, potential and benefits 

3.16.2  Walking 

3.16.3 

Cycling 

3.17 

Spatial transformation 

3.18  Urban Vehicle Access Regulations 

3.19 

Sustainable urban logistics 

1 

30 

33 

33 

35 

36 

37 

38 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
  
3.20 

Shared and collective mobility services 

3.20.1 

Car-sharing, car-pooling and other shared powered vehicles 

3.20.2  Micro-mobility services 

3.20.3 

Addressing local transport-on-demand markets 

3.21  Making the most of digitalisation 

3.21.1  How digitalisation can support mobility in urban areas 

3.21.2 

Tapping into the data potential for the development of urban mobility services 

3.22  New modes that are on the horizon 

3.22.1  Urban air mobility 

3.22.2 

Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) 

3.23  Research and innovation for a change 

3.23.1 

Technological solutions and citizens’ needs 

3.23.2  Urban mobility innovation beyond technology 

3.24 

Everybody on board – capacity building and governance 

3.24.1 

Capacity building 

3.25 

The international dimension 

3.26  Recovery, investments, funding, financing, public procurement 

3.26.1 

EU funding 

3.26.2  Urban mobility in the Recovery and Resilience Plans 

APPENDIX - Synopsis consultation report 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Introduction 

Feedback to the Roadmap 

Targeted consultations 

4.  Open public consultation (OPC) 

5.  Position papers 

43 

45 

45 

46 

46 

46 

48 

50 

50 

50 

51 

51 

53 

55 

55 

57 

60 

60 

64 

65 

65 

65 

66 

68 

78 

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GLOSSARY of key terms, abbreviations and acronyms 

Term, 
abbreviation 
or acronym 

Active 
mobility (or 
transport) 

Meaning or definition 

Transport of people or goods through non-motorised means, based on 
human physical activity (e.g. walking, cycling) 

CEF 

Connecting Europe Facility 

CIVITAS 

An acronym of CIty-VITAlity-Sustainability, an initiative of the EU to 
implement  sustainable,  clean  and  (energy)  efficient  urban  transport 
measures, co-ordinated by cities 

CO2 

Carbon Dioxide 

COVID-19 

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a contagious disease caused 
by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 

Digitalisation  Conversion of information into a digital format 

E-bike  

A bicycle with an integrated electric motor to assist pedalling 

EC 

European Commission 

E-commerce 

Buying and selling goods and services over the internet 

EIB 

European Investment Bank 

ELTIS 

EMW 

European  Local  Transport  Information  Service,  www.eltis.org 
(European Urban Mobility Observatory)  

European  Mobility  Week,  EU  awareness-raising  campaign  on 
sustainable urban mobility 

EU 

European Union 

ERDF 

European Regional Development Fund 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
ESI 

European Structural and Investment Fund 

EGUM 

Member  States  Expert  Group  on  Urban  Mobility  set  up  by  the 
European Commission  

FUA 

Functional urban area, consisting of a city and its commuting zone 

GHG 

Greenhouse gas 

HDV 

ITS 

Heavy Duty Vehicle, a freight vehicle of more than 3.5 tonnes (lorries) 
or passenger transport vehicle of more than 8 seats (buses and coaches) 

Intelligent  Transport  Systems,  transport  solutions  utilizing  state-of-
the-art information and telecommunications technologies 

LDV 

Light duty vehicle, a passenger car or van for up to 8 passengers 

LEZ 

MaaS 

Low Emission Zone (a type of urban vehicle access regulations),  an 
area where access by some polluting vehicles is restricted or deterred 
with the aim of improving air quality 

Mobility  as  a  Service,  the  integration  of  various  forms  of  transport 
services into a single mobility service accessible on demand 

Micromobility  Transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, 
especially electric ones that may be borrowed as part of a self-service 
scheme in which people hire vehicles for short-term use  

Mobility 
management 

A concept  to  promote  sustainable transport and  manage the demand 
for car use by changing travellers' attitudes and behaviour, in particular 
at the level of companies, organisations and institutions 

Multimodality  Transportation of people and goods using at least two different modes 

of transport (e.g. cycling and public transport) 

NGO 

Non-governmental Organisation 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
NOx 

 Nitrogen oxides, collective term used to refer to nitrogen monoxide 
(nitric  oxide  or  NO)  and  nitrogen  dioxide  (NO2),  air  pollutants 
produced during combustion including by motor vehicles  

OPC 

Open public consultation 

P+R, 
park&ride 
facility 

PM 

Shared 
mobility 

A measure for reducing urban traffic congestion, where drivers leave 
their  cars  in  ‘park  and  ride’  area  (parking  facility)  usually  on  the 
outskirts of a city and travel to the city centre on public transport or 
other means 

Particulate Matter, a collective name for fine solid or liquid particles 
added to the atmosphere by processes at the earth's surface, a pollutant 
considered to be one of the most harmful to human health 

It  refers  in  this  document  to  shared  use  of  transport  modes,  such  as 
sharing  of  vehicles  for  rental  (e.g.  bikes,  scooters,  cars),  ride-
sharing/car-pooling  (i.e.  shared  space  within  a  vehicle)  as  well  as 
transport-on-demand services (e.g. ride hailing services like taxis) 

SWD 

Staff  Working  Document,  preparatory/auxiliary  document  of  the 
European Commission, usually accompanying legislative proposals 

SULP 

Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan 

SUMI 

SUMP 

TEN-T 

Sustainable Urban Mobility Indicators, a set of indicators developed 
by a pilot project funded by the European Commission to support cities 
to perform a standardised evaluation of their mobility system and to 
measure improvements 

Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, a strategic plan designed to satisfy 
the  mobility  needs  of  people  and  businesses  in  cities  and  their 
surroundings for a better quality of life 

Trans-European Transport Network, Europe-wide network of railway 
lines,  roads,  inland  waterways,  maritime  shipping  routes,  ports, 
airports and urban nodes 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
UMP 

Urban Mobility Package, an EU policy basis of 2013 comprising the 
Communication "Together towards competitive and resource efficient 
urban mobility" and annexes  

Vision Zero 

In  road  safety,  a  goal  to  reduce  road  deaths  and  serious  injuries  to 
almost zero 

UVAR 

VRU 

Urban Vehicle Access Regulation, a form of traffic management that 
regulates access in specific urban locations according to vehicle type, 
age, emissions category – or other factors such as time of day or day 
of the week 

Vulnerable road users; non-motorised road users, such as pedestrians 
and cyclists as well as motor-cyclists and persons with disabilities or 
reduced mobility and orientation 

WHO 

World Health Organisation 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Introduction 

This Staff Working Document accompanies the Communication from the Commission on the 
European Union (EU) urban mobility framework, which sets out the actions needed to ensure 
that transport in cities supports long-term prosperity of European urban areas, delivers the goals 
of the European Green Deal1 and of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy2 (hereafter 
referred  to  as  the  Strategy).  The  Communication  sets  out  actions  and  recommendations  for 
Member  States,  regions  and  cities  in  order  to  make  urban  mobility  fit  for  the  future  and  in 
particular safer, accessible, inclusive, affordable, smart, resilient and clean.   

Smart and resilient transport services and infrastructure, for both people and goods, are vital to 
make full use of the economic strengths of all regions of the European Union, to support the 
Single Market, recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulate future sustainable growth. 
Transport in, to and between cities is vital to enable economic, social and territorial cohesion, 
underpins our global competitiveness and our international connectivity.   

The transport sector is  also  a major factor for employment  in  Europe.  In 2020 the transport 
sector in the EU-27 employed more than 10 million workers and comprised around 1.1 million 
enterprises,  providing  services  to  people  and  businesses  within  the  EU  and  globally3.  The 
results of the evaluation4 of the EU Urban mobility package of 2013 concluded that EU action 
on urban mobility is needed, even more now than in 2013. The evaluation also described a need 
to  go  beyond  voluntary  actions  in  order  to  achieve  European  climate,  digital  and  societal 
objectives. 

The  new  Leipzig  Charter5  called  for  urban  transport  and  mobility  systems  to  be  efficient, 
carbon-neutral, safe and multi-modal. Active and low-carbon forms of mobility and logistics 
should  be  promoted  including  a  modal  shift  to  public  transport,  walking  and  biking.  Public 
transport should be accessible, affordable, clean, safe and attractive for all.  

This Staff Working Document gives an overview of the Commission services’ assessment of 
the challenges that urban mobility faces as well as analysis and data underpinning the new urban 
mobility  framework.  With  that,  it  aims  to  support  cities,  regions  and  Member  States  in  the 
transformation of the way people and goods move in and around the EU urban areas. 

2.  Background and context  

2.1 

Cities and urban mobility  

Cities remain the principal hubs of economic and social activity in the EU, where people live, 
work, do business, have access to educational, health, cultural and commercial services, and 

1 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en  
2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0789  
3 For statistical information, unless otherwise indicated (e.g. EU-27 is mentioned), EU data relating to the period 
before the withdrawal of the UK from the Union (i.e. 31 January 2020) includes the UK 
4 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0047  
5 Adopted at the Informal Ministerial Meeting on Urban Matters on 30 November 2020: 
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/brochures/2020/new-leipzig-charter-the-
transformative-power-of-cities-for-the-common-good  

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interact with others. The majority of Europeans (70.9%, up from 50% in 1950) live in urban 
areas6, making Europe one of the most urbanised regions in the world. The growth of the rate 
of urbanisation in Europe is expected to continue, with the proportion of the population residing 
in urban areas projected to reach 83.7% in 2050.7 Competitive and sustainable transport services 
are  vital  to  accommodate  the  mobility,  logistics  and  delivery  needs  within  and  around  the 
metropolises areas in the EU.  

Some  cities  in  the  EU,  however,  will  face  declining  populations8,  and  all  cities  have  to 
accommodate needs of an ageing EU population that will require further adaptation of urban 
infrastructure and services9 and in particular better accessibility10 for persons with disabilities 
or reduced mobility.   

Indeed  accessibility  of  urban  transport  for  persons  with  disabilities  is  essential  for  their 
inclusion in society. The accessibility requirement in the European Accessibility Act (Directive 
2019/882)11 concern certain transport services. They also are to be used in public procurement 
and when using EU Funds that contain obligations on accessibility. In addition, they can serve 
for inspiration for Member States to improve accessibility in areas of urban mobility under their 
competences. 

Prior to  the COVID-19  pandemic, urban and suburban public transport  services  carried  180 
million passengers on an average working day across the EU12, providing the backbone of urban 
mobility  in  many  EU  cities.  According  to  the  estimates  of  the  stakeholders13,  the  public 
transport sector is amongst the largest employers at local level, employing 2 million people in 
the EU. 

But while serving its vital role for society, transport is still a source of significant environmental 
concern.  Given  their  economic  role  and  population  share,  cities  are  a  prime  source  of 
greenhouse gas emissions with a significant contribution from transport14 (urban areas account 

6 Eurostat (2020) Urban and rural living in the EU, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-
/edn-20200207-1 
7 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019): ‘World Urbanization 
Prospects 2018: Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/421)’. https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2018-
Highlights.pdf 
8 Some cities in the EU have a relatively high proportion of older people because of an outflow of younger 
people, reflecting in some cases the high cost of property (for rent or to buy) in many city centre locations and in 
other cases limited educational and/or employment opportunities. Statistics on European cities, 
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Statistics_on_European_cities#Population    
9 The Future of Cities, https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-
reports/future-cities  
10 For the purposes of this document the term “barrier-free accessibility” will be used to describe accessibility for 
persons with disabilities or persons with reduced mobility  
11 Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility 
requirements for products and services: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32019L0882  
12 UITP (2021): UITP, EMTA, EPTO, POLIS, EPF Joint Open Letter, https://cms.uitp.org/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2021/06/UITP_Make-2022-the-European-year-of-rail-and-public-transport.pdf 
13 UITP (Union Internationale des Transports Publics),  https://cms.uitp.org/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2020/08/PUBLIC-TRANSPORT-MOVING-EUROPE-FORWARD.pdf  
14 EEA Report No 18/2019, The first and last mile — the key to sustainable urban transport, 
https://www.eea.europa.eu//publications/the-first-and-last-mile  

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for some 23% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions from transport15). Local air16 and noise 
pollution have significant impacts on citizens’ health.   

In 2019, 38% of road fatalities in the EU occurred in urban areas, and the majority (70%) of 
deaths are vulnerable road users17 such as pedestrians and cyclists.  

At the same time, walking, cycling and other forms of active mobility can substantially increase 
personal health. Physical activity in the EU is at an alarmingly low level, with 6 in every 10 
people above 15 years of age never or seldom exercising or engaging in other kinds of physical 
activity,  such  as  cycling18.  According  to  the  World  Health  Organisation  (WHO),  physical 
inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for health and is estimated to contribute to one million 
deaths (about 10 % of the total) in Europe per year19.  

The  resilience  of  urban  transport  networks  has  been  severely  tested  during  the  COVID-19 
pandemic. But the crisis also opens new opportunities to re-think urban mobility and make it 
more sustainable, inclusive, affordable and safer while at the same time promoting active and 
healthy lifestyles.  

Urban mobility  will remain  vital  for  a  good quality  of life  for  each  and  every  citizen  and  a 
prosperous economic future for Europe.  

2.2  Urban mobility game changers 

Important  societal,  scientific  and  technological  developments  impact  urban  mobility,  in 
particular20: 

  A further increase in the economic and political importance of cities and urbanised areas 

coupled with migration (to the EU and into cities); 

  The  shift  towards  low-  and  zero  emission  fuels,  with  its  consequences  for  existing 
infrastructure (e.g. electricity grids) and needs for new infrastructure (e.g. hydrogen but 
also electric charging points for all vehicles (including e-bikes, delivery vehicles etc.)) 
with adequate access throughout the city;  

  Digitalisation  and  the  emergence  of  new  business  models  for  freight  and  passenger 
transport, integration platforms for existing and new mobility offers (e.g. Mobility as a 
Service  MaaS21),  platforms  for  freight  exchange  or  on-demand  ride-hailing  services. 
This brings together customers and providers in new ways such as car sharing (with a 
focus  on  free-floating  schemes),  cycle  sharing,  ride  hailing  services,  ride-sharing, 
electric scooters;  

15 Estimates based on the PRIMES-TREMOVE model developed by ICCS- E3M-Lab. 
16 https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2020-report; figure 3.4 shows that transport is an 
important, but not the largest factors in several air pollutants 
17 Source: CARE database. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/statistics_en 
18 https://ec.europa.eu/sport/news/2018/new-eurobarometer-sport-and-physical-activity_en  
19 https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/physical-activity/data-and-statistics/10-key-
facts-on-physical-activity-in-the-who-european-region   
20 Based, inter alia, on Policy Paper developed by the CIVITAS Advisory Group on Game Changers 
(https://civitas.eu/sites/default/files/CIVITAS_satellite_policy_paper_advisory_group_game_changers.pdf)  
21 Mobility as a Service, the integration of various forms of transport services into a single mobility service 
accessible on demand 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
  The  appearance  of  automated  vehicles  (and  related  infrastructure)  and  use  of 
Cooperative  Intelligent  Transport  Systems  (C-ITS),  enabling  digital  communication 
between vehicles and between vehicles and related infrastructure; 

  E-commerce has been growing steadily over the recent years and COVID-19 lockdown 
measures have greatly accelerated this trend. Globally, we have witnessed a 25% rise in 
consumer e-commerce deliveries in 202022, and part of the increased demand can be 
expected to last beyond the pandemic. 

Furthermore,  working  arrangements  and  habits  are  changing,  accelerated  by  the  COVID-19 
pandemic  and  facilitated  by  digital  work  solutions.  Remote  and  more  flexible  work 
arrangements have become more widespread and might, at least partially, remain in place for 
the longer term, requiring more flexible and adapted mobility offers. Public transport has been 
particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both by dramatic changes in travel patterns 
and fears over the safety of travelling on buses, trams or trains. The public transport ridership 
level is still well below the pre-pandemic levels whilst transport by private car is back to pre-
pandemic levels. Measures taken by cities included prioritising public and active transport as 
well as different redistribution of public space23.  

The experience of the pandemic has shown that transport and mobility – of all types – are key 
to the resilience of urban areas. Due to the various lockdown measures, the pandemic has also 
resulted in significant reductions in pollution from urban transport24.  

2.3 

2013 Urban mobility package 

In  2013  the  Commission  presented  its  Urban  Mobility  Package  (UMP).  It  consists  of  the 
Communication  “Together  towards  competitive  and  resource-efficient  urban  mobility”25  as 
well as the accompanying annex "A Concept for Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans"26 and four 
Commission  Staff  Working  Documents27  addressing  respectively  action  in  four  main  areas: 
urban logistics, urban road safety, urban vehicle access regulations and Intelligent Transport 
Systems in cities. Based on the 2013 impact assessment, a choice was made to proceed with a 
non-binding  option  instead  of  legislative  alternatives.  The  framework  focused  on  catalysing 
joint action towards more sustainable urban mobility and reinforcing the support provided to 
European  cities  through  coordinated  measures  at  EU  level  and  in  the  Member  States. 
Responsibility for the implementation of the UMP objectives  was allocated to the European 
Commission and the Member States, within their respective fields of competence.  

According to the results of the evaluation published in February 202128, the package generated 
EU added value especially thanks to EU funding and supporting awareness-raising, capacity 
building, sharing of good practice and experience, and fostering collaboration and cooperation. 

22 https://www.weforum.org/press/2021/04/covid-19-has-reshaped-last-mile-logistics-with-e-commerce-
deliveries-rising-25-in-2020/ 
23 European Parliament, Rapid-response briefing ‘COVID-19 and urban mobility: impacts and perspectives’, 
September 2020. Available at: 
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2020/652213/IPOL_IDA(2020)652213_EN.pdf  
24 European Environment Agency: Air quality in Europe – 2020 report, 
https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2020-report  
25 COM(2013)913, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52013DC0913 
26 COM(2013)913-annex, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:82155e82-67ca-11e3-a7e4-

01aa75ed71a1.0011.02/DOC_4&format=PDF 

27 ‘A call to action on urban logistics’, ‘Targeted action on urban road safety’ , ‘A call for smarter action on 
urban access  regulations’ , and ‘Mobilising Intelligent Transport Systems for EU cities’. 
28 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0047  

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The central element of the package, the concept of sustainable urban mobility planning (SUMP) 
and related European guidelines29 have been relatively widely used and proved effective and 
useful for local authorities, planners and stakeholders. However, there are wide variations in 
uptake  and  quality  of  the  SUMPs.  Urban  mobility  data  collection  and  availability  require 
additional  attention  to  ensure  that  SUMPs  remain  effective  tools  towards  achieving  the  EU 
decarbonisation, transport  and connectivity objectives, including on the TEN-T Network.  In 
that regard, capacity and expertise, especially in small and medium-sized cities, remain an issue, 
as well as often lacking national level involvement and support.  

2.4  Urban mobility and other policies 

Urban mobility has important links and interactions with general transport policies and other 
policy areas. 

The “Fit for 55” package30 adopted on 14 July 2021 includes relevant policies for the future of 
urban mobility. Among them, the proposed revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive31 (EED) 
provides a higher energy efficiency target and encourages Member States to take up schemes 
that accelerate the uptake of new, more efficient vehicles or policies fostering a shift to better 
performing  fuels  that  reduce  energy  use  per  kilometre.  The  revision  of  the  CO2  emission 
performance standards for road transport vehicles will help accelerate the transition to low and 
zero-emission vehicles. The roll-out of a growing number of zero-emission vehicles will require 
appropriate recharging and refuelling infrastructure, including in urban areas. In light of this, 
the Commission published a proposal for the revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure 
Directive32 as part of the package. 

With its Communication of 14 January 2020 on a 'Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions'33, 
the Commission reaffirmed that the green and digital transitions should be socially fair and just. 
Good working conditions, reskilling opportunities, and attractive jobs should be promoted in 
line with the European Pillar of Social Rights34. Mobility is a critical aspect of social inclusion 
and  an  important  determinant  of  human  well-being,  especially  for  disadvantaged  groups. 
Transport, recognised as an essential service in the European Pillar of Social Rights, fulfils a 
basic  need  in  enabling  citizens  to  integrate  into  society  and  the  labour  market,  but  also 
constitutes  a  significant  part  of  household  expenditure.  Enhanced  connectivity  and  market 
opening has contributed to linking transport networks, bringing the EU together and making it 
more tangible and accessible for travellers. 

Due  to  the  rise  of  electric  mobility,  the  fields  of  energy  and  mobility  are  becoming  more 
intertwined with each other, while the potential impacts of rapid electrification on the grid in 

29 https://www.eltis.org/mobility-plans/sump-guidelines   
30 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3541  
31 https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/proposal-directive-energy-efficiency-recast_en  
32 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/revision_of_the_directive_on_deployment_of_the_alternative_fuels_i
nfrastructure_with_annex_0.pdf   
33 COM(2020)14 final 
34 COM(2020) 789 final - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/economy-works-people/jobs-
growth-and-investment/european-pillar-social-rights/european-pillar-social-rights-20-principles_en   

11 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
an urban context need to be considered35. This is also relevant in the area of digitalization and 
the smart cities concept. 

Urban  mobility  is  also  relevant  for  cross-border  and  transnational  cooperation  platforms 
provided inter alia by the online platform Border Focal Point Network36 and by the EU macro-
regional strategies, where relevant. 

Many  activities  related  to  urban  mobility  at  European  level  have  been  financed  through 
Research and Innovation activities. R&I on urban mobility is included in the new Framework 
Programme for R&I, Horizon Europe which has a more holistic approach covering “climate, 
energy and mobility”37.  

Mobility is also a key element of the more holistic approach driven by the Mission on climate-
neutral and smart cities38 launched in September 2021. The Mission’s goal is to help at least 
100 cities become climate neutral by 2030 and to make them experimentation and innovation 
hubs to enable all other cities to follow suit by 2050. In this context, the Net Zero Report of the 
IEA points out that the decarbonisation of the transport sector it will have to rely on policies 
that promote modal shift (to  public transport and active mobility), more  efficient  operations 
across passenger transport modes, and improvements in energy efficiency. It also depends on 
two major technology transitions: shifts towards electric mobility (electric vehicles [EVs] and 
fuel cell electric vehicles [FCEVs]) and shifts towards higher fuel blending ratios and direct use 
of  low‐carbon  fuels  (biofuels  and  hydrogen-based  fuels).  These  shifts  are  likely  to  require 
interventions  to  stimulate  investment  in  supply  infrastructure  and  to  incentivise  consumer 
uptake39. 

Cohesion  policy has an increasingly strong sustainable urban development  dimension in  the 
2021-2027 period. Implemented through shared management, the strategic choices of Member 
States and regions remain central, but the five policy objectives of cohesion policy focused on 
Smarter, Greener, More Connected and More Social Europe and a Europe closer to Citizens are 
expected  to  mobilise  substantial  investments  in  urban  areas.  The  new  Policy  Objective  ‘a 
Europe closer to Citizens’ has been introduced to the main policy framework as an enhanced 
commitment  to  integrated  territorial  development  and  includes  a  specific  objective  to  foster 
sustainable urban development.  

The European Urban Initiative will be set up to provide coherent support to cities with the aim 
of  supporting  innovative  actions,  capacity  and  knowledge  building,  territorial  impact 
assessments,  policy  development  and  communication.  The  URBACT  IV  programme  will 
continue  to  build  the  capacities  of  cities  through  transnational  networking,  learning  from 
experiences and identifying good practices to improve sustainable urban development policies 
and strategies. 

35 TRIMIS Horizon scanning alert ”Urban e-mobility and impacts on energy consumption“ JRC124704 
https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/jrc124704_jrc124704_trimis_hs_alert_final.pdf 
36  https://futurium.ec.europa.eu/en/border-focal-point-network/b-solutions  
37 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-
open-calls/horizon-europe/cluster-5-climate-energy-and-mobility_en  
38 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-
open-calls/horizon-europe/missions-horizon-europe/climate-neutral-and-smart-cities_en  
39 Net Zero by 2050, International Energy Agency, May 2021  

12 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Finally,  the  EU  has  a  long  history  of  intergovernmental  engagement  with  its  cities,  most 
recently in the New Leipzig Charter40 adopted in November 2020 that is a key policy framework 
document for sustainable urban development in Europe. The Charter highlights that cities need 
to  establish  integrated  and  sustainable  urban  development  strategies  and  ensure  their 
implementation for the city as a whole, from its functional areas to its neighbourhoods. Member 
States agreed to implement the Charter in their national or regional urban policies. Furthermore, 
the Urban Agenda for the EU41, which was launched by the Pact of Amsterdam42 in 2016, is 
considered as a key vehicle for the implementation of the New Leipzig Charter. 

3. Challenges and existing measures  

3.1 

Congestion 

The high levels of road traffic compared with road capacity at certain locations and times of 
day  lead  to  congestion,  substantial  time  losses,  waste  of  energy  and  a  lack  of  travel  time 
reliability43.  The  most  common  indicator  of  traffic  congestion  relates  to  the  difference  in 
average speed between free-flow conditions (usually recorded at night) and those observed at 
different times of day, converted to an increase in average travel time. Congestion  undermines  
productivity    and    liveability    in    a    large    and    growing    number    of    cities.44  It  has  very 
considerable costs to the society45, and represents the second single most significant negative 
externality of road transport, after the cost of crashes. 

In that regard, the situation across EU cities has not improved since 2013 and, in many places, 
has worsened. As put by the Court of Auditors in their report46, ‘In the absence of a significant 
shift  to  other  forms  of  transport,  rising  congestion  is  an  indication  that  urban  mobility  is 
deteriorating  for  road users’. The Court has  confirmed that congestion has worsened in  the 
cities  from  four  Member  States  it  analysed47  as  well  as  in  25  out  of  37  urban  nodes.  Also, 
according to the European Environment Agency (Report No 18/2019), the hours spent by the 
average driver in road traffic congestion, annually, have increased for 16 EU countries between 
2015 and 2017. The problem is more acute at the level of cities, with as many as 254 hours lost 
in congestion annually in Rome, 246 in Dublin and 237 in Paris. 

40https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/brochures/2020/new-leipzig-charter-the-
transformative-power-of-cities-for-the-common-good.  
41 https://futurium.ec.europa.eu/en/urban-agenda  
42 https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/system/files/ged/pact-of-amsterdam_en.pdf  
43 EEA Report No 18/2019, https://www.eea.europa.eu//publications/the-first-and-last-mile  
44 International Transport Forum, Decongesting our Cities, https://www.itf-
oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/decongesting-our-cities.pdf  
45 Evaluation of 2013 Urban mobility package (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0047). Urban congestion costs are estimated to account for EUR 180 
billion per year in terms of delay costs and about EUR 32 billion per year in terms of deadweight loss at EU-27 
level. The delay cost gives a value of the travel time lost relative to a free-flow situation. The deadweight loss 
costs is the part of the delay costs which is regarded as a proper basis for transport pricing. Source: DG MOVE 
Study ‘Sustainable Transport Infrastructure Charging and Internalisation of Transport Externalities’ (June 2019) 
based on: CE Delft (2019), ‘Handbook on the External Costs of Transport. Version 2019’. 
https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/9781f65f-8448-11ea-bf12-01aa75ed71a1. 
46 Special report 06/2020: Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU: No substantial improvement is possible without 
Member States’ commitment, https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=53246  
47 Leipzig, Hamburg, Naples, Palermo, Warsaw, Łódź, Madrid and Barcelona. For example, in the last city the 
accessibility within 30 minutes driving time during rush hours dropped from 620 km2 in 2012 to 389 km2 in 
2019. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Levels of congestion around and in urban areas are very high, in particular during peak hours. 
Commuting traffic, largely by a single person occupying a car48, represents a major share of the 
daily  congestion49.  Another  source  of  congestion  is  freight  transport,  in  particular  the  one 
generated by increasing e-commerce and home deliveries with short time windows, which lead 
to more empty runs, less capacity use and higher emissions. It should also be noted that – if not 
properly integrated in the multi-modal transport system – some of the new technologies can 
further exacerbate car dependency and thus congestion50. 

Congestion is also a significant problem for the respondents that took part in the open public 
consultation conducted during preparation of the current initiative51. 123 of them indicated that 
congestion  (and  resulting  delays)  is  the  most  important  challenge  negatively  affecting  their 
daily mobility. More details are provided in Annex - Synopsis consultation report. 

Dealing with congestion in urban areas is a complex issue which usually requires a combination 
of  measures,  including  provision  of  viable  and  attractive  alternatives  to  private  motorised 
transport  and  managing  the  influx  of  individual  cars.  In  that  regard,  urban  vehicle  access 
regulations (UVARs), in particular congestion charging (urban tolls), are tools used by a few 
cities. However, as indicated by the Court of Auditors, ‘Only very few cities applied congestion 
charges,  despite  their  potential  benefits  in  terms  of  reducing  congestion,  increasing 
sustainability and providing added income. This can be partly explained by the specific contexts 
of individual cities. For example, a city might be reluctant to consider a congestion charge if 
that made it less attractive to citizens and businesses compared to neighbouring cities without 
a congestion charge’.  It  is worth noting that  citizens tend to be reluctant  toward urban tolls 
before they are implemented. However, once the pricing scheme is in place and the revenues 
are used to improve transport or support social policies, the citizens’ approach usually change, 
as seen in Oslo and London.52 

3.2 Air and noise pollution, health aspects 

In  the  EU,  despite  important  improvements  over  the  last  decades,  every  year  over  400  000 
premature deaths are attributed to ambient air pollution53, and 48 000 cases of ischaemic heart 
disease as well as 6.5 million cases of chronic sleep disturbance to noise. High levels of air 
pollution (especially PM and NO2) in urban areas are of particular concern, with majority of 
EU Member States and over 100 cities in the EU in breach of EU air quality standards. Road 
transport contributes about 39% to emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and 10% and 11% to 
emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM10) respectively 
in  the  EU54,  with  these  emissions  primarily  linked  to  energy  use.  The  contribution  of  road 
transport to ambient NO2 and PM concentrations, especially in urban areas, is higher than its 
share of emissions, because the emissions from road transport take place close to the ground 

48 Average car occupancy is estimated at 1.5 person per trip; EEA Report No 19/2020, ISSN 1977-8449 
Train or plane? (https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/transport-and-environment-report-2020)  
49 e.g. in Toulouse, the UIA project Commute has estimated that around 70% of the daily congestion is due to 
commuting 
50 JRC, The Future of Road Transport, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC116644  
51 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12916-Sustainable-transport-new-
urban-mobility-framework/public-consultation_en  
52 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856421001555?via%3Dihub  
53 European Environment Agency: Air quality in Europe – 2020 report 
54 European Environment Agency: Air quality in Europe – 2020 report 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
and are dispersed over densely populated areas55. Poor air quality is also of high concern for 
citizens, ranking among the top 3 most important challenges negatively affecting urban mobility 
with 158 replies (out of 592 respondents replying to the question in open public consultation). 

Noise is the second largest environmental cause of health problems, just after the impact of air 
quality, according to the WHO. A study mandated by Commission services found that exposure 
to  noise  in  Europe  contributes  to  at  least  10  thousand  premature  deaths  per  year  related  to 
coronary  heart  disease  and  stroke56.  When  it  comes  to  noise,  road  traffic  noise  is  the  most 
dominant source of environmental noise57.  It is estimated that 125 million people are affected 
by noise levels from road traffic greater than 55 decibels (dB) Lden58. To address this challenge 
SUMPs  are  a  commonly  used  tool  to  address  noise59.  Transport-related  noise  has  been  also 
acknowledged as a challenge by 71 respondents taking part in the open public consultation. 

An    urban    environment    that    encourages    the    use    of    motor    vehicles    and,    therefore,  
discourages  physical  activity,  is  one of the driving  forces  behind  population-wide  trends  
toward    overweight  and  obesity.  Sedentary  lifestyles  are  a  key  driver  of  non-communicable 
diseases  and  approximately  two  thirds  of  people  in  the  EU  fail  to  achieve  the  WHO 
recommendations for minimum physical activity60. Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan61 promotes 
investment  in  active  mobility  infrastructures  to  address  sedentary  lifestyles  and  reduce 
overweight and obesity levels, and also supports the reduction of air pollution due to harmful 
effects on citizens, especially children. 

The EU Action Plan ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’62 sets key 2030 targets 
to  reduce  pollution.  It  steps  up  the  integration  of  the  zero  pollution  ambition  across  policy 
sectors, including sustainable mobility and urban development policies. It brings together key 
actions to reduce pollution at source, such as more stringent air pollutant emission limits for 
motor  vehicles,  and  updating,  where  relevant,  EU  or  international  regulatory  frameworks, 
including  Euro  7  standards  for  road  vehicles.  It  also  aims  to  improve  the  EU  noise-related 
regulatory  framework  on  tyres,  road  vehicles,  railways,  aircraft,  also  at  international  level. 
Additionally, the Commission will review progress63 in 2022 and consider whether there is a 
need to set noise reduction targets at EU level in the Environmental Noise Directive. The Zero 
Pollution Action Plan also states that noise action plans required by the Directive should be 
better integrated into sustainable urban mobility plans and benefit from an extension of clean 
public transport and from more active mobility64.  

55 European Environment Agency: Transport and environment report (TERM) 2019 
56 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/health_effects_en.htm  
57 EEA Report No 22/2019: Environmental Noise in Europe –2020 
58 55 dB Lden is the EU threshold for excess exposure defined in the Environmental Noise Directive and 
indicating an annual average level during the day, evening and night; dB=decibel; 
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/europe_en.htm  
59 The 2021 EU supported Phenomena Study on noise showed that mobility plans are the second most 
implemented tool to reduce noise (together with source and path intervention). Assessment of potential health 
benefits of noise abatement measures in the EU - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu) 
60 physical-activity-factsheets-2018-eu28_en.pdf (europa.eu) 
61 https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/non_communicable_diseases/docs/eu_cancer-plan_en.pdf 
62 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021DC0400&qid=1623311742827  
63 Based on noise pollution trends resulting from Member State noise. 
64 COM(2021) 400. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
The following 2030 targets of the Action Plan are of particular relevance for urban mobility65:  

 

 

improvement of air quality with the objective to reduce the number of premature deaths 
caused by air pollution by more than 55%; 
reduction of the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% .  

The Action Plan states that Noise Action Plans (NAPs), required by the Environmental Noise 
Directive66, should be better integrated within SUMPs and fully benefit from an extension of 
clean public transport and from more active mobility. 

The Naiades  III  action programme67 indicated that inland waterway transport would also be 
used in cities for reducing emissions compared to road transport.    

The  dedicated  SUMP  guide  on  linking  transport  and  health68  acknowledges  the  health 
dimension of urban mobility, lists public health impacts of road transport, provides sustainable 
urban mobility planning principles for health and provides examples of health-related measures 
that can be included in SUMP. It has been also referenced in the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. 

3.3 

Fewer road fatalities – towards vision zero  

Urban road safety is becoming more important because our society is becoming more urban; 
more and more people live in urban areas. The EU’s road safety policy is based on the so-called 
“safe system approach”. It only works if all actors at all levels play their part in a coordinated 
manner  to  achieve  a  more  forgiving  road  system  that  works  for  all,  vehicle  occupants  and 
vulnerable road users (VRU - cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists). 

Road safety needs a higher profile at local and planning level, addressing above all the concerns 
of VRUs. In the EU, of the 8 500 people who die annually on urban roads (2019 data), fully 
70% occur to VRUs. In recent decades, cars have been made much safer and infrastructure – 
essentially designed for car safety – has improved significantly. While this has been a major 
achievement, it exposes just how much more vulnerable are road users outside the car, just at a 
time when  cities and societies are looking to increase the share of walking  and cycling and 
incentivise more people to engage in these kinds of active mobility.  

The increased risk for VRU is mostly relative: in 2010-18, the number of pedestrian deaths in 
urban areas  actually  fell by 18%. At the same time, however, the number of car occupants’ 
fatalities  went  down  by  29%.  This  positive  trend  does  not  apply  to  cyclists,  however:  the 
number of cyclists being killed has gone up over this period. The numbers show that as more 
people are walking and cycling, they are more exposed and more at risk. They also reflect the 
danger of the interaction between vulnerable road users and motor vehicles.  

65 Reference years are 2005 (air) and 2017 (noise). For more information on the origin, baselines, methodologies 
and background on these targets: see Annex 2 of COM(2021) 400. 
66 Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 relating to the 
assessment and management of environmental noise, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32002L0049  
67 Future-proofing European inland waterway transport - NAIADES III action plan, 
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/inland/news/2021-06-24-naiades-iii-action-plan_en  
68 https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/linking_transport_and_health_in_sumps_0.pdf  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Three  main  trends  can  be  observed  with  a  direct  impact  on  road  safety.  Firstly,  given  the 
increasing number of pedestrians and cyclists, the share of the road network available for those  
active road users may not be adequate to encourage walking, cycling and the use of personal 
mobility devices (such as e-scooters). Footpaths may be too narrow, badly maintained and not 
offering barrier-free accessibility69, cycle paths may be insufficient or too narrow etc.  

Secondly, the rise in e-commerce and food delivery services has led to a big increase in delivery 
vehicles (including motorcycles and bicycles) in urban areas. Delivery time pressure may push 
drivers to take risks when driving and parking.   

Thirdly, the  fast  deployment of micromobility devices such  as  e-scooters on Europe’s urban 
roads has also been detrimental to road safety, as these vehicles are often used and parked in 
ways that put the safety of other road users, in particular pedestrians, at risk. 

Road safety concerns are of top significance also to citizens, with 284 of respondents in public 
consultation  indicating  that  ‘feeling  unsafe  to  ride  a  bike’  is  the  most  important  challenge 
negatively affecting their daily mobility.  

‘Vision Zero’70 for road safety in urban areas covers a number of relevant actions in that regard.  

3.4 

Climate-related emissions, zero-emission road traffic and associated 
alternative fuel infrastructure 

Cities are, overall, responsible for more  than  70%  of  global  CO2  emissions and  play  a  
pivotal    role    in    achieving    climate    neutrality  by  205071.  GHG  emissions  from  the  EU’s 
transport  increased  in  2018  and  2019,  and  have  not  followed  the  EU’s  general  decreasing 
emissions  trend.  As  indicated  in  the  introductory  chapter,  urban  mobility  is  estimated  to  be 
responsible for about 23% of EU's GHG emissions from transport. This is due to combustion 
engine cars, vans and trucks that still dominate Europe’s roads and streets. In order to reduce 
these emissions, the increased deployment and use of alternatively-fuelled (electric, hydrogen) 
vehicles has to be combined with the creation of a comprehensive network of recharging and 
refuelling infrastructure, and with a shift to public transport and active mobility. 

For the time being, the deployment of such infrastructure is uneven across the EU72 and it is not 
fast enough to meet the increasing demand from the fast-growing number of new zero-emission 
vehicles, including in urban areas. This is a major barrier for the uptake of electric vehicles. 
Other  issues  include  interoperability  and  communication  standards,  and  the  need  for  more 
transparent  consumer information and common payment systems. All this negatively affects 
user acceptance of zero-emission cars. 

The EU has fixed a climate neutrality target for 2050 which will have huge impact in sectors 
such as road transport which is currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels; one of the milestones 
defined  in  the  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy  indicates  that,  by  2050,  almost  all 
vehicles  on  EU  roads  should  be  zero-emission.  Electrification  has  started  and  is  picking  up 
speed to reach this ambitious target; both battery electric and fuel cell hydrogen vehicles will 

69 Of particular importance for persons with disabilities, reduced mobility and for the elderly 
70 An EU goal to reduce road deaths to almost zero by 2050, following the example of the most successful 
countries in terms of road safety (https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/what-we-do_en). 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
  
 
contribute to this transition in different segments. In urban areas, recharging infrastructure for 
the public transport fleet should be a priority for public funding, accompanying and enabling 
the deployment of zero tailpipe emission / clean buses in cities. As regards recharging points 
with public access, support should target equipping park and ride (P+R) facilities, intermodal 
hubs etc. with alternative fuels infrastructure, possibly in cooperation with market players. City 
authorities should play an important role in planning and coordinating efforts by the public and 
private sector. 

With a significant number of electric vehicles already on the road and their share of new vehicle 
sales rapidly increasing, the widespread deployment of electric chargers and, to a lesser extent, 
hydrogen refuelling, has already started. The proposal for a new Alternative Fuels Infrastructure 
Regulation (AFIR)73 and the “Recharge and Refuel” flagship initiative74, will help ensure that 
recharging/refuelling networks will rapidly expand to allow zero-emission mobility to reach its 
full potential. The AFIR proposal, adopted as part of the “Fit for 55” package on 14 July 2021, 
sets  mandatory  fleet-based  targets  for  recharging  points  for  LDVs  in  each  MS,  as  well  as 
distance-based targets on the TEN-T network for both electric charging points and hydrogen 
refuelling stations (for LDVs and HDVs), and a requirement to provide a minimum amount of 
recharging and refuelling points in urban areas. The revised Clean Vehicles Directive75 sets a 
long-term procurement framework for the  purchase, lease or rent  of  buses and certain  other 
vehicles by public authorities. 

Commuting  and  traffic  flows,  availability  of  private  parking,  options  to  provide  overnight 
charging, as well as specific operational requirements of the urban freight and logistics sector 
will have to be considered while designing the cities’ recharging infrastructure. For instance, 
logistics  operators  can  charge  electric  trucks  most  cost-effectively  at  the  depot,  considering 
optimal charging scenarios based on estimates of the combined costs for charging and grid use. 

The Revision of the Regulation setting CO2 emission performance standards for cars and vans76, 
adopted  14  July  2021,  will  contribute  to  the  achievement  of  the  climate  goals,  stimulate 
innovation  in  zero-emission  technologies,  strengthen  technological  leadership  of  the 
automotive industry and stimulate employment in the EU. Additionally, the sharp increase in 
demand for batteries foreseen in the coming years will give a significant boost to employment77. 
The  Commission  has  launched  the  Clean  Bus  Deployment  Initiative  to  speed  up  the 
introduction of clean buses across Europe. As a support tool, the Clean Bus Europe Platform78 
has been set-up: it is the strategic line of action to develop, implement and support the transition 
towards clean bus fleets.  

73 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/revision_of_the_directive_on_deployment_of_the_alternative_fuels_i
nfrastructure_with_annex_0.pdf    https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32014L0094  
74 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_1658  
75 Directive 2009/33/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of 
clean road transport vehicles in support of low-emission mobility: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02009L0033-20190801  
76 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12655-Revision-of-the-CO2-emission-
standards-for-cars-and-vans-_en  
77 This is complemented by the EU’s European Battery Alliance (EBA), launched in October 2017, which aims 
to ensure that all Europeans benefit from safer traffic, cleaner vehicles and more sustainable technological 
solutions. All this will be achieved by creating a competitive and sustainable battery cell manufacturing value 
chain in Europe – which will require significant workforce training. 
78 https://cleanbusplatform.eu/  

18 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
In addition, a dedicated co-programmed partnership “Towards Zero Emission Road Transport 
(2Zero)79” has been launched in  June 2021 under  the new  Framework Programme for R&I, 
Horizon Europe with a total budget of € 615 million. The main objective is to accelerate the 
development and deployment of zero tailpipe emission road transport in Europe with a systems 
approach  including  recharging  infrastructures.  The  2Zero  partnership  will  implement  an 
integrated system approach covering Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Fuel Cell Electric 
Vehicles (FCEV). With the support of five Technology Platforms (ERTRAC, EPoSS, ETIP-
SNET, ALICE and Batteries Europe), it will continue investigating new vehicles technologies 
and will extend its scope to cover the integration of the zero tailpipe emission vehicles in their 
eco-system contributing to boost the EU competitiveness and technological leadership. 

In addition, in line with the objectives of the Green Deal, the EU Strategy “A Renovation Wave 
for Europe - greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives” 80 adopted in October 2020 
integrates  climate,  energy  and  environmental  objectives,  industrial  strategy  and  circularity 
objectives, as well as skills, consumer welfare and fair and social transition goals. In the revision 
of  the  Energy  performance  of  Building  (EPBD)81  which  is  linked  to  the  Renovation  Wave 
Strategy, one of the proposed actions is to make buildings healthier, greener, interconnected 
within  a  neighbourhood  district,  more  accessible,  resilient  to  extreme  natural  events,  and 
equipped with recharging points for e-mobility and bike parking. 

3.5 

Cities as an important element of a well-functioning TEN-T network 

The TEN-T network plays a key role for the internal market by ensuring a well-functioning 
multimodal cross-border network for the transport of goods and passengers. Cities are often the 
starting and/or ending points for these transport flows. Up until now, the integration of the TEN-
T  policy  perspective  into  urban  and  regional  mobility  policy  and  vice-versa  has  not  been 
sufficiently ensured. 

Urban  nodes  have  a  crucial  role  in  the  TEN-T  network  not  only  because  they  are  often  the 
starting  and/or  ending  points  of  transport  flows, but  also  because  important  bottlenecks  and 
missing links on the network are located in these urban nodes. 

There is also the specific case of cross-border urban areas where the lack of cross-border public 
transport services has been identified as an important issue. For example, it has been estimated 
that only 44% of EU border residents  have access  to  rail services. This pushes cross-border 
commuters away from sustainable collective travel options towards single occupancy vehicle 
use. 

As identified by the TEN-T Common Progress Report82 of the European Coordinators, there is 
a  need  to  “progressively  encourage,  integrate  and  blend  other  innovations  through  transport 
policy  initiatives  such  as  green  corridors  and  intelligent  traffic  management  systems. 
Investigation  of  interoperability  and  inter-modality  as  core  concepts  for  the  development  of 
urban nodes, ports, airports, rail-road terminals and inland waterways will be intensified”.  

79 https://www.2zeroemission.eu  
80 https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficient-buildings/renovation-wave_en  
81 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12910-Energy-efficiency-Revision-of-
the-Energy-Performance-of-Buildings-Directive_en  
82 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-
portal/site/brochures_images/20150429_final_common_progress_report_final.pdf  

19 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
According to the European Court of Auditors special report on urban mobility, between 2013 
and  2018,  congestion  worsened  in  25  of  the  37  urban  nodes  for  which  data  was  available. 
“Congested  urban  areas  can  also  hamper  the  efficiency  of  the  wider  European  transport 
network”, says the report83. The report recommends that funding is linked with the existence of 
a  robust  SUMP.  “An  efficient  public  transport  network,  integrating  surrounding  areas  and 
involving different transport options, is key for encouraging citizens to shift from private cars 
to cleaner means of travel such as walking, cycling, and public transport”, say the auditors. 

According  to  a  European  Parliament  transport  briefing84,  there  is  a  need  to  have  a  better 
integration of urban nodes within their region, including the integration of long-distance TEN-
T traffic with the local transport flows, more collaborative planning at different policy levels 
and more emphasis on inter-modality.  

A closer coordination of TEN-T projects with cities´ SUMPs can ensure that those projects do 
not  hamper  local  mobility  and  limit  negative  effects  on  citizens’  quality  of  life  as  much  as 
possible. By having a robust SUMP that includes the whole functional  urban area (FUA), a 
city/region can plan for and anticipate large infrastructure development and link these with their 
own local projects.  

The  development  of  multimodal  passenger  hubs  with  multimodal  digital  mobility  services  
urban nodes can facilitate first and last mile connections. Useful information also include the 
availability of alternative fuels recharging and refuelling infrastructure, the digital exchange of 
information between traffic management centres and with stakeholders providing information 
services and the availability of freight terminals with sufficient capacity. Development of urban 
consolidation  centres  (including  micro-consolidation)  as  well  as  terminals,  can  improve  the 
connection between the TEN-T and urban nodes. When developing the comprehensive network 
there is also potential of such consolidated centres for production as well as for deployment of 
alternative fuels infrastructure and other innovation deployment. 

Finally,  it  is  necessary  to  recall  the  importance  to  ensure  that  TEN-T  is  inclusive  for  all 
passengers  and  that  its  accessibility  obligations  are  well  implemented  so  that  persons  with 
disabilities or reduced mobility as well as other uses disadvantaged by discrimination are able 
to use the TEN-T infrastructures on an equal basis with others. 

3.6  Resilience of urban mobility 

Transport  infrastructure  is  vulnerable  to  climate  change  and  other  natural  or  human-made 
disruptions  such  as  pandemics,  flooding,  extreme  temperatures,  extreme  weather  events, 
terrorist attacks, vandalism, etc..  

Some guidance is already available to cities. As described in the respective SUMP guidance85, 
resilience in the context of urban mobility is the capacity of various interconnected systems (i.e. 
a transport infrastructure network, its maintenance crew, financing arrangements, contracts etc.) 
to prevent heavy impacts in the first place, and to cope with disturbance when it occurs. This 
means  to  maintain  essential  functions  and  structure,  while  adapting  to  changes  and 

83 https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=53246  
84 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)659430  
85 SUMP Topic Guide: Planning For More Resilient And Robust Urban Mobility: 
https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/sump_topic-
guide_planning_for_more_resilient_and_robust_urban_mobility_online_version.pdf   

20 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
transforming. Urban mobility resilience entails the identification of key resources for mobility, 
and the consequence of a potential reduction of these resources, for whatever reason or crisis. 

A good practice example is a Smart and Resilient Mobility Plan of Thessaloniki, based on 
meteorological  scenarios  and  the  national  adaptation  plan  for  climate  change.  Climate 
change is expected to negatively impact Thessaloniki’s transport system, either through 
direct  effects  on  the  built  environment  or  through  indirect  effects  linked  to  adaptation 
measures. The city has developed a strategy to prioritise measures, policies and actions to 
reduce transportation systems vulnerability, increase their resilience and secure safe-proof 
investments. Thessaloniki’s resilience vision focuses on cooperation between authorities, 
the  development  of  monitoring  systems,  data  collection,  revision  of  the  design 
specifications of current transport infrastructure, use of ‘smart’ technologies and systems 
and  the  promotion  of  the  use  of  energy-efficient  vehicles.  Other  measures  include  the 
conversion of parking places into outdoor catering areas for restaurants. 

The  pandemic  affected  mobility  patterns  through  waves  of  lockdowns  but  also  challenged 
transport-related policymaking and resource reallocation. There are indications that cities with 
a SUMP were able to implement change more easily than those with no existing plan to support 
their response. In many cases, emergency and resilience procedures as described in the SUMP 
were activated. 

3.7 

Inclusiveness  

Principle 20 of the European Pillar of Social Rights86 considers transport as an essential service 
to which all citizens have a right. Cities in the EU face an ageing population that will require 
further  adaptation  of  urban  infrastructure  and  services.  The  ageing  of  the  population  is  also 
linked with a rising number of persons with disabilities or reduced mobility. Better accessibility 
is  needed  for  those  groups  as  well  as  the  provision  of  safe,  secure,  reliable  and  adaptable 
transport services with appropriate solutions for all users.  

Mobility precariousness can take different forms such as mobility poverty, transport poverty, 
transport disadvantage, transport affordability, accessibility poverty87. Mobility precariousness 
in  an  urban  context  mainly  relates  to  availability,  affordability,  accessibility,  adequacy  and 
reliability  of  transport  and  affects  differently  the  mobility  of  different  groups.  Groups  most 
affected by mobility precariousness include low-income and unemployed people, people living 
in rural and deprived areas lacking urban links, as well as migrants and ethnic minorities, young 
people and children, who are most likely to rely on urban public transport.   

Equality and inclusiveness are among the EU’s core values. International initiatives such as the 
United  Nations’  New  Urban  Agenda88  and  the  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development89 
push forward the objective of ‘making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable90. Urban 

86 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/economy-works-people/jobs-growth-and-
investment/european-pillar-social-rights_en  
87 See also JRC study on transport poverty (still to be published) 
88 The New Urban Agenda: Key Commitments 
(https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2016/10/newurbanagenda ) 
89 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20De
velopment%20web.pdf) 
90 Sustainable Development Goal 11 (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11 ) 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
environments as public organisations have an increasingly important role to play in creating the 
right  conditions  for  achieving  equality  and  inclusiveness.  The  urban  population  is  not 
homogenous. Women and men, persons with disabilities or reduced mobility, the young and 
older generations, persons with different ethnic backgrounds etc. use cities and urban transport 
options differently.  

Women  often  have  more  complex  mobility  patterns91  as  they  regularly  combine  household 
chores and caring responsibilities (childcare, care of elderly, relatives etc.) with income related 
activities  leading  to  ‘trip-chaining’92.  Women  also  walk  more  often  and  for  longer,  partly 
because of their care responsibilities, partly because they tend to have lower incomes93.  

Safety is a major issue for women in cities who fear violence, harassment and aggression on 
the  streets,  in  public  transport  and  when  travelling  during  late  hours.  Women  also  use  new 
active mobility options (e.g. e-scooters) less than men. Men have more often access to a car 
(the family car is used by the man)94.   

Several cities are already including a gender perspective in urban transport planning and design 
through gender mainstreaming from the outset95.  

When looking at the results of the open public consultation, more than half of the respondents 
(448 out of 847) stated that they are very dissatisfied or dissatisfied with the accessibility for 
persons  with  disabilities  or  reduced  mobility  of  the  transport  infrastructure  in  their  city  or 
municipality. 

In this respect, the new Regulation 2021/782 on rail passenger rights provides that even where 
a MS may decide to exclude an urban, suburban or regional rail service from its scope, the rules 
on assistance to be granted to passengers with disabilities or with reduced mobility shall always 
apply – as regards regional rail services, and some mandatory rules shall also cover the urban 
and suburban rail services. This will make rail services more accessible and more inclusive. In 
addition, the core rights in Regulation 181/2011 on bus and coach passenger rights also apply 
to urban regular bus services: these rights include the prohibition of discrimination based on 
nationality  or  disability,  the  compulsory  disability  awareness  training  for  the  staff  of  bus 
operators in direct contact with bus passengers and compensation for lost or damaged mobility 
equipment of persons with disabilities (e.g. wheelchair).  

In October 2020, the European accessibility standard EN-17210 was adopted96. The standard 
contains relevant accessibility provisions related to mobility for persons with disabilities and of 
cycle paths.  

91 JRC study ‘Women in Transport Research and Innovation: A European Perspective’ (2021): 
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/12/6796  
92 ’Understanding Urban Travel Behaviour by Gender for Efficient and Equitable Transport Policies’ ITF (2018): 
https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/urban-travel-behaviour-gender.pdf  
93 A 2015 survey on travel in London found that women ’are significantly less likely than men to be satisfied 
with the streets and pavements after their last journey by foot’ (quoted in ’Invisible Women’, Carolin Criado 
Perez (2019) Invisible Women | Caroline Criado Perez) 
94 Gender and (smart) Mobility Green Paper, Ramboll (2021): https://ramboll.com/-
/media/files/rgr/documents/markets/transport/g/gender-and-mobility_report.pdf  
95 See e.g. https://www.eltis.org/in-brief/news/cities-are-actively-addressing-gendered-mobility-patterns  
96 https://www.cencenelec.eu/news/brief_news/Pages/TN-2021-015.aspx  

22 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.8 

Connectivity with peri-urban and rural areas 

Whilst the majority of the EU population lives in urban areas, rural areas are home to almost 
one third of its citizens. It is an ageing population, as rural and remote areas have the lowest 
shares  of  population  in  age  groups  below  50  years  old.  Rural  areas  account  for  83%  of  the 
European land mass. Given the limited services, job and shopping opportunities and leisure and 
recreational activities that often exist in rural areas there is a demand for rural residents to travel 
to  urban  areas  (including  when  it  is  across  the  border).  Longer  distances,  lower  population 
density and larger catchment areas make both delivery and access to services in rural areas more 
difficult.  

This was recently  acknowledged  in  a Eurobarometer Survey, which concluded that only  for 
55% of rural area or village residents it is easy to get to their nearest large town or city97. Among 
the  respondents  taking  part  in  the  open  public  consultation,  insufficient  public/collective 
transport options from/to a city was a problem for 402 of them, and insufficient active mobility 
options – for 390 (out of 1418 answers). 

By consequence, people in rural areas are heavily dependent on private modes of transport for 
almost all their travel. As a result, anyone without a car or other form of personal transport is 
dependent on the limited available public transport, on lifts from others, or on expensive means 
such as taxi. The low level of organised local services often means that it is difficult and time-
consuming  to  connect  to/from  longer-distance  services.  Longer  travelling  distances  to  e.g. 
hospitals, schools and shops, coupled with greater dependency on private cars due to scarce 
public transport service leads to higher travel costs.  

In addition, railway transport has traditionally played an important role concerning connectivity 
with rural and peri-urban areas. In this regard, public procurement has an important role to play 
for the appropriate and efficient provision of rail services in urban areas and the timetabling 
techniques may influence the good interconnection between long and short distance services. 

The EU aims to contribute to efficient and inclusive connectivity between rural, peri-urban and 
urban areas  (including cross-border) via sustainable mobility options.  In practice this would 
mean that these areas are connected to urban areas in terms of sustainable mobility planning, 
optimally through SUMPs cover the whole functional urban area/catchment area, including the 
links to the rural/peri-urban hinterland. This also includes an integrated link between rural and 
urban areas in the planning of the TEN-T network, including urban nodes. These actions, as 
well as developing local rural mobility, are equally part of the Long-term Vision for the EU’s 
rural areas, which is the European Commission initiative to develop a common European vision 
for stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 204098.  

Moreover, Moving rural youth forward is one of the 11 European Youth Goals of the EU Youth 
Strategy  2019-202799.  The  objective  is  to  ensure  appropriate  infrastructure  in  rural  areas  in 
order  to  provide  equitable  delivery  of  public  services,  data  connectivity  and  housing 
opportunities for young people. 

97 https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2278   
98 Commission Communication ‘A long-term Vision for the EU's Rural Areas - Towards stronger, connected, 
resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040’ (SWD(2021) 167 final) ltvra-c2021-345_en.pdf (europa.eu) 
99 https://europa.eu/youth/strategy_en  

23 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
The  Commission  has  over  the  last  years  built  experience  on  rural  mobility  through  the 
SMARTA  1  and  SMARTA  2  project100.  These  European  pilot  projects  focussed  on  how  to 
exploit  existing  mobility  practices  in  European  rural  areas  and  ways  to  support  sustainable 
shared mobility interconnected with public transport.  

3.9  Biodiversity and natural landscape 

The  European  Environment  Agency  reported  in  2020  that  the  rapid  urbanisation  now  being 
seen was the second largest pressure on terrestrial and marine ecosystems - stressing that it is 
vital to ensure that new development is undertaken in a way that protects and enhances urban 
ecosystems,  rather  than  the  opposite.  Urban  areas  have  a  major  role  to  play  in  reducing 
biodiversity loss and in conserving and restoring ecosystems.  

The role of SUMPs for protecting and restoring nature and biodiversity has been recognized by 
the  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  for  2030101  calling  upon  all  cities  to  develop  ambitious  urban 
greening plans developed alongside, and be part of, SUMPs.  

3.10  Skills and workers 

Urban mobility is characterised by changing employment conditions such as new forms of work 
(linked, in particular, with the emergence of new mobility services supported by digital tools), 
increased use of teleworking, and intra- and cross-border mobility of workers.  

The  strong  rise  in  demand  for environmentally  sustainable  mobility will  emphasise  the 
importance of skills for the green transition. The need for pro-active re-skilling and upskilling 
to reap the benefits of the ecological transition has been noted in the European Green Deal. 

In addition, the changes  linked to automation and digitalisation that affect transport, besides 
offering new opportunities can bring many challenges for workers. Low- and middle-skilled 
jobs (including drivers) are, in particular, at high risk of automation102. This will affect transport 
operations in urban areas as well. On the other hand, the demand for existing occupations, such 
as  bus  and  train  drivers  could  increase  as  a  consequence  of  European,  national  and  local 
efforts to promote and encourage the greater use of public transport to lower emissions, reduce 
congestion etc.  

Reskilling and upskilling will play a substantial role in the shift to zero-emission transport and 
sustainable  urban  mobility.  The  European  Pact  for  Skills  will  help  mobilise  and  incentivise 
stakeholders to take action in upskilling and reskilling. 

The rise of digital labour platforms has brought about new opportunities – but also challenges 
– in the labour market. These are particularly prominent in the ride-hailing and delivery sector, 
predominantly  in  urban  areas.  In  2020  ride-hailing  and  delivery  platforms  combined 
represented almost 80% of all the value of platform work in the EU. The COVID-19 pandemic 

100 https://ruralsharedmobility.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Smarta-Policy-Recommendations_Final-
Version_web.pdf 
101 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en  
102 More in-depth analysis of challenges related to jobs and skills in transport is included in the Commission 
Staff Working Document accompanying the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020SC0331)  

24 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
had a significant  impact  on the sector and has led to  a 35% decrease of  passenger transport 
services but also to a 125% growth in food delivery services in 2020. The current estimated 
number of people in these sectors may be as high as 2.8 million in the EU-27103. Furthermore, 
the  numbers  of  people  working  through  transportation  platforms  are  expected  to  double  by 
2024, and quadruple by 2030104.  

From workers’ perspective, digital labour platforms provide opportunities for employment and 
a  source  of  income,  including  for  many  people  for  whom  otherwise  it  could  be  difficult  to 
participate  in  the  job  market.  At  the  same  time  there  are  considerable  concerns  about  the 
working  conditions  and  sustainability  of  work  that  digital  platforms  provide105.  In  a  recent 
research, 47% of those interviewed said that the time pressure of work can make them travel 
over the speed limit.106 

In her Political Guidelines107, President von der Leyen pledged to address the changes brought 
by the digital transformation to labour markets, by looking into ways to improve the working 
conditions  of  people  working  through  platforms  and  supporting  the  implementation  of  the 
European Pillar of Social Rights.108 With this in mind, the Commission launched a consultation 
of the European social partners to obtain their views on how to improve working conditions in 
platform  work.109  Following  the  consultation,  the  Commission  is  currently  preparing  an 
initiative on improving working conditions in platform work in view of adopting its proposal 
by the end on 2021.  

3.11  Awareness on more sustainable mobility and transport patterns  

Awareness on attractive alternatives to individual motorised transport and positive experiences 
with such alternatives can help making better mobility and transport choices. To that end, the 
European  Mobility  Week110  -  the  European  Commission’s  awareness-raising  campaign 
promoting behavioural change in favour of sustainable transport modes - takes place from 16 - 
22 September every year, with its emblem Car-free Day. The European Mobility Week cycle 
ends with an award ceremony to reward local authorities judged to have implemented the best 
European  Mobility  Week  in  line  with  the  annual  theme,  together  with  other  awards.  355 
respondents (out of 847) participating in the open public consultation indicating that the Car-
free day ‘Is a great idea and such days should be organised every month’. 

For example, the Get Started (Ponte en marcha) contest for pre-schools, primary schools 
and secondary schools, as organised by the Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de 

103 ‘Digital Labour Platforms in the EU: Mapping and Business Models’, (CEPS, 2021). Available  online; and 
Forthcoming study supporting the impact assessment of the Initiative on improving working conditions of platform 
workers (PPMI, 2021)  
104 Forthcoming study (PPMI, 2021) 
105 A majority of those platforms qualify their workers as independent contractors. Over 100 court cases across 
the EU in recent years concerned employment status and many proved false self-employment. False self-
employed people working through platforms do not have access to the same rights and protections as should be 
associated with the worker status. 
106 UCL, The emerging issues for management of occupational road risk in a changing economy: A survey of gig 
economy drivers, riders and their managers (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/drupal/site_news/sites/news/files/a-survey-
of-gig-economy-drivers-riders-and-their-managers_1.pdf)  
107 https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/political-guidelines-next-commission_en_0.pdf   
108 Available online. 
109 Available online 
110 https://mobilityweek.eu/home/  

25 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Andalucía)  Ministry  of  Mobility  and  Land  Planning111,  celebrates  its  fourth  year  in 
September 2021.  

The contest serves as a teaching resource on sustainable mobility for the very youngest 
members of the  community  and  their families.  In  particular, it serves  as an  awareness-
raising campaign for the local community, and promotes behavioural change in favour of 
non-polluting transport modes. 

Participants must: design an awareness-raising campaign on sustainable mobility (video 
3-5 min.); and develop school activities on sustainable mobility and submit a report. 

Since its first edition, with the participation of 77 educational institutions, the contest has 
become an important annual fixture for schools and the local community. It covers key 
aspects of environmental awareness and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle; and the high 
quality  entries  demonstrate  considerable  impact  on  schoolchildren  and  pre-schoolers. 
Furthermore, the contest enjoys widespread media coverage. 

Furthermore, it is important to enable consumers to make informed choices and play an active 
role in the green transition112.  

According to the International Post Corporation Cross-Border E-Commerce Shopper Survey 
2019113, 28% of respondents prefer carbon-neutral deliveries, 28% will wait longer for delivery 
to reduce environmental impact, 41% had not yet paid extra for sustainable delivery but were 
likely  to  do  so  in  the  future,  and  11%  strongly  agreed  that  they  had  “changed  their  online 
shopping behaviour in the past year due to sustainability concerns”. 

Also  as  regards  passenger  travel,  transparency  on  CO2  footprint  and  energy  use  can  create 
incentives  for  companies  and  customers  to  take  up  more  environmentally  friendly  transport 
solutions. Actions 28, 33 and 34 of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy aim to provide 
a common framework for calculating and reporting GHG emissions of passenger and freight 
transport services.  

When  making  urban  mobility  fit  for  the  future,  accessibility  is  an  important  consideration. 
Around 87 million persons have some form of disability in the EU and this number is expected 
to increase as the population gets older. Therefore, the European Commission raises awareness 
on the issue through the Access City Award114. Every year, the Award rewards cities with more 

111 
https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/fomentoinfraestructurasyordenaciondelterritorio/servicios/actualida
d/noticias/detalle/250809.html  
112 This is the aim of the recently-adopted Consumer Agenda 2020-2025 (Communication from the European 
Commission to the European Parliament and the Council New Consumer Agenda Strengthening consumer 
resilience for sustainable recovery (COM/2020/696 final)) through initiatives aimed at: 

- 
- 
- 

- 

fighting early obsolescence and promotion of durable goods, 
shifting consumer behaviour to reduce the environmental footprint, and 
providing better and more reliable information on sustainability aspects of goods and services and cost 
advantages if any, while avoiding information overload e.g. on the availability of spare parts and repair 
services, where applicable; 
addressing misleading green claims through coordinated enforcement actions by the Consumer 
Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network. 

113 https://www.ipc.be/sector-data/e-commerce/cross-border-e-commerce-shopper-survey    
114 https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1141 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
than 50,000 inhabitants that make outstanding efforts to become more accessible. This includes 
improvements to pavements, bicycle lanes and public transport systems among many more. To 
celebrate the European Year of Rail (2021), the 12th edition of the Access City Award included 
a special mention for making train stations more accessible. 

3.12  Mobility management  

Mobility  management  refers  to  the  promotion  of  sustainable  means  of  transportation  by 
companies, organisations and institutions, usually using 'soft' awareness-raising measures like 
information, communication and marketing campaigns, and various incentives115.  

At  the  consultation  workshop  on  SUMP  and  mobility  management116,  according  to  most 
participants (87%), major employers should be encouraged to adopt  a mobility management 
plan, followed by universities (73%), schools with over 500 students (65%), shopping centres 
(65%). The support for mobility management plans has also been voiced in the open public 
consultation, with a majority of the respondents in favour of adopting them by organisers of big 
events, companies with more than 200 employees, universities, shopping centres/retail areas, 
primary and secondary schools as well as hospitals. 

For  example,  Île-de-France  Region,  where  metro  is  reaching  its  capacity,  has  signed 
charters117  with  employers  to  help  employees  change  their  commuting  schedules  to 
facilitate reductions in public transport use during peak hours. Even a 5-10% reduction in 
the number of arrivals at critical times would significantly reduce overcrowding on these 
busy lines. The new charter is a voluntary commitment by each signatory to reduce the 
number of its employees using public transport between 8:00 am - 9:00 am by 10%. To 
achieve  this,  signatories  will:  stagger  working  hours  during  the  day  for  employees; 
implement one / two days of telework per week; improve remote communication tools; 
create internal coworking spaces; encourage carpooling and car sharing; promote cycling 
practices. 

Participants  of  the  consultation  workshop118  also  expressed  their  views  that  digital  mobility 
management  tools  could  help  public  transport  authorities  to  better  understand  public  space 
usage  and  mobility  patterns,  dynamically  adapt  available  capacity  in  different  transport 
networks and modes to ensure better flow of passengers and goods and prioritise investments 
in infrastructure. 

However, according to the fact-finding study119 supporting the preparation of the EU Urban 
Mobility  Framework  initiative,  cities  face  difficulties  obtaining  data  needed  for  operational 
mobility management, e.g. regarding the exact number of vehicles available in their city through 
shared  mobility  services  or  measuring  the  impacts  of  their  parking  policies.  None  of  the 
sampled cities measures the impacts of the Mobility-as-a-Service options on the modal split.  

115 https://www.eltis.org/topics/mobility-management  
116 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en  
117 https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/ile-de-france-region-signs-charter-to-reduce-commuting-during-peak-
hours/  
118 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en  
119 Fact-finding study on status and future needs regarding low- and zero-emission urban mobility. Available at: 
https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/clean-transport-urban-transport/studies 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.13 Sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) 

For a number of years, the Commission has been encouraging the widespread uptake of SUMPs 
as  a  cornerstone  of  its  urban  mobility  policy.  This  reflects  the  potential  of  a  SUMP  to  help 
towns,  cities  and  regions  address  common  challenges  in  their  transition  towards  sustainable 
urban mobility and ensure a better quality of life. The 2013 Urban Mobility Package120 called 
on local authorities to place SUMPs at the centre of their approach in addressing urban mobility 
issues. Related EU guidelines were published to support local authorities throughout the SUMP 
process.  These underwent  extensive revision in 2019, and a range of complementary  guides 
were published on specific aspects related to SUMPs121. 

The  EU’s  SUMP  approach  has  inspired  many  towns,  cities  and  regions  within  and  beyond 
Europe,  with  over  1,000  SUMPs  (or  similar  plans)  currently  in  place122.  However,  many 
medium and large towns and cities do not yet have a SUMP; and there is a clear imbalance in 
the number and quality of SUMPs between MS.  

A  SUMP  offers  a  comprehensive,  flexible  and  resilient  approach  by  serving  as  a  long-term 
mobility  plan  that  also  includes  packages  of  measures  addressing  short-term  objectives  and 
targets that can be fast-tracked in response to changing needs. This is essential for dealing with 
unforeseen situations.  

A  SUMP  serves  as  an  effective  multi-sectoral  framework  for  tackling  all  common  urban 
mobility  challenges  for  the  entire  functional  urban  area  and  for  maximising  synergies  (e.g. 
alignment  with  Sustainable  Energy  and  Climate  Action  Plans,  Sustainable  Urban  Logistics 
Plans, cycling plans). SUMP are designed to satisfy the mobility needs of people and businesses 
in cities and their surroundings, focussing on people and places rather than the movement of 
vehicles123. 

Evaluation of the 2013 Urban Mobility Package concluded that the development and adoption 
of  a  SUMP  did  not  necessarily  ensure  that  it  has  a  high  quality  or  its  implementation  was 
guaranteed. Developing and using monitoring and evaluation schemes and employing external 
quality  control  assistance  were  found  to  be  important  factors,  which  likely  influenced  the 
SUMP’s effectiveness124.  

In a similar vein, in its report125, the Court of Auditors recommended the mandatory adoption 
of SUMPs by all EU urban nodes of the core and comprehensive TEN-T networks and their 

120 COM(2013) 913 final 
121 https://www.eltis.org/mobility-plans/sump-guidelines  
122 https://www.eltis.org/mobility-plans/city-database 
123 It is also recognised in the New Leipzig Charter, under the principle of integrated approach: “Cities need to 
establish integrated and sustainable urban development strategies and assure their implementation for the city as 
a whole, from its functional areas to its neighbourhoods.” 
(https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/brochure/new_leipzig_charter/new_leipzig_charter_en.pd
f)  
124 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0047  
125 Special report 06/2020 of the European Court of Auditors: Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU: No 
substantial improvement is possible without Member States’ commitment. Available at: 
https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=53246  

28 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
surrounding areas. This would include all urban nodes on the TEN-T network with a population 
over 50 000 and capitals of NUTS regions126.  

The fact-finding study has furthermore highlighted the following:  

  Many cities struggle with a planning scope beyond the city boundaries. The functional 
urban area as a concept is not a realistic approach for all European cities and therefore 
needs adaptation and flexibility for different context as well as a better integration with 
the TEN-T network; 

  The variety of planning approaches across Europe and the differences of quality show 

a need for a standardised definition of SUMP, also with view to conditionality; 

  The results of the study indicate that the integration of specific but highly relevant policy 
fields,  such  as  climate  or  road  safety,  need  further  integration  and  consideration  in 
SUMP planning processes; 

  SUMP should be promoted and established as a consistent planning framework for long-
term resilient planning, also as an answer to crises (especially view with to COVID-19 
pandemic and climate crisis). Monitoring should be an integral part of this; 

  While the SUMP concept has proven to be successful in many different city types, the 
differences  among  regions  and  city  sizes  shows  a  need  of  contextualisation  of  the 
concept, for example for smaller cities.  

At  the  consultation  workshop127,  75  %  of  respondents  strongly  agreed  that  Member  States 
should establish a National SUMP Support Framework (NSSF) as a comprehensive national 
framework for SUMP support to cities and regions. Almost all of respondents in the open public 
consultation replied that the EU should make SUMP's mandatory for cities, with the majority 
preferring this for all cities irrespective of size (463 replies out of 847); 45% declared they are 
aware of a sustainable urban mobility plan (SUMP) or similar comprehensive transport plans 
in their town, city or region. 

The  National  Energy  and  Climate  Plans  show  that  Member  States  are  also  putting  in  place 
actions to address the increasing energy use in transport at national level.  

EU-level coordination and support is ensured via the SUMP Platform Coordination Group128. 
The  Commission  has  hosted  comprehensive  information  on  SUMPs  including  the  SUMP 
guidelines, city database and SUMP self-assessment tool via the Mobility Plans section of Eltis 
- the European Mobility Observatory129, and promoted the concept and best practice through 
the  annual  SUMP  Award.  Moreover,  it  has  provided  SUMP  training  courses,  with  the 
involvement of Jaspers130 and project-level support. 

126 Estimated at 465 in the EU  
127 Workshop of 24/06/2021 dedicated to Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and Mobility 
Management: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en  
128  The  Coordinating  Group  brings  together  representatives  from  SUMP-related  EU-supported  actions  to: 
exchange information and lessons learnt; identify and exploit synergies; agree on common views to inform the 
further development of the SUMP concept and tools; and assist in the co-ordination of outward presentation of the 
various initiatives. (https://www.eltis.org/mobility-plans/european-platform)  
129 https://www.eltis.org/  
130 https://jaspers.eib.org/  

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3.14  Monitoring/data-driven decision making – urban mobility indicators 

(SUMI) and related data collection 

Eurostat has developed guidelines for passenger mobility surveys aiming to produce passenger 
mobility  indicators  by  distance  class,  including  on  urban  mobility.  Surveys  in  a  number  of 
Member  States  were  also  co-financed  by  Eurostat  and  the  resulting  indicators  were 
published131. Cities  however compile information  in  a variety of ways  making it  difficult to 
compare or aggregate. This was also highlighted within the feedback received during the public 
consultation.  This  was  also  highlighted  within  the  feedback  received  during  the  public 
consultation.  

Therefore, the Commission tested a set of sustainable urban mobility indicators developed by 
the  World  Business  Council  for  Sustainable  Development132  in  a  number  of  EU  cities  in  a 
dedicated  pilot  project  on  Sustainable  urban  mobility  indicators133.  It  concluded  that,  for  a 
European context, these would require adjustment. In particular, definitions of indicators need 
further streamlining, data availability is limited for some indicators, or very cumbersome and 
expensive to gather for others. One of the challenges identified was the limited availability of 
information  on  GHG  and  air  pollutant  emissions  as  well  as  energy  use  in  urban  transport. 
Nevertheless, participating cities agreed that these indicators are very helpful and confirmed 
their willingness to further invest into collecting data for such urban mobility indicators. 

Decision makers, such as cities and public transport authorities, need robust data to identify 
areas  where  additional  action  may  be  required,  track  progress  towards  set  policy  goals,  and 
evaluate the effectiveness and overall impact of urban mobility policies.  

However, as highlighted in the fact-finding study, three quarters of sampled cities do not have 
access to all mobility-related data they consider necessary. Furthermore, two-third of them do 
not  have sufficient staff  to  collect,  compile and analyse data, and half of  the sampled  cities 
mentioned that costs related to the collection or purchase of data are a problem.  

Access to data held by private operators and the timely availability of data were also mentioned 
among the key  challenges for local  authorities. Cities did not  have the  required data readily 
available  and  did  not  have  the  necessary  time  and  resources  to  gather  the  data  required  to 
calculate the respective indicators. 

There  are  no  evident  data  gaps  for  proxy  indicators  (e.g.  affordability  of  public  transport, 
congestion, GHG emissions and modal split). However, these data are not collected according 
to the same methodology thus their comparability is limited. 

The experience to date points to the need  to continue this work to further refine and simplify 
these  indicators  and  to  ensure  that  the  methodology  for  developing  indicators  is  stable  and 
benefits from long-term support and commitment.  

131 Passenger mobility statistics - Statistics Explained (europa.eu) 
132 http://www.wbcsdsmp.org/home   
133 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/urban_mobility/sumi_en  

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3.15  Effective, attractive, zero-emission, high quality and safe public transport 

as the backbone of urban mobility 

Public  transport  –  rail,  metros,  trams,  buses,  water  buses,  ferries  –  is  essential  for  the  well-
functioning of urban areas and the links to their outskirts and beyond. It can perform the task 
of moving large numbers of people efficiently, safely and with low environmental impact. Safe 
and secure public transport coverage and accessibility, affordability and reliability of the service 
is essential for cities that expect sprawl, increase in population and economic growth. Public 
transport not only helps achieve environmental goals, it plays a key role in the economy, job 
creation  and  creation  of  jobs  as  well  as  in  promoting  territories’  accessibility  and  fostering 
social  inclusion:  urban  and  local  public  transport  services  in  Europe  contribute  between 
EUR130-150 billion per year to the economy (nearly 1% of the EU’s GDP). 

It  is  also  intrinsic  to  the  EU  pillar  of  social  rights  in  what  concerns  “Access  to  essential 
services”.  It  serves  commuters  as  well  as  low-income  households,  older  and  young  people, 
women and men alike.  

An attractive public transport system will provide its users with timeliness, feeling of safety 
and security, user-friendly payment systems, information provision and modern vehicles. For 
buses in urban areas, dedicated bus lanes that facilitate its passing through congested traffic and 
prioritisation at traffic lights are essential. The public transport system needs to be of quality as 
well: offer its customers a reliable service, convenient vehicles and infrastructure, real-time-
traffic information, adapted service at peak hours, diversity in payment methods and assistance 
for less abled or disabled people.  

The  COVID-19  crisis  has  brought  an  additional  set  of  needs  such  as  increased  disinfection 
protocols  and  an  ability  to  adapt  capacity  restrictions  quickly  in  order  to  protect  users  and 
drivers.  

At the same time, evidence from the major stakeholder (UITP) attests that while car traffic is 
picking up again similarly to pre-pandemic flows, passengers still hesitate to return to public 
transport – it is however unclear to what extent this loss is due to the increase in working from 
home  and  therefore  a  change  in  mobility  patterns,  or  lost  in  favour  of  cycling,  walking  or 
driving, either as a temporary change because of concerns about perceived infection risks, or as 
a permanent shift. Participants of the consultation workshop134 suggested that politicians at all 
levels (local, national, EU) should speak more positively and more often about public transport. 

Several authorities and operators are taking steps to support public transport. 

For example, EMT Madrid135, the city's transport operator has made travel free on any of 
the  daytime  lines,  except  the  Airport  Express  from  7:00  a.m.  to  9:00  a.m.;  created  the 
'transbus', a new ticket that will allow transfers on buses for one hour for a price of 1.80 
euro compared to the 1.50 euro that the single title costs; added 15km of (temporary) bus 
lanes; launched 3 new bus lines connecting outer districts among them and with Park & 
Ride facilities. 

134 Consultation workshop of 14/06/2021: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-
mobility-workshops_en   
135 https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/madrid-announces-bold-new-mobility-plans/  

31 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
It is also important to better understand the economic, social and environmental value generated 
by public transport. 

For example, according to a study136, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), the 
public  group  that  manages  the  metro  and  bus  networks  across  the  region  of  Catalonia, 
generated in 2019 an economic value of 1 394 million in Barcelona’s metropolitan area. 
Its activity is estimated to have generated 22 899 jobs in the metropolitan area and 27 887 
throughout Catalonia. On a social and environmental level, TMB’s services are estimated 
to  have  allowed  an  annual  savings  of  706.5  million  euros.  During  that  year  TMB  is 
estimated 
in  contributions  from  public 
administrations, the services it provided allowed it to generate 2 395.6 million euros across 
Catalonia. In other words, “each euro contributed from public funds, generated a 6.5 euros 
return to society”. 

to  have  received  368.8  million  euros 

Companies,  administrations  and  universities  have  also  a  role  to  play  in  increasing  the 
attractiveness  of  public  transport,  as  demonstrated  by  the  example  provided  in  the  mobility 
management section above.  

The CIVITAS Advisory Group on the Future of urban mobility policy137 identified a package 
of measures to help decarbonise the public transport sector in line with the EU’s net neutrality 
targets by 2030 and 2050. This European public transport decarbonisation action is based on 
the Avoid – Shift – Improve” approach and is targeted at the EU, national, local level as well 
as the private sector and citizens. The document explains why public transport matters: In 2018, 
buses, trams and metros in EU cities carried some 50 billion passengers. This saved some 36 
billion annual, or 100 million daily car trips in EU cities. Every year, public transport can help 
avoid up to 20 tonnes of CO2 in cities while only emitting one tonne; Public transport users help 
reduce not only GHG emissions, but other air pollutants as well, thereby helping to improve air 
quality and public health - this is increasingly reflected in sustainable transport policies at local, 
regional  and  national  level  in  EU  Member  States.  These  benefits  will  further  increase  as  a 
growing  share  of  public  transport  is  performed  using  low-  and  zero-emission  vehicles  and 
vessels. By setting minimum shares of clean vehicles in public procurement, the Clean Vehicles 
Directive138 is a key instrument supporting this transition, in particular for zero-emission buses. 

Public  transport  is  the  central  element  of  a  multimodal  mix.  Travelling  from  origin  to 
destination by a single journey using public transport is not the case for the majority of the trips. 
For  first/last  mile  connecting  services  one  single  means  of  payment  or  ticketing  should  be 
possible for the entire journey (including the use of new mobility services such as car sharing).  

Travellers also need to have access to objective information on the best means of travel.  Linked 
to  increasing  the  attractiveness  of  public  transport  use  is  the  development  of  multimodal 
ticketing to allow a traveller to go from origin to destination using modes of transport provided 
by several operators (including ride-hail services and new mobility services).  

Moreover, while Europe remains hesitant, one observes the come-back of cableway systems as 
a public transport service, with the aim was to increase the accessibility of certain districts cut 

136 https://www.polisnetwork.eu/news/public-transport-generates-2-4-bn-per-year-study-shows/  
137 Policy note: public transport enabling the European Green Deal, 
https://civitas.eu/sites/default/files/civitas_satellite_ag_fump_policy_note_final_v1.1.pdf  
138  Directive 2009/33 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
off  from  the  city  centre  by  barriers  (differences  in  elevation,  waterways,  building 
developments).  

Research  and  innovation  actions  can  support  public  transport  in  its  role  to  address  climate, 
environmental  and  at  the  same  time,  economic  challenges.  To  this  end,  under  the  Climate 
Neutral and Smart Cities Mission Work-Programme, a call topic to support innovation in public 
transport has been proposed for the 2021-2022 Horizon Europe Work Programme. 

In addition, as part of the Horizon Europe partnership “Towards Zero Emission Road Transport 
(2Zero) work programme, the European Commission has proposed a dedicated topic to support 
new  generation  of  full  electric  urban  and  peri-urban  Bus  Rapid  Transit  (BRT)  systems    to 
strengthen climate-friendly mass transport with real life pilot actions139. 

Public  transport  is  among  the  top  3  ways  of  moving  around  in  a  city/municipality  for  the 
respondents participating in the open public consultation, and would be the second preferred 
‘provided that the right conditions are in place’. Poor public transport coverage, difficulty of 
multimodal connections and public transport being not reliable enough/not running frequently 
enough were identified as relatively important challenges (for 134, 124 and 119 respondents, 
respectively (out of 2123 answers)) that negatively affect their daily mobility. Looking forward, 
a lot of respondents  (out of 3852 answers) would like to  see more frequent  public transport 
(305), better local and regional railway connections (219), cheaper (or free) public transport 
(202), as well as greener, cleaner and more hygienic public transport (189). When asked about 
which  solutions  below  can  help  increase  the  use  of  public  transport  in  urban  areas,  the  top 
answers were more frequent service; enlarged network; more convenient hubs/stations, better 
link  between  public  transport  and  ‘last  mile’  solutions  (e.g.  bicycles,  scooters  etc.);  more 
reliable service (e.g. departure and arrival times); and better information (real time, connections 
etc.).     

3.16  A new focus on active modes 

3.16.1 Introduction, potential and benefits 

Active mobility modes such as walking and cycling are low-cost and zero emission forms of 
mobility. Together with public transport, new shared mobility and micromobility solutions they 
have a great potential to reduce local CO2, air pollutants and noise emissions, improve human 
health, as well as congestion and pressure on valuable urban space and infrastructure140. They 
have the potential to both supplement other mobility options (especially for the first/last mile), 
and to offer the complete (door-to-door) mobility solution on their own.  Studies also suggest 
that  they  have  direct  economic  gains  with  effects  on  commercial  activity  and  shifts  local 
expenditure towards more local business141.  

139 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-8-
climate-energy-and-mobility_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf. 
140 International Transport Forum, 2020, Good to Go? Assessing the Environmental Performance of New 
Mobility https://www.itf-oecd.org/good-to-go-environmental-performance-new-mobility 
141 Research has shown that improving conditions for active mobility can increase retail sales by 30%. Transport 
for London, 2019, http://content.tfl.gov.uk/walking-cycling-economic-benefits-summary-pack.pdf  

33 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
According to experts, in areas where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix in a frequent and 
planned manner, the maximum speed of traffic should be reduced e.g. to 30 km/h142, except 
where strong evidence exists that higher speeds are safe.   

In this context, a Horizon Europe topic for safer urban environment for vulnerable road users 
has been included in the 2022 work programme, aimed at a drastic reduction in serious injuries 
and fatalities in road crashes through the development of solutions that facilitate inclusion of 
all vulnerable users in the transport system, including people with disabilities, the elderly, and 
children by providing a safe environment for walking and cycling. 

Congestion in urban areas is a major issue, causing huge negative social, environmental and 
economic  impacts.  Measures  for  improving  walking  and  cycling  conditions  can  reduce 
congestion in cities143.  

COVID-19  pandemic-related  lockdowns  have  changed  behaviour,  temporarily  increasing 
walking and cycling, and many local authorities introduced pop-up cycling lanes as emergency 
measures144.The increase in active mobility and telework join the long-term efforts of local and 
regional authorities in encouraging a change in behaviour towards less car use, a key condition 
for the sustainable mobility transition145. 

Whilst 17 % of the EU population stated in a 2019 Eurobarometer survey146 that they use cycles 
or scooters as their primary mode of transportation, there are huge differences in the level of 
cycle use across the EU.  

These  measures  have  reinforced  existing  cycling  policies  and  have  resulted  in  a  substantial 
increase in bike use and higher sales of bicycles. According to a recent research147 based on 
data from bicycle counters in 106 European cities, on average 11.5 km of provisional pop-up 
bike lanes have been built per city and, thanks to them, cycling levels rose between 11 and 48%.  

At  the  Fifth  High-Level  Meeting  on  Transport,  Health  and  Environment  (THE  PEP)  of 
UNECE/WHO Europe in May 2021, European countries adopted the Vienna Declaration148 to 
spur the transformation towards clean, safe, healthy and inclusive transport and mobility, with 
a strong focus on promoting active mobility across the pan-European region. In addition, at the 

142    Recommendation of the Stockholm Declaration of the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety 
in February 2020 
https://www.roadsafetysweden.com/contentassets/b37f0951c837443eb9661668d5be439e/stockholm-declaration-
english.pdf  
143 The EU-funded CIVITAS FLOW project identified a broad set of benefits from more walking and cycling, 
e.g.: pedestrianisation improves mobility and accommodates more people during rush hours (Dublin);cycling 
improvements lead to 45% less car traffic and faster public transport in Copenhagen;  cycle highway network 
reduces the need for 50 000 car trips daily (Ruhr area). FLOW, 15 Quick Facts for Cities, http://h2020-
flow.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Deliverables/15_quick_facts_eng_FINAL.pdf.  
144 https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/sump_topic-
guide_planning_for_more_resilient_and_robust_urban_mobility_online_version.pdf  
145 EP Briefing Sustainable and smart mobility strategy – Delivered at local level 
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/fr/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282021%29690562  
146 Special Eurobarometer 495 
147 Provisional COVID-19 infrastructure induces large, rapid increases in cycling: 
https://www.pnas.org/content/118/15/e2024399118  
148 https://unece.org/environment/press/european-countries-adopt-vienna-declaration-clean-safe-and-healthy-
transport  

34 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
same time and the same meeting, the first Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion 
was adopted149. It calls for, among others, to significantly increase cycling and walking in every 
country; reallocate space for cycling and walking; improve the active mobility infrastructure; 
and increase cyclist and pedestrian safety. 

Cycling seems to be the preferred mode of transport of people participating in the open public 
consultation (286 out of 592), with only 51 indicating walking. Three of the four most important 
challenges negatively affecting respondents’ daily mobility are around the use of a bicycle. In 
the future, with likely more work from home than in the past, respondents would also like to 
see the most the measures that make walking and cycling safer and more convenient, with better 
infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclist being the top answer. More dedicated infrastructure 
(e.g. more pavements, pedestrian zones, bicycle lanes, cycling streets), pedestrian and cycling 
infrastructure  of  better  quality  (e.g.  wider,  well-maintained  pavements;  coherent,  safe,  well-
maintained  bicycle  lanes),  and  traffic  rules/management  system  prioritising  pedestrians  and 
cyclists (e.g. priority when crossing a street) are the top three preferred solutions that would 
encourage the respondents to walk or cycle more often. 

Employers increasingly promote active mobility among their employees. Promotion campaigns 
and  workplace  mobility  management  schemes,  supported  by  the  necessary  infrastructure 
investment to facilitate walking and cycling to work, result in improved health and wellbeing 
of employees, reduced absenteeism150 and increased productivity.    

3.16.2 Walking 

Walking is the least expensive and most sustainable mode of transport. Consequently, ensuring 
that there are safe and attractive conditions for walking is key. Almost every public transport 
trip starts or ends with at least a short walk, therefore walking is part of a multimodal transport 
chain by nature.  

Research  indicates  that  the  reach  of  the  existing  public  transport  system  can  be  extended 
significantly simply by making walking to and from hubs and stops easier, less prone to barriers 
and more pleasant by creating attractive urban spaces that are well connected to public transport 
infrastructure. Moreover, people who walk to shopping areas can spend up to 40% more and 
retail  vacancies  can  be  up  to  17%  lower  after  improvements  to  make  these  areas  more 
walkable151.  

According to a 2018 Eurobarometer survey, the declared levels of physical activity – including 
walking  – do not  reach the recommended levels,  with  as many as one in  seven EU  citizens 
(15%) saying they did not walk for ten minutes at a time on any day during the previous week.152  

According to the estimates of Walk21 Foundation, the economic benefits of walking amount to 
more  than  EUR  250  billion/year  –  40%  of  it  due  to  improved  mental  and  physical  health. 
Research  at  a  city  level  points  to  regular  walking  leading  to  a  14%  reduction  in  the  risk  of 

149 https://unece.org/circular-economy/press/countries-adopt-first-pan-european-master-plan-cycling-promotion  
150 The association between commuter cycling and sickness absence, 2010, 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44802659_The_association_between_commuter_cycling_and_sickness
_absence  
151 Transport for London, 2019, http://content.tfl.gov.uk/walking-cycling-economic-benefits-summary-pack.pdf 
152 https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2164  

35 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
mortality compared to those who do not regularly walk, with substantial economic benefits as 
well.  

As an example  of  good  practice, the City  of Rotterdam has launched  Rotterdam  Loopt 
2025 (Rotterdam Walks 2025), the city’s first dedicated policy to improve walkability for 
people in Rotterdam. It sets out an ‘Ambition and Call to Action’ that puts ‘The Pedestrian 
on  a  Pedestal’,  following  an  integrated  approach  to  capitalize  on  the  health  benefits  of 
walking. The strategy aims to make important destinations like public transport hubs, parks 
and schools, more attractive and accessible, ensuring that the citizens of Rotterdam can 
walk longer distances, more often, and under better conditions153. 

It should be noted that measures that support walking and cycling are regularly among the ones 
that receive the highest support from citizens and stakeholders. At the consultation workshop 
held  during  preparatory  phase  of  this  initiative154,  participants  indicated  that  the  following 
measures should be in particular implemented at the local level to improve take up of walking 
and cycling: dedicated infrastructure (such as segregated bike lanes); generalisation of 30 km/h 
speed  limits  in  urban  areas;  space  reallocation  in  favour  of  active  and  shared  mobility;  and 
implementation of urban vehicle access regulations. Moreover, they supported a stronger role 
of  the  EU  to  increase  active  mobility,  indicating  the  need  to  move  beyond  non-binding 
guidance. 

3.16.3 Cycling 

Cycling presents a huge potential for climate change mitigation, offering a cheap and accessible 
to all alternative to motorised trips, in particular in cities.  

According  to  the  estimates  of  the  European  Cyclists’  Federation  the  economic  benefits  of 
cycling in the EU are very substantial and amount to more than EUR 150 billion per year155, 
including  EUR  6.5  billion  environmental  benefits,  with  health  benefits  providing  the  lion’s 
share  of  the  rest.  Benefits  of  cycling  do  not  stop  there.  A  recent  study156  showed  economic 
benefits of investing in cycling and active mobility-friendly infrastructure. It proved, in the case 
of the key city arteries in Helsinki, that every €1 invested in cycling there brings a €3.6 euro 
gain,  the  biggest  benefit  being  health,  as  cycling  reduces  the  health  risks  and  costs  of 
immobility. Additional benefit being often the reduction in travel time. 

Cycling is also increasingly delivering when it comes to a flexible, effective and zero-emission 
urban logistic solution in urban areas. Cycle logistics services can improve goods delivery and 
transport  passengers  in  a  more  efficient  way  compared  to  motorised  transport.  Examples 
include last and first-mile delivery services, home deliveries, transporting children and other 
persons, goods shipments in cities as well as bicycle servicing at home by professionals and 
other providers using cargo bikes157. The increased importance of cycling in the life of today’s 
society is mirrored in the new Regulation 2021/782 on rail passenger rights. It provides that 

153 https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/sump_topic-
guide_planning_for_more_resilient_and_robust_urban_mobility_online_version.pdf  
154 Consultation workshop on 14/06/2021: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-
mobility-workshops_en  
155 ECF, The benefits of cycling, https://ecf.com/what-we-do/cycling-economy/economic-benefits 
156 Helsinki conducts first Bikenomics analysis | CIVITAS Handshake 
(https://handshakecycling.eu/news/helsinki-conducts-first-bikenomics-analysis) 
157www.eurovelo.com 

36 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
even where a Member State would decide to exempt a regional rail service from its scope, the 
rule related to the right to carry bicycles on board the train would remain mandatory.  

The  importance  of  cycling  has  been  recognised  at  wider  European  level  (UNECE 
developments, as provided in the introduction) and by EU Member States as well: in 2018, the 
EU’s Transport and Environment Ministers met in Graz, Austria, to discuss pathways leading 
to  clean  mobility.  They  adopted  the  “Graz  Declaration”158,  which  includes  acknowledging 
cycling  as  an  equal  mode  of  transport,  developing  a  European  strategic  and  supportive 
framework to promote active mobility, and integrating active mobility in the current and future 
European funding and financing schemes. A 2020 joint statement by the Benelux countries159 
stressed  the  importance  of  cycling  and  the  urgent  need  for  stimulating  bicycle  use  as  a 
necessary, safe and healthy alternative in (urban) mobility.  

Many stakeholders see a need for a more strategic, EU-level approach to be taken to enable and 
promote cycling in the EU160. 

3.17  Spatial transformation  

Spatial transformation in urban areas can take many forms, such as road space reallocation to 
sustainable modes, opening streets for people (and related activities), transforming parking, and 
concepts  like  15-minute  cities161  or  superblocks162;  this  is  also  part  of  the  Driving  Urban 
Transitions  to  a  Sustainable  Future163  work  programme.    Introduction  of  concepts  like  Low 
Traffic Neighbourhoods or the 15-minutes city was important for 247 respondents (out of 3852 
answers) participating in the open public consultation. 

Road space reallocation policies are increasingly widely implemented in dense urban areas even 
though, in common with congestion charging, schemes frequently face substantial opposition 
from local groups164. 

Temporarily  closing  roads  to  motorised  traffic  and opening  them  to  people,  with  tactical 
urbanism165 has been applied by some cities during the pandemic.  

For example, Helsinki decided to close one of the streets in the city to cars. One km of the 
“beach route” of Ehrenströmintie street, was repurposed with traffic calming measures, 
with 300 meters of this designated for only walking and cycling and with 40 car parking 

158 https://www.eu2018.at/latest-news/news/10-30-Graz-Declaration.html   
159 https://www.benelux.int/nl/webinar-benelux-bike-declaration/benelux-countries-take-lead-stimulating-
european-cycling-policy/  
160 The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), supported by a number of other organisations, developed its own 
strategy and set of recommendations in 2017 
161 Moreno, Carlos; Allam, Zaheer; Chabaud, Didier; Gall, Catherine; Pratlong, Florent. 2021. "Introducing the 
“15-Minute City”: Sustainability, Resilience and Place Identity in Future Post-Pandemic Cities" Smart Cities 4, 
no. 1: 93-111. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities4010006  
162 Superblocks represent an innovative urban planning scheme to reduce the amount of public space taken by 
private cars in the streets and give it back to the people. Superblocks foster social life in neighbourhoods by 
allowing different uses of public space, not just mobility. 
(https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/default/files/cycling-guidance/innovation_brief_superblocks_2017.pdf)  
163 https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/driving-urban-transitions-to-a-sustainable-future-dut  
164 ITF, Decongesting our Cities: https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/decongesting-our-cities.pdf    
165 Tactical urbanism includes low-cost, temporary changes to the built environment, usually in cities, intended 
to improve local neighborhoods and city gathering places (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_urbanism).  

37 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
spots repurposed to provide the residents with a liveable space with on street features, such 
as benches, paintings and flowers. The testing period for this solution ran from June 22nd 
until August 31st, 2020. The city of Helsinki surveyed the aforementioned part of the street 
prior to and after closure, and as expected, the number of walkers and cyclists recorded 
increased significantly. Furthermore, the feedback on the measure was collected from both 
residents and local business owners on that particular part of the road, and will be deployed 
in future planning of similar measures166. 

The EU-funded CIVITAS Metamorphosis project167 identified measures, or activity fields, that 
local authorities can implement in order to make city streets more focused on people instead of 
vehicles only168: 

 

 

(Temporary) street openings for people (and closing them for cars). They differ 
in duration: short time, one day, several days and activities are held to show the 
potential of the space; 

Interventions  in  public  space,  aiming  to  discourage  car  use  and  encourage 
greater sustainable mobility by all citizens; 

  Crystallisation  points,  aiming  to  create  places  where  people  are  offered 
opportunities  for  communication,  exchange  and  sharing,  to  foster  greater 
community interaction. 

In the consultation event for stakeholders169, there has been an overall support for creating safer, 
accessible  walking  and  cycling  infrastructures,  separated  from  car  traffic,  suitable  for 
vulnerable users and backing a “short distance city” concept.  

3.18  Urban Vehicle Access Regulations 

Many European cities are using Urban Vehicle Access Regulations schemes (UVARs) as an 
effective policy tool for advancing sustainable urban mobility. Different types of UVARs can 
aim  at  improving  air  quality,  reducing  congestion,  optimising  and  protecting  urban  road 
infrastructure and tackling road safety aspects, also covering logistics.170 The introduction and 
operational implementation of UVARs is, based on the subsidiarity principle, dealt with at MS 
level, with often extensive competences situated at city level. 

At  the  same  time,  the  wide  variety  of  different  UVAR  schemes  combined  with  a  lack  of  a 
harmonised EU framework, poses challenges to the free movement of passengers and goods.171  

166 https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/sump_topic-
guide_planning_for_more_resilient_and_robust_urban_mobility_online_version.pdf  
167 https://www.metamorphosis-project.eu/index.html  
168 A global public space toolkit is of relevance here as well: https://www.local2030.org/library/82/Global-
Public-Space-Toolkit--From-Global-Principles-to-Local-Policies-and-Practice.pdf  
169 Consultation workshop on the new EU urban mobility initiative for local and regional authorities, civil 
society and the general public, organised in cooperation with the European Committee of Regions on 14/06/2021 
(https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en).  
170 The 2021 fact-finding study looked into the situation of 125 European cities and found that 88% of cities have 
an UVAR scheme in place. The most popular types are Low and Zero Emission Zones (31%) and pedestrian 
zones (31%), followed by traffic restrictions (18%), permit schemes (11%), 30 km/h zones (6%) and congestion 
charges (3%). 
171 The variety of UVAR schemes is likely to increase, as the fact-finding study shows that 76% of the 125 
involved cities involved in this study have plans for future UVAR developments.    

38 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
The  EC  has,  over  the  last  years  received  complaints  and  questions  from  EU  citizens.  The 
majority concerned Low Emission Zones (LEZs), on the obligation for non-resident drivers to 
register beforehand and high fines for failure to do so. 172 

To  ensure  compliance,  public  authorities  are  currently  using  a  variety  of  measures  for  the 
identification of vehicle characteristics, ranging from payable stickers or manual checks (66%) 
to automatic number plate recognition (26%) with mandatory pre-registration in a city system 
(44%),  causing  practical  and  administrative  burdens  to  citizens,  transport  companies  and 
authorities.  

While pre-registration is a major  challenge for non-resident drivers, cities face major issues 
regarding cross-border compliance and cross-border enforcement of UVARs.  

The 2020 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy announced action on the topic of UVAR. 
The strategy both recognises the issue of LEZs and declares that “the Commission will also 
help cities modernise their policy toolbox […]. Better information on low and zero emission 
zones and common labels as well as digital solutions for vehicles can help maintain a well-
functioning single market and ease the exercise of fundamental freedoms”. 

Initial guidance already exists with the SUMP topic guide on integration of UVAR in the SUMP 
process173. 

Furthermore, the EU addresses the information provision through following actions: 

  The  implementation  of  the  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1724  on  the  Single  Digital 
Gateway174: public authorities are required to provide information to road users through 
the Gateway; 

  The Delegated Regulation on Real Time Traffic Information175 requiring MS to give 
access to a broad range of static and dynamic data is currently revised to include new 
data sets, such as UVARs; 

  The EP Preparation Action “UVARbox” aims to support cities with the development of 
a  user-friendly  information  tool  on  urban  and  regional  UVAR  schemes  using  EU 
standardised data. 

During the build-up of the new urban mobility initiative a dedicated consultation workshop was 
organized176 (21/06/2021,  95 participants) to hear the views of relevant stakeholders  (public 
authorities,  organisations  representing  civil  society,  consumers  and  users,  and  private  sector 
actors (and their associations)). The following main points came forward during this session:  

172 The feedback provided during the consultation workshop on UVAR identified a clear need for similar rights 
and obligations of domestic and foreign vehicles and enhanced transparency and harmonisation of EU rules on 
UVARs to help prevent and reduce barriers to the internal market or free movement of citizens. 
173 https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/uvar_brochure_2019-09-26_digital_version_v2.pdf  
174 The 2018 Single Digital Gateway Regulation (SDG) functions as the single entry point for people and 
businesses to access information about the rules and requirements that they have to comply with due to EU, 
national, regional or local regulations. Among other requirements, public authorities are required to provide 
information to road users through the SDG. Regarding the procedure for obtaining emission stickers, the 
Regulation stipulates that such stickers issued by a public body or institution must be fully available online by 12 
December 2023. 
175 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32015R0962  
176 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en  

39 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
  UVARs  will  play  an  important  role  in  European  cities  in  2030.  According  to 
stakeholders the main priority for UVARs is to improve liveability in cities, especially 
on  road  safety,  emissions  and  noise  reduction,  and  redistribution  of  public  space. 
Furthermore, clear rules are needed on the access and use of UVARs; 
the  main  barriers  with  UVARs  were 

lack  of 
harmonised/interoperable standards, challenges with implementation, resistance to road 
pricing schemes and political reluctance to introduce UVAR schemes; 

identified  as 

  Currently, 

  The lack of UVAR information and related vehicle and owner data in particular with 

regard to cross-border traffic were identified as existing gaps; 

  The participants suggested the EU to focus on technical, social and political guidance 
for cities and common standards for information sharing allowing better (cross-border) 
enforcement. 

Urban tolls and low or zero emission zones were also identified as suitable actions to deal with 
congestion and emissions by respondents in the open public consultation (with 139 and 110 
answers (out of 2411), respectively). 27% of respondents however have stated they encounter 
difficulties with urban vehicle access regulations, with differing rules among cities being the 
biggest. 

3.19  Sustainable urban logistics  

Urban freight transport is essential to the functioning of urban economies. Essential tasks are 
for example, to replenish stocks of food and other retail goods in shops, dispatch parcels, deliver 
building materials and remove household waste from urban areas.  

The lack of parking areas or multimodal terminals for loading and unloading, lack of space for 
logistics facilities leading to relocation and concentration in suburban areas (logistics sprawl), 
high costs and low profit margins for logistics providers, poor enforcement of regulations, high 
turnover of staff and high energy costs are some of the problems faced.   

To  green  freight  transport177,  sustainable  urban  mobility  planning  is  already  encouraged  to 
include the freight dimension through dedicated sustainable urban logistics plans (SULPs)178.  

The 2021 fact-finding study found that, although 68% of the sampled EU cities179 are aware of 
the SULP guidelines, only 13% have a dedicated SULP, while 58% have logistics elements in 
their SUMPs. The current identified challenge is the lack of resources and expertise in cities, 
especially the small- and medium-sized. 

According  to  the  stakeholders180,  city  authorities  need  to  understand  the  flows  per  type  of 
logistics activity and cooperate with private stakeholders (both companies and citizens) in order 
to adopt policy measures based on factual arguments and mutual benefits, as well as to set short-
, medium- and long-term objectives and specific targets. Such medium- and long-term plans 
would help companies to adapt their strategies and meet the cities’ requirements. The definition 
of clear urban freight planning and frameworks at city, national and European level would allow 

topic  guide 

177 Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, Flagship 4 – Greening freight transport 
178  A  dedicated 
https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/sustainable_urban_logistics_planning_0.pdf    
179 Sample of 125 EU cities including a balanced mix of cities with different characteristics and covering all 
Member States. 
180 ALICE & POLIS Urban Logistics Thematic Group 

the  context  of  SUMP  was  published 

in 

in  October  2019 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
logistics stakeholders to exploit the necessary economies of scale to de-risk investments and 
thus accelerate the transition towards a sustainable urban logistics.  

The efficient interconnection of long distance and last mile freight transport is fundamental and 
has to be taken into consideration in the city planning. Considering the cities strong connection 
with their hinterlands, urban freight issues need to be tackled in the perspective of functional 
urban areas, to maximise the use of infrastructures and harmonise the rules at regional level181. 
In practice this could be done through the revision of the TEN-T Regulation in relation to the 
urban nodes aspects.  

An  integrated  perspective  is  required  towards  poly-centric  areas,  multi-scale  nodes  and 
integration of scales. There is a need to increase the attention regarding spatial planning both 
in- and outside urban areas, the functional area and the relation with long distance networks 
given their role of stakeholder in a multi-scale area, where urban nodes are particularly relevant. 
The  fact-finding  study  showed  that  only  16%  of  the  interviewed  cities  consider  the  wider 
functional area to a full extent, while 42% does it partially. 

Urban logistics is a highly dynamic sector, which generates uncertainties for city planners, for 
instance technological innovations, new EU regulations, decisions by global logistics players, 
unintended effects of interventions on the local stakeholders’ behaviour and implications of e-
commerce  are  identified  as  some  of  the  most  important  ones.  To  deal  with  uncertainties, 
sustainable  urban  logistics  planning  could  become  more  flexible  and  resilient.  Guidance  on 
SULPs could become more adaptive by providing a range of potential actions and new adaptive 
planning  methods  to  city  planners,  while  supporting  the  development  of  adaptive  planning 
capacities182. 

Data  on  urban  freight  transport  is  essential  for  a  fact-based  planning  and  decision-making 
guided  by  a  long-term  vision  for  sustainable  mobility,  and  for  a  reliable  monitoring  and 
evaluation of the regulatory, financial, technical and infrastructural measures implemented at 
city  level.  However,  according  to  the  fact-finding  study only  29%  of  the  sampled  EU  cities 
collects data on urban logistics and only 32% has an evaluation framework. This lack of data is 
due to several factors: 1) urban logistics is a complex system, 2) shippers and transport operators 
are reluctant to share information on their operations, 3) local authorities lack resources and 
expertise to understand which kind of data is needed, and often are unable to reach agreements 
with private stakeholders, 4) collecting and updating urban freight data can be too expensive 
for local authorities. 

To support data collection and sharing, defining a clear framework for sharing data (who should 
provide  which  data  and  how,  data  security  and  confidentiality,  governance,  interoperability, 
etc.) and a core set of data to be provided by private stakeholders is considered as one of the 
most  important  actions by  the  stakeholders  consulted  in  the  workshop  on  urban  logistics183.  
While  providing  expert  assistance  and  advice  on  data  collection  and  sharing  is  considered 
important,  the  consultation184  identified  peer-to-peer  learning,  training  and  networking  with 

181 Interreg-funded SULPiTER project, https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/SULPiTER.html 
182 Horizon 2020-funded project ULaaDS - Urban Logistics as an on-Demand Service (https://ulaads.eu) 
183 Consultation workshop on the new EU Urban Mobility Initiative: Urban freight transport and logistics, 
21/06/2021 
184 Consultation workshop on the new EU Urban Mobility Initiative: Urban freight transport and logistics, 
21/06/2021 

41 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
other cities to exchange best practice and knowledge as the most relevant measures to improve 
expertise of city authorities.  

Ensuring the engagement of public and private stakeholders is fundamental to optimise urban 
logistics in economic, social and environmental terms, change both customers and operators’ 
behaviours, and thus ensure a successful transition to sustainable urban logistics. Collaboration 
among  local  authorities  and  private  stakeholders  (including  not  only  logistics  providers  and 
transport  operators,  but  also  e.g.  sectoral  associations,  neighbourhood  and  local  commerce 
associations) in  platforms and communities of practice,  regular dialogues among  all parties, 
networking with other cities and exchanges among cities planners are key actions mentioned 
by both local authorities and private stakeholders185 to build knowledge on sustainable urban 
logistics management and planning. According to stakeholders186, a neutral organisation acting 
as a moderator could facilitate building trust and co-creation among stakeholders, since the city 
authorities themselves are an interested party and not always are capable of establishing a stable 
dialogue. 

Sustainable  and  effective  urban  logistics  planning  aims  to  support  and  encourage  the  most 
appropriate freight solutions, which benefit at the same time both the society and the private 
stakeholders and balance economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. Therefore, the 
SULPs  contribute  to  accelerating    the  deployment,  uptake  and  upscaling  of  innovative  and 
sustainable transport solutions already available, including both innovative vehicles (e.g. light 
electric  freight  vans,  cargo  bikes,  drones)  and  innovative  solutions  (e.g.  new  distribution 
models,  cargo  hitching,  dynamic  routing,  better  use  of  inland  waterways  into  cities),  and 
providing training for their deployment. Progress can be achieved with the existing innovative 
solutions, by focusing on creating appropriate framework conditions,  as well as behavioural 
and organisational change. 

According  to  stakeholders187,  city  authorities  could  support  and  speed  up  the  adoption  of 
innovative  sustainable  solutions  by  creating  specific  frameworks  to  test  such  solutions,  e.g. 
through Living Labs to accelerate the transition to scale188. Public procurement could also be 
used to build the necessary market conditions and trust on such solutions. For instance, public 
authorities could include sustainability requirements (e.g. use of low or zero-emission vehicles, 
consolidation of deliveries) in public tenders e.g. for office and hospitals supplies etc.189In some 
cases (e.g. buses or waste collection), the use of clean vehicles is already promoted through the 
Clean Vehicles Directive. 

Additional  innovation  will  be  supported  by  the  Horizon  Europe  Research  and  Innovation 
Framework  Programme190.  While  areas  and  tools  for  potential  interventions  are  known,  the 
impacts that their application can have on the urban mobility system is still unclear. Therefore, 
research, demonstrations and pilot actions on sustainable last-mile solutions and urban logistics 
space management will be carried out through living labs in cities. Demonstration of connected 
and  automated  solutions  for  logistics  as  well  as  development  of  zero-emission  vehicles 
deployment strategies and logistics use-cases will be covered in respectively the Connected, 

185 idem 
186 ALICE & POLIS Urban Logistics Thematic Group 
187 ALICE & POLIS Urban Logistics Thematic Group 
188 EIT Urban Mobility living labs report, https://eit.europa.eu/news-events/news/eit-urban-mobility-living-labs-
report-published   
189 Horizon 2020 funded project BuyZET, http://www.buyzet.eu/  
190 https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-
open-calls/horizon-europe/cluster-5-climate-energy-and-mobility_en  

42 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
Cooperative  and  Automated  (CCAM)  partnership  and  the  Towards  Zero  Emission  Road 
Transport (2Zero) partnership. In addition, R&I actions aiming to increase the overall efficiency 
of supply chains, which should have an impact also on the last mile, will be funded. 

Financing  future  sustainable  urban  logistics  requires  healthy  and  sustainable  business  cases, 
which create value for both businesses and society.  

Although  urban  freight  transport  deals  with  several  categories  of  goods  (e.g.  manufactured 
goods, construction materials, non-fresh food, waste) and processes (e.g. handling and storage 
of goods, inventory management, waste and returns), e-commerce and parcel delivery represent 
a specific issue due to its air pollution and congestion impacts on cities. In line with a growing 
trend since several years, consumer e-commerce deliveries have grown by 25% in 2020 due to 
the pandemic and the increase in last-mile deliveries is likely to persist191.  

Trends indicate that B2C e-commerce for goods is increasing the total number of urban freight 
movements, and leading to a greater fragmentation of consignments at the city logistics level. 
It is increasing both the number and frequency of deliveries and decreasing the size of a single 
delivery. The actual impacts of e-commerce driven transport and parcel delivery on air pollution 
and  CO2  emissions  will  be  assessed  and  analysed  in  a  dedicated  study  launched  by  DG 
GROW192.  A  recent  study  carried  out  for  the  Joint  Research  Centre  on  “Identification  and 
assessment of opportunities and threats for the Circular Economy arising from e-commerce”193 
assesses also the opportunities which may raise from efficient home deliveries replacing private 
shopping  trips  and  providing  to  customers  more  sustainable  transport  choices  (e.g.  longer 
delivery times with lower emission levels). 

In a dedicated consultation workshop194, the majority of participants supported the following 
views: 

  a SULP should be a mandatory component of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP); 
  one of the most important needs is to define a clear framework for sharing data in urban 

freight;  

  a SUMP guidance document is needed for the integration of spatial planning as a component 
of mobility policy, to  link Urban Vehicle Access Regulations  (UVARs)  with  designated 
freight  zones  (i.e.  consolidation/distribution  hubs,  loading/unloading  areas,  off-peak 
deliveries, etc.); 
regulations and incentives (including financial) are needed for quicker adoption of clean 
vehicles and innovative urban logistics solutions e.g. electric vans, cargo bikes, drones.  

 

According to the participants of the open public consultation, cargo bikes followed by zero-
emission vans are the most suitable for e-commerce or home deliveries of the future. For an 
overwhelming  majority  of  them  (719  out  of  847  replies),  the  information  on  the  impacts  of 
home delivery, such as carbon footprint (CO2 emitted), would make them try to choose a more 
environmentally friendly delivery option. 

191 https://www.weforum.org/press/2021/04/covid-19-has-reshaped-last-mile-logistics-with-e-commerce-
deliveries-rising-25-in-2020/  
192 https://etendering.ted.europa.eu/cft/cft-display.html?cftId=6949  
193 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC122233  
194 Consultation workshop on urban freight transport and logistics, 21/06/2021: 
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/events/2021-06-urban-mobility-workshops_en  

43 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.20  Shared and collective mobility services 

Since  the  2013  Urban  Mobility  Package,  urban  mobility  has  transformed  at  rapid  speed, 
becoming more user-centric, responding to changes in people’s needs and expectations from 
the mobility offer.  

New mobility services (NMS) are the result of unprecedented opportunities of digitalisation, 
4G and smartphone use. These are new mobility operators facilitating convenient car rentals, 
taxi services, bike or e-scooter rentals for short trips at competitive prices through mobile apps. 
Ride hailing services doubling as food delivery, free-floating car sharing, dockless bikes and e-
scooters are now viable choices in cities besides public transport and the private car.  

Shared mobility refers to shared use of transport modes, such as sharing of vehicles for rental 
(e.g. bikes, scooters, cars), ride-sharing/car-pooling (i.e. shared space within a vehicle) as well 
as transport-on-demand services (e.g. ride hailing services like taxis or platform based services).  

The  increased  interest  in  young  generations  towards  sharing  mobility  schemes,  instead  of 
ownership  of  vehicles,  is  a  practical  example  of  the  change  in  mobility  and  environmental 
culture. 

The following new mobility services are typically discerned:  

  Car based services such as station based or free-floating car-sharing or ride hailing (taxi 

services); 

  Shared, demand responsive transport (DRT) mini vans; 
  Carpooling platforms; 
  Micromobility: dockless (electric) two-wheelers (bikes and e-scooters), electric mopeds  

and other personal mobility devices; 

  Private shuttles, especially to business parks and large employers (like in Stuttgart); 
  Commercial drone services.  

According to the fact-finding study looking at the urban mobility situation in a representative 
sample of 125 EU cities, 80% of cities offer some type of shared mobility. Bike sharing is by 
far the most predominant across the cities in the sample, in proportion of 63%, while e-scooter 
sharing (stand-up) is present in 50% of the cities and station-based car sharing in 40% of cases.  
Free-floating car sharing is also available in 39% of the cities while e-bike/pedelec sharing in 
30% while and e-scooter sharing (seated) in 17% of the cities sampled.  In 10% of the cities, 
there are also other services available such as (e-)cargo bike sharing -  dedicated schemes for 
entrepreneurs, NGOs and citizens - and sharing schemes for private cars. 

According to the participants of the open public consultation, bicycle and e-bicycle sharing is 
the new mobility service that can the most help reduce congestion and brings environmental 
benefits in urban areas. 

From a commercial perspective, there is a need to integrate the variety of new mobility services 
by linking better with public transport connectivity and bridge the last mile where access or 
frequency of public transport is low. An integrated offer, such as MaaS applications, would also 
help  make  the  services  more  attractive  and  enhance  the  mobility  offer  for  people  living  in 
remote areas and commuters.  

44 

 
 
 
 
 
However, the technical  –  fragmentation in  standards, lack of  fare integration  - and business 
model complexities bring challenges for both private operators and the public sector for swift 
roll-out  and  deployment.  Also,  the  overall  environmental  implications  of  shared  mobility 
schemes  need  to  be  evaluated,  especially  if  they  replace  trips  previously  done  using  public 
transport or walking195. 

Local  authorities  are  main  actors  in  this  area  as  well.  Through  innovative  governance 
mechanisms, they can broker cooperation, leveraging their strategic planning, purchasing and 
procurement powers to incentivise new services and operations.   

A  Horizon  Europe  topic  for  accelerating  deployment  of  new  mobility  services  has  been 
included in the 2022 work programme, aimed at increasing penetration and attractiveness of 
services through new business models, as well as potential integration with public transport. In 
addition, as part of the Horizon Europe co-programmed partnership “Connected, Cooperative 
and Automated Mobility (CCAM)” work programme 2022, the EC has proposed a dedicated 
topic to support European demonstrators for integrated shared automated mobility solutions for 
people and goods196. 

3.20.1 Car-sharing, car-pooling and other shared powered vehicles  

The CIVITAS Advisory Group on Game Changers identified eight key innovations, amongst 
which shared mobility, for which potential impacts were mapped and matched with possible 
actions.  Apart  from  integration  with  the  public  transport  offer  (physical  -  at  stations  -  and 
digitally),  for  the  sustainable  and  environmental  goals  of  cities,  the  group  recommends  to 
incentivise the use of shared services for users through: 

  prioritisation of active shared (micro) mobility versus motorised shared mobility; 
  ensuring that space for shared mobility is not taken from infrastructure for active modes, 
e.g. ensure that dockless bikes are rather parked on the road and not on walkways; 
regulatory framework to impose restrictions on standards to run and operate; 

 
  collection of (gender disaggregated) data about the use of the services and digitalisation 

of public space for licensing the operators.  

In  an  analysis  of  the  car-sharing’s  impact  in  Bremen,  the  city  found  that  station-based  car-
sharing reduces traffic and demonstrates that large numbers of car-sharing users see no need to 
own a car. The Share-North project confirmed to the city that the greatest achievements of car-
sharing are reducing traffic and freeing up urgently needed on street parking spaces.  

3.20.2 Micro-mobility services  

As  efficient  and  zero-emission  form  of  transport,  micromobility  has  the  potential  to  reduce 
urban transport emissions.  

A recently published Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an e-scooter in use in a major European 
city,  concluded  that  e-scooters  with  swappable  batteries  generate  34.7  g  CO2  equivalent 

195 https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/jrc124704_jrc124704_trimis_hs_alert_final.pdf 
196 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-8-
climate-energy-and-mobility_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf  

45 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
emissions per person per kilometre across the full lifecycle. In contrast, a new petrol car would 
generate between 200-350g CO2e/km per person per kilometre197. Similarly, e-bikes can have a 
positive  impact  on  the  environment  through  a  reduction  in  motorised  transport  modes, 
consuming about 10% of the energy of a small electric car. 

Local authorities struggle with issues concerning the safe use of e-scooters, risk posed by them 
in cities to their users and other, notably vulnerable, road users such as older persons or persons 
with disabilities, as well as the environmental challenges related to the life-time of the battery 
and sustainability of operations. 

At the same time, flexible licencing schemes are needed to organise and monitor the various 
micromobility service providers in the city to ensure they are running in a positive way and are 
contributing to the city’s mobility strategy. 

A 2019 SUMP topic guide198 helps local authorities with possible ways to address governance 
and integration of new mobility services.  

3.20.3 Addressing local transport-on-demand markets   

Taxis and private hire vehicles with drivers (PHV) have existed side-by-side for years in many 
MS. Traditionally, taxis are allowed to be hailed on the street and at ranks as well as being pre-
bookable; therefore, they are strictly regulated by authorities (such as being subject to fixed 
fares). PHV, on the other hand, are limited to the pre-booking market, but allowed to set their 
prices freely.  

Ride-hailing companies have entered the market and have proved to be a game-changer. Their 
algorithm  and  geolocalisation  based  apps  allow  “instantaneous  pre-booking”,  meaning  that 
rides  can  take  place  right  after  being  pre-booked,  hence  blurring  the  traditional  boundaries 
between the two sectors. Furthermore, ride-hailing apps working with PHV usually determine 
the prices themselves.  

In  many  MS,  there  is  discontent  among  taxi  drivers  who  perceive  the  competition  by  ride-
hailing companies as unfair since they do not need to observe the same rules as taxis (mandatory 
shifts,  duty  to  contract,  fixed  fares).  At  the  same  time,  ride-hailing  companies  and  PHV 
operators object rules for PHV which they perceive as out-dated.  

Urban authorities now face the challenge of addressing these diverging concerns, whilst at the 
same  time  striving  to  ensure  safe,  reliable  and  affordable  mobility  for  citizens  as  well  as 
mitigating congestion and emissions from the taxi and ride-hailing sector.  

For these reasons, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy set out that the Commission 
would “look  into ways  to ensure that passenger  transport-on-demand (taxis  and private hire 
vehicles)  can  become  more  sustainable  and  deliver  efficient  services  to  citizens  while 
maintaining a smoothly functioning single market and addressing social and safety concerns.” 
In the urban context, the granting of licences for these services represents a key tool that cities 
can use to accelerate their decarbonisation. 

197 https://www.eltis.org/resources/case-studies/rise-micromobility  
198 Integration of Shared Mobility Approaches in Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning, 
https://www.eltis.org/sites/default/files/integration_of_shared_mobility_approaches_in_sumps.pdf  

46 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.21  Making the most of digitalisation 

3.21.1 How digitalisation can support mobility in urban areas 

The European Green Deal Communication had already confirmed that digital technologies are 
a critical enabler for attaining Europe's sustainability goals in many different sectors.  

On the individual mobility side, thanks to  new  applications and platforms, smartphones can 
enable  access  to  a  wide  range  of  mobility  offers  and  services  and  access  to  comprehensive 
information for planning journeys, including information on traffic flows in real time. Similarly, 
new  applications,  such  as  Mobility  as  a  Service  can  help  with  the  booking  and  payment  of 
tickets for all mobility offers and the more seamless we can make multimodal journeys, the 
more welcome they will be by the user. 

On  the  logistics  side,  thanks  to  improved  and  faster  information,  enterprises  are  already 
permanently optimising their loading capacity, route planning, costs and emissions. 

Many ITS multimodal mobility management projects are developed, such as “TMaaS” (traffic 
management  as  a  service)  helping  to  monitor  and  manage  traffic  for  all  transport  modes, 
including parking management. Digital mobility management tools could be designed in a way 
that help public transport authorities gain accurate understanding of public space usage, make 
data-informed investments in multimodal infrastructure and vehicles, and effectively design, 
and monitor compliance with, traffic/mobility and environment restriction rules to increase the 
safety of drivers, riders, and pedestrians as well as the sustainability of urban areas. 

Digital  twins  of  cities  are  another  example  of  powerful  tools  for  planners  and  authorities.   
They are a virtual representation of a city's physical landscape or processes, using data, data 
analytics and machine learning to build simulation models that can be updated and changed 
(real-time) as their physical equivalents change. Today, cities invest in digital twins for specific 
elements, such as traffic management. How can we reduce congestion at rush hours? How can 
public transport be improved? A digital replica of a city or a region enables authorities to test 
every possible scenario and find solutions. This helps them to keep the overview, lowers failing 
in the real world.  

Linked to this, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to bring benefits to society and economy 
through e.g. safer transport. Various AI applications are increasingly utilised in a diverse range 
of domains. AI in urban mobility management could help public transport authorities to gain 
an  accurate  understanding  of  public  space  usage  and  mobility  patterns,  to  make  informed 
investments  in  infrastructure;  to  create  effective  traffic/mobility  rules  that  address  safety, 
congestion  and  pollution,  to  ensure  efficient  use  of  available  capacity  in  different  transport 
networks and modes, to monitor compliance with traffic/mobility rules, to dynamically regulate 
traffic/adapt the flow of people and goods, based on reliable prediction that addresses system 
vulnerability, safety, congestion and pollution, or adapt it according to weather conditions. AI 
could  help  improve  the  quality  and  accuracy  of  trip  information  to  passengers/drivers  in  a 
multimodal context. AI could help combine accurate information from many sources to help 
increase trust in public transport (e.g. information from sensors on indoor air/occupancy rate) 
AI could help improve the efficiency of deliveries (cf increased e-commerce). AI could help 
predicative  maintenance  of  urban  infrastructure,  of  public  transport  vehicles,  and  therefore 
optimise  maintenance 
integrated  urban  policies 
(mobility/housing/energy/etc.).  

could  help  design 

cost.  AI 

47 

 
 
 
 
 
In its AI report199, the EIT on urban mobility200 recommends  the following: Urban Mobility 
should  focus  on  what  is  already  potentially  available  now  but  that  faces  several  barriers. 
Making  use of  the vast  amount of  data  in  the hand of  the public administration requires AI 
experts  capable  of  preparing  the  data  to  be  used  and,  most  importantly,  a  collaboration 
framework with private companies that hold personal data on citizens’ travels and needs. A 
new business model and ways to cooperate should be found, so that both the public, the private 
and  the  innovators  achieve  their  objectives.  First,  better  public  services  that  reduce  traffic, 
make cities more sustainable and that meet citizens’ needs. Second, profitable business models 
so that a cooperation with the private actors is possible to openly share data. Lastly, the Urban 
Mobility KIC stressed that for SMEs and start-ups the administrative burden is often too high 
to develop an interesting idea.  

It is crucial that the use of data and AI is carried out in a non-biased way. In the past, algorithmic 
building has in some cases unwittingly led to discrimination against women and ethnic minority 
groups.  

According  to  the  majority  of  respondents  taking  part  in  the  open  public  consultation,  the 
increased digitalisation of mobility will increase the likelihood they will use mobility services. 

3.21.2 Tapping into the data potential for the development of urban mobility 

services   

As underlined in the European Data Strategy201, data is the lifeblood of economic development 
and  the  basis  for  efficiency  gains  across  all  sectors.  It  enables  new  services,  making  urban 
mobility  more  efficient,  sustainable,  and  safe.  It  is  also  key  for  local  authorities  to  develop 
mobility  and  parking  management  tools,  which  help  reduce  negative  externalities  such  as 
congestion  and  pollution.  Developing  innovative  solutions,  notably  based  on  artificial 
intelligence, often requires large amount of data that can only be obtained by pooling data from 
different actors and sources. 

Nonetheless, be it for private actors developing innovative urban mobility services, or for local 
authorities setting up mobility platforms, accessibility of data remains a common challenge that 
needs to be addressed202. Data availability and data-reuse are limited by the cost of collecting 
and digitalising data, challenges relating to data standards, interoperability issues and a lack of 
trust.  In  the  context  of  the  ITS  Directive,  Member  States  have  established  National  Access 
Points203  (NAPs)  to  facilitate  access  to  data.  Ensuring  that  the  data  listed  in  the  Delegated 
Regulations of the ITS Directive (and specifically as regards urban mobility data, i.e. Delegated 
Regulation (EU) 2017/1926 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/962) are made accessible is 
key.  Local  and  regional  transport  actors  have  an  important  role  to  play  and  should  actively 
participate in this effort. In particular, local authorities should aim at increasing the availability 
and  accessibility  of  data  for  which  they  are  the  primary  source,  such  as  data  on  traffic 
regulations, traffic management measures and traffic circulation plans. 

199 https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/230920-AI-Report-Online-1.pdf  
200 EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) 
(https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu) 
201 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-data-strategy_en  
202 Fact-finding study on status and future needs regarding low-and zero-emission urban mobility  
203 https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/its/road/action_plan/nap_en  

48 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
To  support  proper  implementation,  the  European  Commission  is  funding,  through  the 
Connecting Europe Facility Programme and, until 2024, a coordination mechanism to federate 
the  NAPs,  the  NAPCORE  (National  Access  Point  Coordination  Organisation  for  Europe) 
project.  NAPCORE  will  help  boost  data  accessibility  and  availability  by  monitoring  and 
assessing  the  availability  of  ITS-related  data  and  identifying  data  gaps  as  well  as  providing 
guidelines to mitigate these gaps. Another major activity of the NAPCORE project will be to 
ensure  alignment  of  data  exchange  standards.  In  particular,  as  regards  standards  for  urban 
mobility  data,  the  coordination  mechanism  should  look  at  enhancing  coherence  of  data 
standards for parking, and addressing standard for cycling infrastructure data. Linking urban 
mobility  data  to  travel  and  ticketing  data  for  longer  distance  rail  services  is  considered  an 
important delivery under the SSMS and scheduled for 2030.  

The European  ITS Platform (EU EIP), a project to support monitoring and dissemination of 
results of ITS services on European corridors, has developed a reference handbook containing 
ITS deployment guidelines204 which help public authorities in the design and implementation 
of harmonised ITS solutions on their roads, including in urban areas. 

The  establishment  of  common  European  Data  Spaces  in  key  sectors,  funded  by  the  Digital 
Europe Programme, will improve data availability, accessibility and sharing.   The European 
Mobility  Data  Space  will  provide  technical  infrastructure  and  governance  mechanisms  to 
facilitate  easy,  cross-border  access  to  key  mobility  data  resources,  including  urban  mobility 
data, in  line with existing and upcoming mobility  and transport data-sharing initiatives.  The 
Smart Communities Data Space, by bringing together existing local cross-sector data sharing 
ecosystems, will also help the development of innovative urban mobility services. 

In parallel, in liaison with the NAPCORE project, and in line with the standardisation mandate 
for ITS in urban areas205, other EU supported activities are developing further to respond to 
urban mobility standardisation needs, both in terms of development of standards and facilitation 
of their operational use: 

  The  TN-ITS  initiative206,  supporting  Member  States  implementing  the  TN-ITS 
specification  and  maintaining  the  TN-ITS  specification,  overall  facilitating  and 
fostering the exchange of ITS-related spatial road data between road authorities and data 
users; 

  The UVAR data box project207, will provide tools to enable the creation of road users’ 
information on access regulations to cities and regions in Europe, digitally, both ahead 
of and during their trip;  

  The DATA4PT project208, facilitating the development and deployment of the European 
public  transport  data  standards  Transmodel,  NeTEx  and  SIRI.  For  new  mobility 

204 https://dg.its-platform.eu/DGs2012  
205 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/mandates/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.detail&id=568#   
206 https://tn-its.eu/  
207 https://uvarbox.eu/ The project started in September 2020 will provide a data structure for data on Urban 
Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs), machine-readable formats of UVAR data to enable its incorporation into 
navigation systems or mobile application, and a user-friendly software tool, documentation and training to help 
authorities put their UVARs into this format. 
208 https://data4pt-project.eu/  

49 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
services, an extension of Transmodel will be finalised by the end of 2021, for data for 
pooling, sharing, and rental mobility; 

  The ITS EU ICIP project209 (European ITS communications and information protocols) 
will develop, within the next two years, insights to potential users on how and in which 
combinations  to  use  existing  standards.  Work  will  cover  various  topics  including 
Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM), parking, public transport, 
traffic and travellers’ information and traffic control; 

Implementing  the  EU  data  legislation210  will  facilitate  wider  data  sharing  both  between 
companies  active  in  the  mobility  sector,  between  consumers  and  companies  and  between 
companies and authorities, notably at local level. 

3.22  New modes that are on the horizon  

3.22.1 Urban air mobility 

Urban  air  mobility  (UAM)  is  an  ever-growing  topic  of  discussions  that  goes  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  technological  developments  in  the  aviation  industry  as  it  has  attracted  the 
attention of mobility actors and local authorities as a means of contributing to sustainable and 
integrated mobility across cities and regions. UAM is defined as: Very-low altitude air traffic 
over  populated  areas  at  scale.  Most  projects  today  focus  on  drones  respectively  electrically 
powered aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. 

For their potential contribution to efficient and clean urban mobility, it could be appropriate to 
seek to integrate them into urban mobility planning in a realistic and gradual way right from 
the start. 

Among other important perspectives, the social acceptance is key. As part of the preparation of 
an adequate regulatory framework, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has 
conducted  a  comprehensive  study  on  the  societal  acceptance  of  UAM  operations  across  the 
European Union211. 

The  Commission  fully  supports  the  development  of  urban  air  mobility  to  make  it  fit  for 
enhancing  safe  and  sustainable  mobility.  The  Commission  announced  its  plans  to  adopt  a 
‘Drone Strategy 2.0’ in 2022 setting out possible ways to guide the further development of this 
technology and its regulatory and commercial environment. 

3.22.2 Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) 

Already  today,  road  vehicles  provide  advanced  assistance  functionalities  and  support  the 
driving task in dangerous situations. In the future, we expect systems with significantly reduced 
reaction times and vehicle control for extended periods. Combining Connectivity, Cooperative 
systems and Automation for Mobility (CCAM) will bring us closer to road safety Vision Zero. 

209 ftp://ftp.cencenelec.eu/CEN/News/Calls/2020/ITS_EU_ICIP/SA2019-03ProjectPlan.pdf  
210 For example, the Data Governance Act, Digital Market Act, Digital Services Act, Implementation Act for 
High-Value Data-Sets. 
211 https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/uam-full-report.pdf 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
 
Through  digitalisation,  CCAM  will  bring  mobility  to  a  new  level,  improving  traffic 
management, reducing congestion, and contributing to protecting the environment. 

For  this  vision,  Europe  takes  a  leading  role  to  guide  the  transformation,  creating  more 
sustainable solutions while strengthening European competitiveness. With this ambition, the 
co-programmed CCAM Partnership has been launched in June 2021 as part of Horizon Europe 
R&I  Framework  Programme.  It  aligns  all  relevant  stakeholders,  planning  large-scale 
demonstrations,  research  and  innovation  actions  for  vehicle  technologies,  infrastructure 
support,  and  facilitating  end-user  adoption.  The  partners  develop  and  implement  a  shared, 
coherent and long-term  R&I agenda with  the joint  vision:  “European leadership in  safe and 
sustainable road transport through automation”. 

While its development should not be limited to urban areas and should facilitate shared mobility 
solutions to enhance connectivity, several pilot projects will be developed in the context of the 
CCAM partnership under Horizon Europe, starting with €162 million EU funding allocated to 
projects under the 2021-2022 Work Programme212. 

Two topics related to urban mobility have been included under the 2022 work programme: one 
on European demonstrators for integrated shared automated mobility solutions for people and 
goods and another one to integrate CCAM services in fleet and traffic management systems. 

Important other issues to be addressed are the societal acceptance, the regulatory aspects for the 
implementation of the automated systems and the ethical aspects.     

To tackle ethical issues, the Commission formed in 2019 an independent Expert Group to advise 
on  specific  ethical  issues  raised  by  driverless  mobility.  The  Expert  Group  focused  on  three 
themes: road safety, risk and dilemmas; data and algorithm ethics; responsibility. It delivered 
twenty recommendations213.  

As part of the Horizon Europe CCAM partnership, a topic has been launched on the analysis of 
socio-economic and environmental impacts and assessment of societal, citizen and user aspects 
for needs based CCAM solutions. 

Furthermore,  the  Commission  is  carrying  out  a  study  on  connected  cars  assessing  whether 
consumers are, in line with EU consumer law, accurately informed during the marketing and 
pre-contractual  phases  on  how  connected  cars  process  their  personal  data.  The  study  will 
formulate  concrete  recommendations  to  support  the  EDPB  guidelines  1/2020  on  processing 
personal  data  in  the  context  of  connected  vehicles  and  mobility  related  applications  from  a 
consumer law angle and to help traders to better comply with their obligations under EU law. 

3.23  Research and innovation for a change 

3.23.1 Technological solutions and citizens’ needs 

The creation and deployment of alternative mobility solutions cannot be carried out in a static 
context. The interaction between new technological solutions and citizens needs to be in place 

212 https://www.ccam.eu/  
213 https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/new-recommendations-for-a-safe-and-ethical-transition-towards-driverless-
mobility-2020-sep-18_en  

51 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
for sufficient time to generate a real impact on acceptance, commuting and travelling habits, as 
well as the willingness to pay or share transport means. Recent evidence214 has showed that 
without proper engagement, citizens tend to be cautious with new technologies, also those, such 
as for example connected and automated vehicles, whose added value to their daily life may 
seem more apparent215. 

Since 2002, the European Union has funded a large number of RD&I projects within previous 
Framework Programmes (FPs) contributing to the development of urban mobility. The research 
projects covered various aspects: improving the mobility of people and transport of goods in 
urban  and  peri-urban  areas  with  the  development  of  new  transport  and  mobility  concepts; 
accessibility  for  all;  developing  clean,  energy  efficient  and  safe  vehicles  for  passengers  and 
goods; intelligent and automated urban transport systems; new and accessible public transport 
systems. 

Under the 7th Framework Programme for Research (FP7) and the Horizon 2020 Framework 
Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation  (H2020)  about  €1  bn  has  been  invested  in  Smart 
mobility (SMO) research projects216. 

Since  2002,  CIVITAS  has  been  bringing  innovative  actions  at  the  local  and  regional  level, 
enhancing the capacity of public authorities to manage innovation, adopt new tools, solutions 
or processes that deliver on their sustainable urban transport goals. Projects are the best way for 
cities  to  experiment  with  costly  solutions,  risk-laden  innovation  and  testimonies  from  cities 
involved in CIVITAS project attest to the fact that being part of a project helps build consensus 
across departments and creates a cluster effect and know-how amongst other municipalities in 
the country. Most importantly, cities involved in the CIVITAS innovation projects have claimed 
that it helps reinforce their human resources and build a case for reinforcing under-staffed teams 
– especially in the case of digitalisation projects.  

In this context,  encouraging public discussion  and allowing  for  co-creation of new mobility 
concepts  can  provide  a  way  of  letting  citizens  experience  the  new  opportunities  that  new 
technologies may bring. Urban Living Labs and pilot actions can represent a suitable way to 
achieve  this  goal,  sharing  knowledge  and  good  practices,  and  building  on  each  other’s 
experiences for a better coordination of activities. In that sense and complementing CIVITAS 
activities,  more  technology  driven  R&I  was  funded  in  particular  through  dedicated  public-
private partnerships e.g. the Horizon 2020 European Green Vehicles Initiative, EGVI217 in order 
to support innovations and real life pilot actions in cities (e.g. on electric buses).  

Horizon Europe, the ninth Research and Innovation Framework Programme (2021-2027), will 
be a key tool to deliver Commission’s ambitions to the green and digital transitions. The focus 
for transport and mobility will be on accelerating the transition towards a smart and sustainable 

214 https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/s2231_92_1_496_eng?locale=en  
215 https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/jrc_policy_brief_cavs-media-citizens-
policy_v08_25112020_final.pdf  
216 This includes €870 m of EU funds and about €130 m of own contributions by beneficiary organisations. A 
total of 1,621 unique organisations participated in FP7 and/or H2020 projects on SMO. The vast majority of the 
organisations involved focus on more than one transport mode, and all of them include multimodality in 4 their 
activities. Multimodal applications are the most popular followed by road transport 
(https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC120305). 
217 https://www.egvi.eu  

52 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
mobility. We need innovative mobility solutions that can be tested and deployed to real-life 
environments across Europe – where they can generate impact and serve citizens. 

Within Horizon Europe, there is a more holistic approach where transport research is included 
within the Cluster 5 “Climate, Energy and Mobility” as part of the Pillar 2 “Global Challenges 
and  European  Industrial  Competitiveness”.  It  aims  at  creating  maximum  synergies  to  fight 
climate change, improve the competitiveness of the energy and transport industry as well as the 
quality of the services for the society. A significant change from the past in Horizon Europe is 
the clustering of some of our thematic programmes, a renewed push on Partnerships, and the 
introduction of a mission-oriented approach which includes the launch of a Mission of Climate-
neutral and smart Cities. A central innovation of the Cities Mission will be to help enable the 
European Green Deal to become “real” for citizens. Citizen engagement will be central to the 
Mission and it will connect the key policies of the Commission  – the twin green and digital 
transitions – directly with citizens.  

It is a Destination based work programme. Urban Mobility R&I is included in particular under 
Destination 2 “Cross-cutting solutions” where there is a dedicated part on Communities and 
Cities.  It  is  also  supported  through:  R&I  actions  within  the  Mission  on Climate-neutral  and 
Smart Cities, but also under the CIVITAS activities and the co-funded partnership “Driving 
Urban Transitions to Sustainable Futures” (DUT).  

The  R&I  Partnerships  will  be  a  key  implementation  tool,  strengthening  the  resilience  and 
competitiveness  of  European  industry.  The  co-programmed  partnerships  “Towards  zero-
emission  road  transport,  2ZERO”  (included  under  Destination  5  “Clean  and  competitive 
solutions  for  all  transport  modes”)  and  “Connected  and  Automated  Driving,  CCAM218  
(included under Destination 6 “Transport and Smart Mobility services”) have a direct  urban 
mobility component and shall help us to shape research and deliver Europe’s vision for citizens: 
a climate-neutral and environmentally friendly urban mobility. These partnerships have set up 
ambitious research programmes so to accelerate a systematic approach for innovative mobility, 
hence ensuring future European leadership in innovation, production and services.  

The Horizon Europe Cluster 5 supports the EU’s strategic objectives through activities included 
in its work programme and also through the support of Institutional European Partnerships (in 
particular the ones with an urban component, “Clean Hydrogen” and “Transforming Europe's 
rail system”) which are implemented through dedicated structures. Although the latter activities 
are not included in this work programme, it is of great importance to maximise synergy and 
coherence between activities regardless of their implementation mode.    

Three European Technology Platforms  (ERTRAC for road, ERRAC for rail and ALICE for 
logistics) have join forces to prepare Strategic Research Agendas and research roadmaps on 
urban  mobility  that  are  regularly  updated.  The  Working  Group  on  Urban  Mobility  gathers 
experts and representatives of all stakeholders to identify challenges and define priorities for 
future research activities on urban mobility219. 

218 https://www.ccam.eu  
219 https://www.ertrac.org/index.php?page=urban-mobility  

53 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.23.2 Urban mobility innovation beyond technology 

CIVITAS research and innovation actions create the opportunity for new ways of cooperation, 
enhancing local governance in order to deploy state of the art technology. CIVITAS is about 
ensuring the right solutions reach deployment and replication across urban areas in Europe – 
and beyond. 

The  CIVITAS  living  labs  operate  with  the  understanding  that  the  measures  they  implement 
must  be  complementary:  success  comes  from  integrating  measures  into  cohesive  packages. 
Furthermore, across demonstration projects, CIVITAS cities learn to tailor solutions to specific 
city-,  neighbourhood-  or  area-level  contexts,  and  how  to  adapt  measures  that  have  been 
effective elsewhere to these local realities. 

Concrete and replicable sustainable urban mobility measures form  the backbone of all three 
projects and are the main driving forces behind their lasting impact. 

Since  2016,  16  cities  from  across  Europe  have  implemented  and  evaluated  175  sustainable 
mobility measures. Each of the 175 measures tested in CIVITAS DESTINATIONS, CIVITAS 
ECCENTRIC, and CIVITAS PORTIS have been monitored and evaluated to determine their 
impact, the drivers of and barriers to their success, and recommendations for taking sustainable 
urban mobility to the next level in Europe.  

Under  Horizon  Europe,  five  Missions  have  been  set  up  to  deliver  solutions  to  some  of  the 
greatest  societal  challenges,  like  fighting  cancer,  adapting  to  climate  change,  protecting  our 
oceans and waters, living in greener and smarter cities and ensuring soil health. 

Building on other R&I initiatives such as CIVITAS or the Smart Cities Lighthouse projects, the 
Mission  on  Climate-neutral  and  Smart  Cities  aims  to  deliver  at  least  100  climate  neutral 
European cities in the EU by 2030 in a holistic cross-sectoral way, including transport. These 
cities would then act as experimentation and innovation hubs for others to follow, to enable all 
European cities to become climate-neutral and smart by 2050. 

Cities are well placed to be first movers towards climate neutrality and can be used as large-
scale demonstrator pilots for the deployment of R&I and other off the shelf solutions. In such a 
way they can be used as hubs for innovation that can be replicated in other cities participating 
in  the  mission  and  enable  all  cities  to  benefit  and  support  their  transition  towards  climate 
neutrality by 2050.   

The  Cities  Mission  will  build  upon  pre-existing  urban  transport  innovation  activities  from 
Horizon 2020 including CIVITAS, deployment of SUMP or smart city solutions from the Smart 
Cities and Communities. The Cities Mission will create the much-needed synergies between 
city  initiatives  such  as  CIVITAS,  Smart  Cities  Marketplace,  Intelligence  Cities  Challenge, 
Living.in EU, the Climate Pact or the Green City Accord.   

The  Cities  Mission  will  help  participating  cities  develop  and  implement  “Climate  City 
Contracts”, based on each city’s individual needs. It will deploy R&I as well as help cities make 
best use of existing EU programmes, and it will facilitate access to funding and financing. 

54 

 
 
 
 
 
It will allow cities to get access to EU wide skills and expertise from learning/teaming/twinning 
with peers and through networking with national, regional and local authorities, for example 
through joint public procurements for deployment of innovative solutions.  

Cooperation with MS also needs to be enhanced. As part Horizon Europe a new mechanism for 
public-public partnerships (between the European Commission and the Member States) Driving 
Urban Transitions to a Sustainable Future220 (DUT) has been set-up. This partnership builds 
upon  the  achievements  of  JPI  Urban  Europe  and  aims  to  empower  local  authorities, 
municipalities,  business,  civil  society  and  citizens  to  actively  design  and  roll  out  urban 
sustainability and climate-neutrality transition pathways. The main activities will be: challenge 
driven  R&I  joint  calls;  new  technologies,  tools  and  skills;  dissemination,  replication  and 
mainstreaming; communities of practice and co-creation trough Urban Living Labs. It includes 
three main thematic priorities: positive energy districts and neighbourhoods; regenerative green 
neighbourhoods and the “15 minutes cities” (rethinking the urban mobility system and space). 

At the same time, there is a need to enhance cooperation with other research entities such as the 
EIT Urban Mobility (EIT UM). Founded as one of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities 
(KIC) the EIT UM was set up in 2019 and supported by the European Institute of Innovation 
and Technology (EIT), a body of the EU and an integral part of Horizon Europe. Its aim is to 
accelerate innovation towards more liveable cities and urban spaces, through integration of the 
knowledge triangle (business – research – education) and cities. 

The partnership EIT Urban Mobility pools together typical key players in the field of urban 
mobility to encourage them to work together to develop innovative solutions to the mobility 
challenges cities are facing. Since the partnership was launched in January 2019, a total of 85 
partners, including city councils, private companies, universities and research centres from 16 
European countries, have signed up. By pooling their knowledge and putting their very different 
skillsets  to  work,  they  aim  to  create  an  innovation  community  that  will  become  Europe’s 
leading force for positive change in urban mobility by 2026.  

They  argue  that  today’s  model  of  urban  mobility  is  not  sustainable  and  requires  immediate 
change. Their main goal is to transform urban mobility by reducing over reliance on cars and 
we can only agree with this. They document acknowledges that in many cities roads take up 
more than 50 % of public urban space. To them, the lack of integration in mobility sectors has 
been slowing down the change that is needed.  

According to the respondents of the open public consultation, public space re-design and street-
space reallocation is the most important innovation currently missing from their municipality 
that will improve urban mobility (590 answers out of 2076). 

Greater political and societal willingness to change has now opened the window to a new model 
of mobility — one that is clean, shared, autonomous and connected. A system that balances 
private and public interests by recognising the need for individual mobility while at the same 
time working to  improve the quality  of life in  urban spaces. To find solutions to  our cities’ 
challenges and make change happen, a systemic approach is needed with city councils, industry, 
academics and researchers working together from ideation to implementation of new mobility 
solutions. 

220 https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/driving-urban-transitions-to-a-sustainable-future-dut  

55 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.24 

 Everybody on board – capacity building and governance 

3.24.1 Capacity building 

There is still a need for an emphasis on capacity building of local and regional authorities on 
sustainable  and  smart  urban  mobility,  enabling  them  to  have  the  capacity  (information, 
technology,  skills  and  support)  to  exercise  their  duty  effectively.  Training  and  guidance 
documents  are  components  of  it.  According  to  the  findings  of  the  fact-finding  study,  local 
authorities  should  be  provided  with  continued  and  enhanced  financial  and  technical  support 
(e.g. capacity building, guidance, information sharing, collaboration and cooperation) to allow 
the development of effective urban mobility measures. 

When it comes to SUMP, the EU SUMP guidelines have been translated into EU  and some 
non-EU languages to help cities all around the world..  

An example of capacity building project is the H2020 SUITS project. Its aim to increase the 
capacity of local  authorities  to  develop  and implement sustainable, inclusive, integrated and 
accessible transport strategies, policies, technologies, practices, procedures, tools, measures and 
intelligent transport systems that recognise the end-to-end travel experiences of all users and 
freight  was  achieved  through  the  development  of  a  suite  of  learning  materials  (Capacity 
Building  Program)  for  decision  makers  and  planners  in  small  and  medium  sized  cities.  The 
Capacity  Building  Program  addresses  knowledge  gaps  and  misconceptions  related  to  urban 
planning  measures  and  supports  the  deployment  of  innovative  mobility  solutions  and 
technologies. 

The EIT KIC on urban mobility has also an academy which is a collaborative arena for lifelong 
learning, helping to build critical capabilities for innovation and transformation, training the 
next generation of urban mobility practitioners, needed by the urban mobility ecosystem of the 
future. 

Cohesion policy offers important support for technical assistance and capacity building, while 
INTERREG cooperation programmes can also offer specific opportunities for cooperation on 
sustainable urban mobility at cross-border, transnational and interregional level.  

Mobility touches  upon  many  aspects  of  society,  ranging  from  rural  transport  to  trouble  free 
cross-border travel. By consequence, all policy levels (EU, national, local, regional and local 
authorities) hold competences to aspects of mobility. With the expert group on urban mobility 
(EGUM),  a multi-level  governance  approach  to  manage  urban  mobility  as  well  as  more 
integrated approach, in particular among different sectors within and outside mobility has been 
set up following the 2013 urban mobility package. The intention had been to in particular to 
achieve better MS engagement at EU level for urban mobility matters. 

The evaluation study of the 2013 UMP did not establish conclusive evidence with regard to the 
awareness about, and the usefulness of, EGUM. While a number of stakeholders were aware of 
it (mostly representatives of national authorities and EU organisations closely familiar with the 
UMP), the overall level of awareness among local stakeholders was low. A small number of 
interviewed stakeholders noted that the EGUM had been useful for having a dialogue. However, 
stakeholders found it generally challenging to provide information on the contributions of the 
Expert Group. Suggestions to change its structure and format - such as opening participation to 

56 

 
 
 
 
 
local authorities, city networks or social partners, and to set measurable goals were made in 
order to improve its effectiveness221. 

During the dedicated stakeholder consultation  with  the EGUM members222 following points 
came forward: 

  Members find the EGUM platform highly useful to exchange ideas and good practices 
with other countries. The large variety of addressed topics however limits the capacity 
to develop specific recommendations. EGUM could also benefit from adding local level 
stakeholders or speakers of the industry; 

  Relevant topics to address at EGUM level were identified as: SUMPs for smaller cities 
(together  with  capacity  building  and  coordination  at  national  level),  UVARs,  SUMP 
indicators/data, modal shift (to sustainable modes) and the integration of mobility policy 
in other policy areas. 

Macro-regional  strategies  can  offer  a  cooperation  platform  for  local,  regional  and  national 
authorities with a multi-level governance approach with the possibility to reach out to a wide 
range of stakeholders to respond to urban mobility needs through cooperation. Macro-regional 
strategies like the  EUSAIR223  and the EUSDR224  have the potential to  extend the EU urban 
mobility  approach  to  candidate  and  potential  candidate  countries  as  well  to  neighbouring 
countries. 

3.25  The international dimension 

Urban  population  is  expected  to  double  by  2050  which  suggests  that  some  95%  of  urban 
expansion in the next decades will take place in the developing world. This puts pressure on 
urban service provisions, including mobility in developing countries where rapid urbanisation 
is already happening within a framework of inadequate mobility infrastructure and sustainable 
mobility solutions. 

Taking into account the role of the EU as global leader, the translation of sustainable EU urban 
mobility policy in the development context has been and will further be essential to trigger the 
transformative changes needed for decarbonisation, resilience and inclusiveness and at the same 
time will pave the way for the export of European expertise and technologies in the field. 

By responding to above challenges, the EU has been active to boost and implement sustainable 
urban  mobility  solutions  within  its  development  cooperation  and  partnerships  across  the 
different geographical regions.  

This  entails  both  the  investment  dimensions  as  well  as  the  notion  of  strategic  mobility 
governance to create enabling environments at municipal levels for sustainable urban mobility 
planning:   

In this context, the EU SUMP concept has become a point of reference worldwide with a view 
of  translating  it  into  the  development  geographical  context  and  its  specifics.  The  SUMP 

221 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0047&from=en  
222 Held on 15/06/2021, with 17 Members States present 
223 EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region 
224 EU Strategy for the Danube Region  

57 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
guidelines  can  help  cities  worldwide  to  better  integrate  urban  mobility  planning.  They  have 
been translated into some non-EU languages.  

This indicates the need to reinforce the cooperation on urban mobility policy at international 
level. There are communities and organisations (e.g. the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and 
Energy, International Transport Forum) that work to engage local decision makers and produce 
analysis on transport, climate and energy. There is a potential to work together towards common 
objectives, global outreach and linking similar activities.  

The  EU-funded  MobiliseYourCity225  has  become  the  leading  global  partnership  for 
sustainable urban mobility planning, with more than 60 member cities in 32 countries with a 
combined population of over 75 million people. It accelerates the transition to sustainable urban 
mobility in  countries  of the Global  South  by disseminating knowledge, tools  and guidelines 
based  on  the  Commission’s  SUMP  concept.  Actions  are  implemented  across  different 
geographical regions such as Africa, Asia and Latin America, for instance through sustainable 
urban  mobility  planning  strands  of  actions  in  countries  like  Morocco,  Cameroun,  Senegal, 
India, Indonesia or Dominican Republic. 

Shaping  African  transport  policies  on  urban  mobility  is  further  supported  under  the  Africa 
Transport Policy Program (SSATP) to which the EU is the key contributor. Drawing on its 
extensive experience in policy formulation, SSATP developed the “EASI” (Enable / Avoid / 
Shift / Improve) framework to support African countries with developing strategies and policies 
that  can  help  unlock  the  economic  benefits  of  a  well-functioning  urban  transport  sector.  To 
ensure the sustainable development of Africa's urban areas, SSATP promotes the adoption of 
an integrated approach to Urban Transport and Mobility (UTM) management that brings the 
urban  transport  and  urban  development  agendas  together  to  effectively  address  rapid  and 
uncontrolled urbanization. SSATP supports its 43 member countries by (i) fostering knowledge 
of, and the demand for, effective policies for sustainable urban transport and mobility and (ii) 
building the capacity of cities and metropolitan areas to design, adopt and implement effective 
policies for sustainable UTM management in Africa. 

Under the EU Blending Framework and its respective Investment Facilities for the different 
geographical  regions  of  cooperation,  support  through  innovative  blending  modalities  and 
guarantee  schemes  has  been  provided  in  order  to  leverage  funding  for  urban  transport 
infrastructure, preparatory  studies etc. Examples  of which are  for instance the Nairobi BRT 
scheme  under  the  European  Fund  for  Sustainable  Development  and  its  Africa  Investment 
Platform, the Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Project in North-Central Vietnam (CRUIV), the 
preparatory studies for the extension of Ho Chi Minh City’s Mass Rapid Transit Line 2, and the 
Myanmar  Transport,  Waterfront  and  Heritage  Urban  Project  (TWHUP)  under  the  Asia 
Investment Facility. 

Under 
the  EU  flagship  cooperation  programme  EUROCLIMA+  on  environmental 
sustainability  and  climate  change  with  the  Latin  American  region,  actions  in  relation  to 
sustainable urban mobility forms  part of the programme’s objective to  reduce the impact  of 
climate  change  and  its  effects  in  Latin  America  by  fostering  climate  mitigation,  adaptation, 
resilience  and  investment.  Developing  national  policies/programmes  for  urban  mobility  and 
integrated multi-modal planning at the city level to accelerate the transition of Latin American 

225 https://www.mobiliseyourcity.net/  

58 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
cities toward sustainable urban mobility low in carbon emissions are the main entry points for 
engagement. 

International cooperation with Asia, Latin America and Africa in the field of urban mobility is 
also supported through Horizon 2020 support actions. The aim is to reinforce international EU 
activities  in  line  with  the  UN  Sustainable  Development  Goals  in  particular  to  reduce  air 
pollution and CO2 emissions. It helps cities to develop implementation concepts for integrated 
sustainable transport measures on knowledge sharing and the development of implementation 
concepts, capacity building and policy papers. SOLUTIONS project supported the launch of 
the Action Platform: Urban Electric Mobility Initiative (UEMI)226 with UN-Habitat at the UN 
Climate Summit in September 2014 in New York. Another support action is included in the 
first Calls of Horizon Europe.  

An International Cooperation (InCo) flagship demonstration project was launched to reinforce 
sustainable electrification in large urban areas in developing and emerging economies within 
the 2019 Green Vehicle Call of Horizon 2020. The project SOLUTIONSplus227 aims to set up 
a global platform for shared, public and commercial e-mobility solutions and to kick start the 
transition towards low-carbon urban mobility. The project work-plan encompasses city level 
demonstrations  to  test  different  types  of  innovative  and  integrated  e-mobility  solutions, 
complemented by a comprehensive toolbox, capacity development and replication activities in 
several cities in Europe and around the World (10 demonstration cities).  

Transport is a key component of policies and instruments supporting the enlargement process 
to the Western Balkans and Turkey and the EU neighbourhood policy, including the Eastern 
Partnership  and  Southern  Neighbourhood.  Sustainable  urban  mobility  continues  to  be  an 
important aspect of connectivity, including in the context of the green transition, as highlighted 
in the policy documents framing the cooperation of the EU with the Western Balkans228, Turkey, 
the Eastern Partnership229, and the Southern Neighbourhood230. 

Making transport in the Western Balkans cleaner, safer, smarter, and greener has become one 
of the key drivers of transport policy for European Commission. The European Commission, 
through  the  Economic  and  Investment  Plan  for  the  Western  Balkans,  sets  out  strategic 
objectives towards a clean transport that is a fit for a green and digital future, with sustainable 
mobility and a green and resilient infrastructure as essential elements. Smart and sustainable 
mobility is one of the main actions of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. Support will 
be provided to develop  and implement sustainable urban mobility plans for the major urban 
areas  of  the  region,  as  well  as  for  developing  climate  resilience  plans  for  national  transport 
networks,  and  sustainable  mobility  solutions,  including  alternative  fuels  infrastructure  and 

226 http://www.uemi.net  
227 http://www.solutionsplus.eu. Direct co-funding contributions are provided by partner cities and 
SOLUTIONSplus works closely with UN Environment and the International Energy Agency (IEA) on a joint 
global urban e-mobility programme that will significantly boost replication and impact of this Innovation Action. 
UN-Habitat and UN Environment are part of the project and are financing an important ‘sister’ project GEF 7 on 
electro mobility and air quality in 17 countries. 
228 Communication ‘An Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans’ COM(2020) 641 final.  
229 Joint Communication ‘Reinforcing Resilience: an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all’, JOIN(2020) 7 final  
and Joint Staff Working Document ‘Recovery, resilience and reform: post 2020 Eastern Partnership priorities,’ 
SWD(2021) 186 final.   
230 Joint Communication ‘Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood: A new Agenda for the 
Mediterranean’, JOIN(2021) 2 final, and Joint Staff Working Document ‘Renewed Partnership with the Southern 
Neighbourhood Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbours’ SWD(2021) 23 final. 

59 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
charging stations. Priority will be given on the deployment of ITS aimed at making transport 
operations  more  efficient,  and  reducing  CO2  emissions.  Added  emphasis  will  be  given  to 
increasing  rail  capacity  and  develop  more  environmentally  friendly  transport  modes  in  the 
region. Some of the projects supported so far on this direction are the “Belgrade public transport 
and  traffic  infrastructure”,  “Belgrade  road  and  tram  network  upgrade”  (Serbia),  and  the 
“Sustainable urban mobility plan for Skopje” (North Macedonia). 

In Turkey, sustainable urban mobility is becoming more and more important in the context of 
rapidly increasing population, urbanisation and economic activities. Turkey witnessed a very 
high  increase  in  the  number  of  car  ownership  while  the  pandemic  severely  hit  the  public 
transport in the cities. Congestion and air quality have become serious issues within the city 
centres.  According  to  the  Eleventh  Development  Plan  of  Turkey  (2019-2023)  the  main 
emphasis is put on making inter-urban and urban mobility more sustainable and greener. Turkey 
adopted  its  road  safety  vision  zero  strategy  for  2021-2030  and  established  a  50%  reduction 
target  of  fatalities/road  deaths  by  2030  in  line  with  the  EU.  Railways  remains  Turkey’s  top 
priority for investments in transport infrastructure. To ensure sustainable development of cities, 
Turkey prioritises the establishment of an accessible high-link urban transport system. The EU 
puts high attention to inter-modality, connectivity and sustainable urban mobility by supporting 
key milestone projects in Turkish cities. The EU is financing a new intermodal strategy, which 
will work on identification and development of priority railways corridors. The EU is strongly 
promoting  SUMP  development  for  Turkish  cities  and  financing  SUMPs  in  10  metropolitan 
Turkish  cities.  The  EU  is  also  supporting  establishment  of  an  ITS  architecture  in  Turkey. 
Moreover, the EU supports the Halkali – Kapikule railways project that connects Turkey to the 
TEN-T through Bulgaria. 

In the Southern Neighbourhood urban mobility continues to face important challenges when 
it comes to the infrastructure. Urban mobility is strongly influenced by a spectrum of economic, 
social and political factors. The EC is supporting sustainable urban mobility in partner countries 
through  several  projects,  such  as  the  restauration  of  the  oldest  tramway  in  Africa,  the 
Alexandria's  Raml  Tram,  Egypt.  The  project  will  support  Alexandria’s  sustainable  urban 
development, improve citizens’ everyday lives and economic performance. Another important 
project was Euro-Mediterranean Transport Support Project. This project aims to contribute to 
the creation of an integrated transport system in the Mediterranean. One of the main Actions of 
this  project  was  the  urban  transport,  the  project  supported  the  national  governments  of  the 
partner countries Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, and 
Tunisia, to implement innovative fleet management solutions, in line with the guidelines of the 
EU Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.  

Sustainable  urban  mobility  is  one  of  the  EU  priorities  of  the  cooperation  with  the  Eastern 
Partnership countries, with an important place in the European Commission`s future agenda 
for the region. In the light of the Staff Working Document for Recovery, resilience and reform: 
post  2020  Eastern  Partnership  priorities,  sustainable  urban  mobility  planning  will  be 
substantially strengthened and expanded. This will involve working with IFIs to introduce new 
finance  mechanisms  for  cities  to  accelerate  the  shift  to  sustainable  mobility.  Low-emission 
public  and  private  transport  will  be  prioritised,  and  older  high-emission  vehicles  replaced. 
Development  and  subsequent  implementation  of  sustainable  urban  mobility  plans  will  be 
launched in at least 5 key cities in each partner country in conjunction and cooperation with 
existing local authority initiatives (e.g. CiViTAS, the network of Mayors for Economic Growth 
or the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy). Strategic Environmental Assessment of 
urban development plans will be conducted in at least 30 cities and an EaP ‘green city’ award 

60 

 
 
 
 
 
will  be  launched.  The  EC  has  sustained  important  projects  on  urban  mobility  in  the  partner 
countries of this region, by supporting the modernization of urban public transport in 11 cities 
in Ukraine (Ukraine Urban Public Transport), and urban road safety improvement (Armenia, 
Ukraine). 

3.26  Recovery, investments, funding, financing, public procurement 

3.26.1 EU funding 

Targeted financial support has been a key factor for development and implementation of many 
urban mobility measures across the EU. In addition, the 2021 Evaluation report231  has shown 
that many MS have perceived EU funding to be the most significant driver behind most of the 
developments in the area of urban mobility. In the period 2014-2020, a particular emphasis was 
placed  on  the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  (ESIF)  and  the  financial  support 
provided  under  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  (CEF)  to  urban  node  projects  on  TEN-T 
network.  

The importance of EU funding to sustainable urban mobility was highlighted in the consultation 
on the Roadmap by 19 respondents out of 105. The opinion was shared by non-governmental 
organizations  (8),  companies  (5),  business  associations  (3),  national  authority  (1),  local 
authority (1), trade union (1) and a citizen (1). 

EU  funding  available  for  urban  mobility  (including  ITS  and  cycling/walking)  through  the 
European structural and investment (ESI) funds has increased from €11.2 billion in the 2007-
2013  programme  period  to  €16.3  billion  for  2014‑  2020114.  In  addition,  CEF  has  provided 
€214 million for urban nodes since 2014. Funding of research projects from Horizon 2020 under 
the Societal Challenge “Smart, green and integrated transport” increased from €55.8 billion in 
period  2007-2013  to  €77  billion  in  2014-  2020.  In  addition  a  total  EU  contribution  of  €3.1 
billion was also invested on urban related R&I through several large demonstration projects 
involving more than 400 cities in Europe and beyond. 

The specific priority to  sustainable urban development also  provided incentives for cities to 
apply  a  more  integrated  approach  to  urban  mobility.  EUR  16  billion  of  the  cohesion  policy 
funds  is  implemented  locally  through  more  than  900  integrated  and  sustainable  urban 
development (SUD) strategies managed by urban and local authorities, and the majority of them 
addressed mobility issues as well232. 

It is important to recall that EU funds include requirements on accessibility in order to ensure 
that persons with disabilities benefit from investments of EU funds on equal basis with others. 

In  addition  to  the  direct  funding  of  urban  transport  projects,  national,  regional  and  local 
authorities have also received support to develop and implement SUMPs besides sustainable 
urban development strategies.233  

231https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/news/2021-03-02-urban-mobility-package_en  
232 https://urban.jrc.ec.europa.eu/strat-board/#/where  
233 This often took place under the framework of sustainable urban development strategies, to which at least 5% 
of the national ERDF should have been earmarked. 

61 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
In the MFF financing period 2021-2027 MS have the opportunity to continue to support the 
urban  mobility  projects  through  a  wide  range  of  funds  complementing  each  other  while 
focussing on different scopes. 

The  European  Court  of  Auditors  (ECA),  in  its  2020  special  report234,  welcomed  the  EU 
efforts in this area made so far (EU range of policy documents and guidance, increased funding) 
and  recognised  that  the  significant  improvements  in  sustainable  urban  mobility  may  require 
more time to materialise, while stressing the lack of fundamental change of cities’ approaches. 
Findings showed that some MS and cities struggled to complement EU funds with appropriate 
resources to ensure the adequate operation and maintenance of their public transport network 
and  the  rise  of  costs  due  to  various  reasons.  It  also  noted  that  EU  funded  projects  were 
sometimes not as effective as intended due to weakness in project design and implementation 
as well as lack of sound urban mobility strategies.   

In  line  with  ECA  recommendations,  in  the  process  of  preparation  of  the  programming 
documentation or project applications with the Member States for the 2021-27 programming 
period, the Commission considers it important that the support is linked to the existence of an 
integrated urban mobility strategy (e.g. SUMP or equivalent plan). 

In the next period, structural funds, in particular ERDF and Cohesion Fund, will remain the 
main backer of urban mobility projects. The support is channelled through regional and national 
programmes,  identifying  measures  addressing  the  needs  and  specificities  of  the  territories 
concerned.  These  programmes  foster  integrated  approaches  and  involve  different  levels  of 
government in a shared management and partnership approach, even across borders, as well as 
sectoral and civil society stakeholders to work together. In particular, given the clear focus of 
regional development investment on the policy objective 2 “Greener Europe” (with at least 30% 
of ERDF resources), those regions receiving ERDF support could benefit from the prioritisation 
of  urban  mobility  under  this  objective,  including  the  support  to  infrastructure  and  public 
transport  fleets.  The  Cohesion  Fund  may  also  largely  support  sustainable  urban  mobility 
investments if these are justified by the positive impact on the environment. 

In general, cohesion policy can support all urban transport related investments as long as they 
are aligned with the programme's specific objective. These can target major urban areas and 
economic centres but also small and medium sized cities. Support should take into account the 
needs of the functional urban area (including the commuting zones, hinterland connections  - 
e.g. for rural-urban links - and cross-border interactions).  

In 2021-2027, at least 8% of the national ERDF resources, other than for technical assistance, 
must be allocated to sustainable urban development in priorities and projects that are selected 
by  cities  themselves  and  based  on  their  own  sustainable  urban  development  strategies  (the 
“compulsory urban earmarking” in accordance with Article 11(2) of the ERDF/CF Regulation 
(EU)  2021/1058).  Special  attention  should  be  given  to  tackling  environmental  and  climate 
challenges, notably the transition towards a climate-neutral economy by 2050, to harnessing 
the potential of digital technologies for innovation purposes, and to support the development of 
functional  urban  areas.  As  for  the  instrument  and  tools  that  need  to  be  applied  to  the 
implementation of the integrated sustainable urban development, Member States shall use any 
of the following forms: integrated territorial investments, community-led local development, or 
another territorial tool supporting initiatives designed by the MS will. 

234 Source: European Court of Auditors Special Report 06/2020: Sustainable Urban Mobility in the EU 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
In the national plans of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, urban mobility is an important 
investment priority for many Member States, together with reforms leading to the increase in 
the sustainability   of the transport system. Such projects bring clear climate and environmental 
benefits swiftly and can be implemented in the given timeframe (by 2026). SUMPs play a key 
role in the selection of the most suitable investment plans and prioritisation of projects during 
the discussions with the Member States.   

The aim of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is to accelerate investment in the field of 
trans-European networks by means of funding from both, the public and the private sector and 
thereby  contributing  to  the  timely  and  efficient  development  of  the  TEN-T  Network  whilst 
supporting the realisation of a robust and resource-efficient European transport system. In terms 
of support for urban mobility, CEF 2021-27 will continue to remove barriers to interoperability 
in urban nodes of the TEN-T core-network, with a focus on alternative fuels infrastructure for 
public  transport  and  the  development  of  passenger  multimodal  hubs  in  urban  nodes.  The 
multiannual work programme235 paves the way for giving priority to urban mobility projects 
that are backed by SUMPs or equivalent plans.   

The Digital Europe Programme will fund the development of common European data spaces 
in key sectors, notably for mobility and smart communities, making it easier to make available, 
share and access urban mobility data. 

Horizon Europe, the new R&I Framework Programme (2021-2027), support research on urban 
mobility  topics  under  cluster  5  “Climate,  energy  and  mobility”  as  part  of  Pillar  2  “Global 
Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”. The budget for the whole Cluster 5 is 
€15  billion.  In  particular,  the  budget  (EC  contribution)  of  the  2Zero,  CCAM  and  DUT 
partnerships will be respectively €615 million, €500 million and €130 million. 

In addition, new EU Missions will be developed to orchestrate innovative approaches to solve 
important societal challenges, including climate change, supported by R&I and other funding 
instruments. The proposed Mission on Climate Neutral and Smart Cities aims at making 100 
cities climate neutral by 2030. Stimulating urban transport and mobility will be key elements 
of  the  mission  which  will  offer  opportunities  for  cities  who  want  to  invest  in  clean  public 
transport.  

However, public spending –even if blended with private investment- will not be sufficient to 
address  the  financial  needs.  InvestEU,  through  its  Sustainable  Infrastructure  window  can 
bolster future-oriented investment across the EU, help the mobilization of private investments 
for use by projects and operators in the area of sustainable infrastructure and mobile assets, as 
well  as  supporting  innovative  companies  and  SMEs  in  the  areas  of  smart  and  sustainable 
mobility. 

In addition, the InvestEU Advisory Hub is envisioned as the central entry point for project 
promoters  and  intermediaries  seeking  advisory  support  and  technical  assistance  related  to 
centrally managed EU investment  funds. The Hub can cover the  full project  lifecycle:  from 
policy and programme advice, project pipeline identification, preparation of the project in terms 
of technical advice, financial structuring, terms of references for selection and supervision of 
consultants  delivering  on  technical  and  financial  studies,  to  project  implementation  and 
monitoring. The main dedicated advisory facilities involved under the InvestEU Advisory Hub 

235 CEF Multiannual work progarmme 2021-2027: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure-ten-t-
connecting-europe/reference-documents-work-programmes-selection_en  

63 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
and supporting urban mobility are ELENA and SIA/JASPERS and the advice can be delivered 
either by experts from the EIB or from other InvestEU Advisory partners, such the EBRD or 
national  promotional  banks.  The  expertise  of  the  InvestEU  Advisory  Hub  will  also  help  to 
maximize  the  absorption  and  impact  of  EU  funds,  addressing  a  recommendation  of  the 
European Court of Auditors. 

Assistance  on  SUMP  and  rollout  of  alternative  fuel  infrastructure  can  also  be  provided  by 
Reform Technical Support  Instrument (TSI)236 with the budget of €864 million EUR for the 
period  2021-2027.  MS  can  request  technical  support,  including  to  implement  their  national 
recovery  and  resilience  plans  in  the  area  of  green  transition,  in  particular  through  the  TSI 
flagships “Support to Recharge & Refuel”. Finally, in recent years, the EIB Group has been 
ramping  up  its  support  to  urban  mobility  and  to  accelerate  newer  technologies  such  as  e-
mobility and digitalisation under the flag of the Cleaner Transport Facility. The EIB Group will 
continue to deploy a range of financing structures that contribute to accelerating the deployment 
of cleaner mobile assets.  Major steps have been taken by the Commission to make the financial 
system  more  sustainable,  notably  with  the  adoption  in  2020  of  the  Taxonomy  Regulation 
creating a classification system for green economic activities. This will facilitate the scaling up 
of  green  financial  products,  such  as  the  green  bonds  and  green  securitisation,  suitable  to 
promote investment in the area of urban mobility and alternative fuel deployments.    

3.26.2 Urban mobility in the Recovery and Resilience Plans237 

All national recovery and resilience plans (RRPs) submitted so far to the European Commission 
for financing by the EU Resilience and Recovery Facility include both reforms and investments 
in  favour  of  sustainable  transport  –  in  line  with  the  European  Semester  country  specific 
recommendations. So far, based on the 22 adopted plans, more than €62 billion is climate tagged 
as sustainable mobility, which means about  14% of the overall national RRP allocation of these 
plans  

In this context, a large number the measures developed by Member States are focussed on urban 
mobility. These projects are of great diversity both in terms of nature and volume.  

Member States plan to invest in alternative fuel  infrastructure (€3.3 billion) and in zero and 
low-emission vehicles (€6.7 billion), with clear benefits for urban mobility. Regarding clean 
vehicles, car tax reforms and road charging such company car tax reform, lower registration 
taxes for clean vehicles, and extension of the tax exemption for electric cars, will help to uptake 
of alternative vehicles. 

A large majority of Member States foresee investments in the railway sector (for a total above 
€34 billion), including for the upgrade of suburban rail infrastructure (or to improve railway 
stations.  

236 https://ec.europa.eu/info/overview-funding-programmes/technical-support-instrument-tsi_en  
237 The expenditures reported for the RRF are estimates processed by the Commission based on the  
information on climate tracking published as part of the Commission’s analyses of the recovery and  
resilience plans. The data reported cover the 22 national recovery and resilience plans assessed and  
approved by the Commission by 5 October and will evolve as more plans are assessed.  –see link. 

64 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
. RRF funding will also be allocated to the development of urban transport infrastructure (€9.4 
billion), – such as metro and tram lines ) and multimodal terminals) as well as to promote active 
mobility, in particular with new cycling infrastructures.  

Such investments are sometimes accompanied with reforms able to maximise their impact, such 
as the creation of low emission zones (LEZs) and the use of urban mobility planning. To support 
multimodal  transport,  several  Member  States  plan  to  introduce  multimodal  ticketing  and 
multimodal passenger information systems as well as support to Mobility as a Service (MaaS).  

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
APPENDIX - Synopsis consultation report  

1. 

Introduction 

This annex provides a summary of the outcomes of the consultation activities that have been 
carried out to support the preparation of the EU Urban Mobility Framework initiative. It notes 
the range of stakeholders consulted, describes the main consultation activities and provides a 
succinct analysis of their views and the main issues they raised.  

The objective of the consultation was to seek information and feedback from the most relevant 
stakeholders and from the wider public in relation to possible main directions of the planned 
EU  Urban  Mobility  framework.  More  specifically,  the  consultation  provided  feedback  as  to 
how the EU urban areas can: 

  contribute  to  reducing  transport  greenhouse  emissions  and  to  other  objectives  of  the 
Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy including its milestone to have 100 European cities 
carbon neutral by 2030;  

 

 

improve  the  quality  of  life  of  the  EU  urban  population  by  addressing  urban  mobility 
challenges  such  as  air  pollution,  congestion,  noise,  accessibility,  road  safety  while 
promoting physical activity; 

increase the support to, and use of, the most sustainable transport modes (in particular public 
transport and active mobility) as well as zero-emission urban logistics. 

The main stakeholders identified were cities and their networks, stakeholders active in urban 
mobility, logistics and road safety areas, national and local administrations, as well as citizens 
living in cities or commuting to cities. 

The main consultation activities included: 

  Online feedback to the Roadmap, between 27 April and 25 May 2021; 

  Five consultation workshops for stakeholders and relevant national authorities, organised 

in June 2021; 

  An Open Public Consultation (OPC), between 1 July and 23 September 2021. 

Besides, a number of position papers was provided, in the framework of the above activities 
and following dedicated meetings with some stakeholders. 

2. 

Feedback to the Roadmap 

In  the  consultation,  overall  105  feedback  reactions  were  received.  When  it  comes  to  the 
categories of the respondents, the most reactions (24, or 23.3%) came from company/business 
organisations,  followed  by  business  associations  (17,  or  16.5%),  non-governmental 
organisations  (17,  or  16.5%)  and  EU  citizens  (15,  or  14.56%).  All  categories  are  shown  in 
Figure 1. 

66 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 1. Number of respondents by category  

The feedback was, overall, positive towards the ideas included in the Roadmap. In particular, 
the support to the following themes appeared in many contributions of the stakeholders: public 
transport  as  the  backbone  for  sustainable  urban  mobility,  with  multimodality  in  the  core; 
greening fleets, e-mobility and recharging infrastructure; more cycling infrastructure and active 
mobility; measures to improve urban road safety; promoting the use of innovative technologies 
and digitalisation; harmonizing rules across the EU for urban vehicle access regulations and 
micro-mobility; developing EU sustainable urban mobility indicators; 15-minute city concept, 
adjusting to new ways of work (telework, online services, etc.); making SUMPs obligatory and 
linking EU funding to them. 

3.  Targeted consultations 

Five  workshops  for  stakeholders  and  national  authorities  were  organised  in  June  2021;  an 
overview is presented in the table below. 

Table 1. Overview of stakeholder workshops 

Meeting 
Workshop for local and 
regional authorities, 
civil society, and the 
general public 
Workshop with 
Member States 
representatives 
Stakeholder workshop 
on urban freight and 
logistics 

Stakeholder workshop 
on Sustainable Urban 
Mobility Plans and 
mobility management 

Main target group(s) and total number of participants  
Local and regional authorities, consumer and 
environmental organisations, other NGOs, research and 
academia, citizens (177 participants) 

Timing  
14 June 2021 
14:00 PM – 
16:00PM 

Members of the Member States Expert Group on Urban 
Mobility (EGUM) (32 participants in total, 17 
participants representing Member States) 
Associations representing businesses and industry (in 
particular active in urban freight and logistics), NGOs, 
research and academia (120 participants) 
Local and regional authorities, associations 
representing businesses and industry, consumer and 
environmental organisations, research and academia 
(132 participants) 

15 June 2021  
02:00 PM – 
4:00PM 
21 June 2021 
14:30 AM – 
16:30 PM 
24 June 2021 
10:00 AM – 
12:00PM 

Stakeholder workshop 
on Urban Vehicle 
Access Regulations 

Associations representing businesses and industry, 
NGOs, consumer and environmental organisations, and 
research and academia (155 participants) 

28 June 2021 
10:00 AM – 
12:00PM 

67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Feedback received from workshops with stakeholders 

Participants of the workshops believed that commitment and courage are needed from political 
leaders to take decisions, especially regarding car ownership, parking, and reallocation of public 
space. Participants also stated that the EU should provide an enabling framework for cities to 
effectively manage different streams of policies that could be better aligned towards climate 
neutrality (e.g., urban development, mobility, energy).  

In one of the workshops, participants raised the necessity of the EU to increase active mobility, 
moving beyond non-binding guidance (e.g., proposing EU standards for bike lanes); funding 
not only infrastructure but also research and innovation on the behavioural aspects of mobility; 
supporting  local  authorities  with  positive  communication  and  narratives  about  sustainable 
urban mobility (e.g. European Mobility Week); monitoring and auditing major infrastructure 
projects (ring roads, metros, stations) according to their impact on cycling accessibility.  

Stakeholders indicated that one of the most important needs is to define a clear framework for 
sharing data (who provides which data and how; data security and confidentiality; governance; 
interoperability,  etc.)  and  for  a  core  data  set  to  be  shared  by  private  stakeholders.  Such  a 
framework  should  be  agreed  upon  in  cooperation  with  the  local  authority  and  the  private 
stakeholders that collect and own the data, to ensure mutual benefit.  

The  majority  opinion  was  that  a  SUMP  guidance  document  is  needed  for  the  integration  of 
spatial planning as a component of mobility policy, to link Urban Vehicle Access Regulations 
(UVARs) with designated freight zones (i.e. consolidation/distribution hubs, loading/unloading 
areas, off-peak deliveries, etc.).  

Numerous innovative vehicles (e.g. electric vans, cargo bikes and even drones) and innovative 
solutions (new distribution models using cargo trams or inland waterways) are available on the 
market, but cities and private stakeholders alike struggle to adopt and scale up these innovative 
solutions. 

Stakeholders stressed that UVARs can add balance to the urban mobility system (in terms of 
the  modal  split,  air  quality,  inclusiveness,  use  of  public  space,  energy,  etc.)  and  help  cities 
improve flows, facilitate multimodality and prioritise public transport. There should not be too 
many  technological  tools  (to  avoid  “techno  congestion”),  and  there  should  be  clear  and 
available  access  rules.  Comments  focused  on  urban  freight  logistics  as  well  as  passenger 
journeys. Reference was also made to implementing the polluter pays principle at the urban 
level.  There  is  a  general  understanding  that  vehicle  access  to  cities  will  be  increasingly 
regulated. At the same time, service providers raised the issue of the related impact of rapid 
decarbonisation of fleets, which is difficult to achieve. Several participants stressed that – when 
it comes to granting access – the trip purpose is not an effective criterion; vehicle type, on the 
other hand, is easier to check/assess. Public acceptance and perceived political risk were also 
mentioned as important issues. Participants stressed that information for local politicians on the 
actual impact and public acceptance of UVAR schemes would ensure a broader take-up.  

Feedback received from the workshop with Member States 

Participants  find  the  Expert  Group  on  Urban  Mobility  (EGUM)  platform  highly  useful  to 
exchange ideas and good practices with other Member States. Some representatives raised the 
limitation of the EGUM group to provide recommendations due to the large number of themes 

68 

 
 
 
 
 
covered by different people within the organization/country. Another limitation raised is linked 
to the rather local nature of urban mobility and the fact that national governments do not always 
have the tools or competencies to provide detailed recommendations. 

SUMPs  for  smaller  cities  (together  with  capacity  building),  UVARs,  indicators/data,  modal 
shift  and  the  integration  of  mobility  policy  in  other  policy  areas  were  identified  as  relevant 
topics to address at the EGUM level. EGUM members believe that the establishment of national 
SUMP programmes, together with (conditional) funding could be implemented at the national 
level to support the SUMP framework; the role of a national SUMP coordinator was not clear 
at this moment. The participants see a role to play for EGUM to develop a common approach 
to UVARS. This in particular on the exchange of trends, technologies and approaches, but also 
the development of a technical /regulatory framework and minimum common / harmonization 
rules. 

4.  Open public consultation (OPC)  

The Commission launched the 12-week OPC on 1 July and it closed on 23 September 2021. 
The  OPC  invited  all  citizens  and  organisations  to  provide  input.  Using  EU  Survey,  the 
consultation was available in all official languages. 

A total of 849 responses were received from 27 EU Member States and 10 non-EU countries 
(from Albania, UK, Switzerland, Norway,  Israel, Canada, United States, India and Nigeria). 
Data  were  screened  and  cleaned  in  line  with  the  Better  Regulation  Toolbox;  two  duplicates 
were identified. Therefore, the final number of responses for the analysis amounted to the valid 
847 responses submitted.  

Concerning  the  country  of  origin  of  the  respondents,  153  participants  indicated  Germany, 
followed by Spain (145), Italy (131), Belgium (108) and France (84). Table 2 below provides 
information about all respondents by their country of origin and categorised in 5 country groups.  

Table 2. Nationalities of respondents  

Country Group 1: 
Western Europe (CG1) 

Country Group 2: 
Northern Europe 
(CG2) 

Austria 
Belgium 
France 

Germany 

Ireland 
Netherlands 
Switzerland 
United Kingdom 

61 
108 
86 

153 

11 
11 
4 
5 

Denmark 
Estonia 
Finland 

Latvia 

Lithuania 
Norway 
Sweden 

1 
4 
6 

2 

1 
1 
7 

Country Group 
3: Southern 
Europe (CG3) 
15 
Greece 
131 
Italy 
4 
Malta 

Portugal 

21 

Spain 

145 

Country Group 5: 
outside of Europe 
(CG5) 

Canada 
India 
Israel 

Nigeria 

United States 

1 

1 

1 

1 

6 

1 
3 
4 

Country Group 4: 
Central and Eastern 
Europe (CG4) 
Albania 
Bulgaria 
Croatia 
Czech 
Republic 
Hungary 
Poland 
Romania 
Slovakia 
Slovenia 

4 
10 
24 
2 
3 

11 

As of user types, EU citizens provided the most contribution to this consultation, accounting 
for 68,5% of all respondents (580 replies), followed by companies/business associations with 
7,7% (65 replies), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) with 5,4% 46 replies) and Public 
Authorities with 5,3% (45 replies). Figure 2 provides a full picture.  

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 2. Number of respondents by stakeholder type  

EU citizen
Company / business organisation
Non-governmental organisation (NGO)
Public authority
Business association
Other
Academic / research institution
Non-EU citizen
Consumer organisation
Environmental organisation
Trade union

65

46
45
33
23
22
13
9
9
2

580

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

N=847 

The first few questions of the survey refer to the mobility behaviour of individuals, therefore, 
the answers to these questions were only considered if the user type of the respective entry is 
either EU-citizen or Non-EU-citizen. 

The clear majority of 286 of the 592 respondents appear to use bicycles or e-bicycles as their 
main way to move around, followed by the use of a private car (146), Public transport (74) 
and moving around on foot (51), as shown in Figure 3. 

Figure  3.  What  is  the  main  way  you  move  around  (e.g.  go  to  work,  go  to  school,  go 
shopping)? 

Bicycle or e-bicycle (specify: private or shared)

286

146

74

51

Private car (specify:…

Public transport (specify)
On foot
Other (please specify)
Motorcycle

E-scooter (or another micro mobility device)…
Shared rides (carpooling, i.e. driver determines…

I don't know/no answer
Wheelchair or another assisting device

On-demand passenger transport service (e.g.…

12
10
8
4
1
0
0

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

N=592 

Probably not surprisingly, three of the four most important challenges negatively affecting 
respondents’ daily mobility are around the use of a bicycle, followed by air quality and poor 
public transport coverage, as shown in Figure 4. 

70 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 4. What are the most important challenges negatively affecting your daily mobility? 

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

372

284

Insufficient or lacking, or not properly maintained…

Feeling unsafe to ride a bike

Poor air quality

Risk of theft /lack of safe storing facilities for bikes,…

Poor public transport coverage

Difficulty of multimodal connections (e.g. bike –…

Congestion and resulting delays

Public transport is not reliable or does not run…

Lack of space on pavements e.g. cluttered by cars,…

Not enough sustainable mobility choices

Transport-related noise

Poorly maintained roads or streets

Lack of secure parking facilities (for cars/bicycles/…

158

138

134

124

123

119

90

86

71

67

64

Public transport is too expensive

Other (please specify)

Not properly maintained pavements

48

47

42

Insufficient recharging points for electric vehicles or…

Feeling unsafe or insecure to walk

Fears for personal safety/security in public transport

Difficult to move around for persons with…

Insufficient information on public transport or…

It feels unsafe(risk of crash) when driving a car

Insufficient or unsafe park-and-ride facilities

Poor accessibility of public transport for persons…

There is no phone app to enable me to pay for all…

I don't know/no opinion

25

25

22

19

17

14

13

13

8

0

N=2123 answers by 592 respondents 

When asked if they were planning on changing their mobility habits as a result of getting 
used to more working from home, most respondents said that they will walk (346 responses) 

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
and use their bicycle often (338 responses) or about the same (respectively 228 and 224) but 
also use their private car less (332 respondents), as shown in Figure 5. 

Figure 5. Are you planning to change your mobility habits e.g. having gotten used to more 
working from home? 

walk

private bicycle

58,3%

57,0%

38,4%

37,8%

3,2%

5,2%

shared bicycle / scooter

PT (bus, train, tram, etc.)

24,1%

23,6%

shared car

13,3%

on demand / ride hailing

7,1%

62,4%

58,9%

66,8%

65,3%

13,5%

17,5%

19,9%

27,7%

private car

5,1%

39,0%

56,0%

0,0% 10,0% 20,0% 30,0% 40,0% 50,0% 60,0% 70,0% 80,0% 90,0% 100,0%

more often

about the same

less

N=593 

When  asked  about  what  mobility-related  measures  they  would  want  to  see  most  in  the 
future with likely more home-office, most respondents (530; 62.6%) want better infrastructure 
and  facilities  for  pedestrians  and  cyclists,  then  more  green/recreational  areas  incentivizing 
walking  and  cycling  (323;  38.1%)  and  more  frequent  public  transport  services  (305;  36%), 
followed by a parking policy that discourages or restricts the use of private cars in the city (298; 
35.2%), more focus on road safety (250; 29.5%) and introduction of new concepts like Low 
Traffic Neighbourhoods or the 15-minutes cities (247; 29.1%).  

When asked about the connectivity between a city and the surrounding rural/peri-urban 
areas, around 84% of the responses expressed that they are experiencing problems (while 9.7% 
stated they are not). The main problems indicated are linked to the insufficient public/collective 
transport options to/from the city (402 answers; 28.3%) the insufficient active mobility options 
to and from the city (390 answers; 27.5%), and the congestion and pollution because of people 
coming from those areas to the city (236 answers; 16.6%). 

Public  transport  can  play  an  essential  role  in  reducing  congestion  and  meeting  climate  and 
environmental  targets.  When  asked  about  which  solutions  can  help  increase  their  use  of 
public transport in urban areas, most respondents (482; 20.9%) indicated the more frequent 
service of public transport, through the enlargement of the network or with more convenient 
hubs/stations, followed by a better link between public transport and ‘last mile’ solutions such 
as  bicycles,  scooters,  etc.  (306;  13.3%),  the  need  for  more  reliable  services  and  better 
information (278; 12.1%), the need for priority lanes for public transport by bus, priority for 
trams/buses in traffic (246; 10.7%), and the need for cheaper tickets (177; 7.7%). 

When asked about what would encourage them to walk or cycle more often, most of the 
participants indicated more dedicated infrastructure and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure 
of  better  quality  (516  and  492;  22.3%  and  21.2%  respectively),  followed  by  using  traffic 
rules/management systems to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists (219; 9.5%), reduce motorised 
traffic (217; 9.4%) and create more green spaces (190; 8.2%). 

72 

 
 
 
 
 
 
When  asked  about  what  can  help  make  car-sharing  and  transport  on  demand  more 
sustainable,  most  respondents  believe  that  mandatory  requirements  for  the  use  of  zero-
emissions vehicles in taxi and private hire vehicle fleets (289; 19.5%) and the integration with 
public transport services (280; 18.9%) are most relevant. Figure 6 shows all the answers. 

Figure 6. Car sharing and transport on demand (e.g. taxis and private hire vehicles with 
drivers)  services  can  help  tackling  some  urban mobility  problems.  What  can  make  them 
more sustainable, i.e. reduce their air pollutant and CO2 emissions? 

Mandatory requirements for the use of zero-…

Integration with public transport services

More charging infrastructure for electric vehicles

Low- and zero-emission zones

Reducing journeys without a passenger (e.g. abolish…

Financial incentives to use zero-emission vehicles

289

280

205

200

179

177

I don’t know/no opinion

100

Other (please specify)

53

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

N=1483 answers of 847 respondents 

On  average,  respondents  are  not  very  satisfied  with  the  accessibility  for  persons  with 
disabilities or reduced mobility of the transport infrastructure. The average rating is 2.36 
on a scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied), as shown in Figure 7. 

Figure  7.  How  satisfied  are  you  with  the  accessibility  for  persons  with  disabilities  or 
reduced mobility of the transport infrastructure? 

217

231

291

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

91

17

1 - very dissatisfied

2

3

4

5 - very satisfied

N=847 

When asked about which current or future transport modes are the most suitable for e-
commerce or home deliveries of the future, most respondents indicated cargo bicycles (or e-
bicycles) (653; 34.1%) and zero-emission vans using electric or hydrogen energy (526; 27.5%), 
followed by zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (180; 9.4%), and urban public transport (128; 
6.7%) as potential future transport modes suitable for e-commerce or home deliveries. Linked 
with the topic, 84.8% of respondents strongly or somewhat agree with the fact that information 

73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
on the impact of their home delivery, such as carbon footprint, would make them try to 
choose a more environmentally friendly delivery option. 

When asked about what would help to deal with congestion and emissions in cities, most 
respondents  agree  that  creating  more  pedestrian  and  cycling  zones  and  improving  public 
transport (447 and 342; 18.5% and 14.2% respectively), followed by improving the accessibility 
and choice of low- and zero-emission mobility solutions (191; 7.9%) and restricting parking 
(189; 7.8%). Figure 8 depicts it. 

Figure 8. What actions (existing or potential) to deal with congestion and emissions in cities 
do you particularly agree with? 

447

342

More pedestrian and cycling zones

Public transport improvements

More accessibility and choice of low-…

Parking restrictions

Integrated offer for public transport…

Urban Tolls (e.g. on congestion or…

Increase in park & ride facilities

Low or Zero Emission Zones (please…

More education of road users /…

Speed limits

Limited traffic zones

Quicker uptake of zero-emission…

More/better bike- and scooter-…

More/better car sharing services

Other (please specify)

Congestion charges

Diesel bans

Quicker uptake of automated vehicles

I don’t know/no opinion

No further actions needed

8

4

191

189

158

139

135

110

105

105

102

93

75

48

48

45

35

32

0

100

200

300

400

500

N=2411 answers by 847 respondents 

Regarding  urban  vehicles  access  regulations  (UVARs)  like  low  or  zero-emission  zones, 
most respondents (622 or 73%) answered that they were not encountering difficulties with them 
(while 225, so 27%, indicated that they did). When asked for the biggest difficulty, 324 people 
answered and out of these, 96 of the respondents (30%) faced difficulties with the rules that 
seem to differ in different cities and even in the same country, 71 (22%) do not know or do not 
have an opinion and 40 (12.3%) mostly indicated the need to harmonise UVAR rules, as shown 
in Figure 9. 

74 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure  9.  What  is  your  biggest  difficulty  related  to  urban  vehicles  access  regulations 
(UVARs)? 

96

71

Rules seem to differ in different cities even…

I don't know/no opinion
Other (please specify)
Rules are unclear or not understandable
Information about the rules is difficult to…
Rules are restricting access to public and…
Problematic for persons with disabilities and…

Registration process is difficult
The fines are disproportionately high
Payment process is complex

5
4
3

40
37

30

23

15

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

N=324 

When  asked  about  which  new  mobility  service  can  help  reduce  congestion  and  brings 
environmental  benefits  in  urban  areas,  most  respondents  have  chosen  (e-)bicycle  sharing 
(538  responses)  and  implementing  measures  encouraging  walking  and/or  cycling  (498 
responses). Figure 10 depicts it. 

Figure 10. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the least and 5 being the most), which new mobility 
service can help reduce congestion and brings environmental benefits in urban areas? 

Ride hailing

40%

24%

24%

8%

4%

Car sharing, car pooling

Micromobility solutions (e.g. free-floating e-…

21%

26%

26%

20%

26%

18%

9%

23%

17%

14%

Digital services integrating all mobility options…

15%

14%

27%

23%

21%

Measures (e.g. apps encouraging walking…

14%

10%

17%

20%

Bicycle and e-bicycle sharing

11%

8%

18%

24%

38%

40%

0

0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9

1

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

N=847 

Public space re-design and street-space reallocation has clearly been identified by respondents 
(590; 28.4% of responses) as one of the three most important innovations currently missing 
from their  municipality that will improve urban mobility, followed by the innovation  in 
governance (257; 12.4%), and smart traffic lights that management congestion and traffic flow 
(237;  11.4%).  When  asked  how  will  increased  digitalisation  of  mobility  (e.g.  bike/car 
sharing apps, real time traffic information etc.) affect your mobility choices, majority of 
respondents (506 out of 847, so 59.7%) believe that increased digitalisation of mobility will 
increase or increase a lot the likelihood that they will use these services while 220 respondents 
(so 26%) believe that it will have no impact on their mobility choices. Only 39 respondents so 
4.6% believe that it will have a negative impact. 

75 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
When  asked  about  which  actions  would  be  of  greatest  benefit  to  increase  the  safety  of 
vulnerable road users, a majority of respondents (726; 85%) indicated safe footpaths and cycle 
lanes that are separated from motorised traffic, followed by low/no traffic zones (588; 70%), 
footpaths and kerbs accessible for persons with disabilities or reduced mobility (586; 69%) and 
implementing 30 km/h as a default speed limit (560; 66%), as shown in Figure 11. 

Figure 11. Road safety in urban areas is a particular concern regarding vulnerable road 
users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists). Which actions do you think would be of greatest 
benefit to increase the safety of vulnerable road users (with 1 being of the smallest benefit 
and 5 being of the greatest benefit)? 

Safe footpaths and cycle lanes that are separated…

5%

7%

15%

70%

Footpaths and kerbs accessible for persons with…

9%

5%

17%

Low/no traffic zones

11%

5%

14%

21%

22%

Default 30km/h speed limits

14%

7%

13%

19%

Speed  enforcement measures

13%

9%

16%

22%

Road users education

13%

13%

20%

19%

49%

47%

47%

40%

35%

Truck safety features (e.g. direct vision, turning…

13%

13%

28%

20%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

1

2

3

4

5

N=847 

When it comes to the safe use of micromobility devices such as e-scooters, most respondents 
answered they should not be allowed on the pavements or reduce their speed in pedestrian areas 
(492; 22.1%) and be separated from other road users (374; 16,8%), and their speed should be 
more restricted generally (274; 12.3%). Figure 12 provides a full picture. 

Figure  12.  Micromobility  devices  such  as  e-scooters  are  becoming  more  common  on 
Europe’s urban streets. Which elements do you think are most important for their safe use? 

492

374

They should not be allowed on the pavements…

Road user separation (e.g. they should only be…

Speed should be more restricted generally

Indicated areas where to park

Functioning safety equipment (brakes, lights,…

Rider Training

Mandatory use of protective equipment…

Raising the age at which it is permitted to use…

Technical condition of the vehicles

Other (please specify)

I don’t know/no opinion

96

72

56

42

274

233

226

188

174

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

76 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
N=2227 answers from 847 respondents 

Regarding  a  sustainable  urban  mobility  plan  (SUMP)  or  a  similar  comprehensive 
transport plan, almost half of the 847 respondents (45%) are aware that their town has one. 
An overwhelming majority (743 out of 847 respondents, so 87.7%) believe that the European 
Union should make SUMPs mandatory for cities. In addition, 463 respondents (so 54.7%) 
think that they should be mandatory for all cities irrespective of their size, as shown in Figure 
13. 

Figure 13. Do you think the EU should make SUMP's mandatory for cities? 

Yes, for all cities irrespective of size

463

Yes, for cities with at least 50 000 inhabitants

172

Yes, for cities with at least 100 000 inhabitants

93

Yes, but only for the biggest cities (above 1 million…

15

No, it should not be mandatory

I don’t know/no opinion

48

56

0

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

N=847 

When  asked  about  the  opinion  about  car-free  days  (a  highlight  of  European  Mobility 
Week), most respondents (675; 79.7%) believe they are a great idea, and 355 of the respondents 
(41.9%) believe that such days should be organised every month. 

Regarding mobility management plans of companies and organisations, a great majority of 
respondents believe that they are very important or important for all the suggested organisations 
or events, as depicted in Figure 14. 

Figure  14. A  mobility  management  plan  is  a  plan  to  promote  sustainable  transport  and 
therefore reduce emissions by encouraging the change of mobility habits. On a scale of 1 to 
5, how important it is that the following organisations adopt their own mobility management 
plan. 

Big events
Businesses with over 200 employees
Universities
Shopping centres / retail areas
Schools with over 1500 students
All primary and secondary schools
Hospitals / major health institutions
Businesses with over 50 employees

N=847 

3%
2%
4%
4%
2%

8%
8%
8%
10%
10%
12%
12%
13%

12%
9%

17%
23%

13%

14%
13%

19%

19%
21%

15%

18%

7%
8%
12%

60%
58%
56%
53%
53%

46%
44%

21%

18%

25%

19%

32%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

1

2

3

4

5

77 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finally, 374 respondents have specified further input relating to urban mobility that was 
not covered by the OPC questionnaire and that the European Union could look into. A 
significant number of respondents have specified the need to further improve public transport 
accessibility,  infrastructure  and  financing.  Another  significant  number  of  respondents  have 
mentioned the need to regulate micro-electric vehicles such as e-skateboards and one-wheelers. 
Figure 15 provides the full picture. 

Figure 15. Comments relating to urban mobility that was not covered by the questionnaire 

39

33

22

22

22

20

19

19

18

17

14

14

13

13

12

12

12

11

10

Improve public transport…

Regulate micro electric vehicles

Other

Reduce private motorized…

Improve cycling infrastructure…

Enforce traffic rules & educate all…

Promote sustainable urban…

Comments relating to the OPC…

Use more sustainable mobility for…

Improve public urban space

Promote active mobility

Commuting from rural/suburban…

Prepare for automation & other…

Improve electric mobility…

Multiple themes

Irrelevant/Incomprehensible

Improve access and…

Actions tackling pollution (both…

Promote shared and public…

Improve accessibility for disabled…

Parking management

Improve pedestrian safety &…

Account for gender in mobility…

Promote home office

Prevent company cars to have…

Promote the use of two-wheelers

Transit oriented Development

7

6

4

4

3

3

3

2

0

10

20

30

40

50

N= 374 

78 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. 

Position papers 

In total, stakeholders submitted 50 position papers, 38 of them in reply to the Roadmap (some 
of them were confirmed as valid also in the context of the OPC) and 12 in reply to the Open 
Public Consultation or by  email to the European Commission in the context of the different 
consultation activities, including meetings. An overview of the stakeholders submitting position 
papers is provided in Table 3 below. 

Table 3. Overview of all position papers received coded by stakeholder type  

Stakeholder type  

Academic/research institution 
Business association 
Company/business organisation 
Consumer organisation 
EU citizen 
Environmental organisation 
Non-EU citizen 
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) 
Public authority 
Trade union 
Other 
Total 

Number of submissions 
2 
14 
12 
3 
0 
0 
0 
14 
3 
1 
1 
50 

Table below provides an overview of the themes included in the contributions of stakeholders. 

Table 4. Overview of the themes mentioned by frequency 

Theme 

Source  

References 

Public transport 
SUMP 
Urban Freight and Logistics 
Low (zero) carbon vehicles fleets 
Funding 
UVAR 
Data management 
Digitalisation 
Innovation 
Inclusivity (gender, disability, age, etc) 
Reduction of private vehicles (cars, motorized transport, etc) 
TEN-T Network 
Intermodality 
Suburban urban transport 
Shared mobility 
Active mobility 
COVID 19 Impact & changes 
Accessibility 
Land development 
Congestion 
Electrification 

79 

6 
8 
5 
6 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
2 
3 
3 
4 
3 
1 
4 
2 
2 
2 
2 
2 

32 
24 
23 
17 
13 
12 
11 
11 
11 
11 
9 
9 
7 
7 
7 
6 
6 
5 
5 
4 
4 

 
 
 
 
 
Resilience 
Urban Air Mobility 
Climate planning 
Reallocation of road space 
Small and medium cities 
Road safety 
Modal shift 
Governance 
Automation 
MaaS 
Two-wheelers 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 

4 
4 
3 
3 
3 
3 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 

Public transport, SUMP and urban freight and logistics were the most popular themes. Table 5 
gives  an  overview  of  the  sub-categories  included  in  the  three  main  categories,  with  further 
details provided below. 

Table 5. Overview of the main themes‘ sub-categories  

Theme 

Public Transport 

SUMP 

Urban Freight and 
Logistics 

Sub-category 
Public transport as backbone of urban mobility 
Public transport funding 
Public transport digitalisation 
Public transport as backbone of intermodality 
Making SUMPs mandatory 
Quality of SUMPs 
SUMP monitoring and reporting 
Promotion of public transport and active mobility in SUMP  
SUMP funding 
SUMP & Climate planning 
Changing nature of freight and logistics 
Last mile delivery  
Urban logistic hubs and pick-up station 
Innovation and data management 
Integrate planning of urban logistics 
Governance and regulation 

In  their  contribution,  stakeholders  put  forward  the  importance  of  further  developing  public 
transport and making it the backbone of the new urban mobility initiative.  

– 

– 

Public  transport  is  seen  by  stakeholders  as  key  to  decarbonise  the  transport  sector 
overall and improve air quality, especially in urban environments; this was also linked 
by contributions to the lessons learned during COVID-19 when public transport was 
affected by the pandemic with the suspension of operation and the fact that authorities 
and operators faced significant cost pressures.  

According  to  stakeholders,  European  funding  is  currently  very  fragmented.  Some 
suggest  that the European Commission  should monitor what  money is  spent  and to 
what extent its fragmented budget is delivered. Other stakeholders seem to agree that 
investment in public transport is critical but insufficient and suggest that one solution 
would  be  to  further  cooperate  with  the  private  sector  to  make  the  sector  more 
sustainable, by participating in capacity growth and the enable cities to reallocate road 
space to promote public transport.  

80 

 
 
 
 
 
– 

– 

Making public transport the backbone of urban mobility was often mentioned along 
with the need to create synergies between public transport and other mobility modes 
to further promote intermodality. In doing so, stakeholders particularly mentioned the 
need to create more park and ride facilities and to increase the space allocated for bikes 
in (sub)urban trains. According to a few stakeholders, redesigning transport networks 
and  reallocating  road  space,  moving  away  from  car-centric  urban  environments, 
should help to strengthen intermodality between public transport and active mobility.  

The contributions also discuss specific innovations and improvements that should take 
place in public transport systems. The digitalisation of the sector is put forward most 
often in the contributions as a means to provide more connected and smart mobility 
through  modern  ticketing  technology  and  display  of  modal  journey  times.  Another 
form of innovation mentioned by a few stakeholders is the need to improve security in 
public transport through the implementation of (digital) mechanisms for reporting and 
monitoring discrimination (e.g., for lack of accessibility) and security problems (e.g., 
sexual harassment in public transport). Overall, a majority of stakeholders view public 
transport as a key mobility sector to test innovative services. 

In their contributions, stakeholders develop a wide range of suggestions and ideas relating to 
the implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP). While the suggestions are 
diverse, many of the proposed approaches follow similar lines of thinking.  

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

One  important  theme  is  to  ensure  that  SUMP  becomes  the  basis  of  the  mobility 
transition and become mandatory (to a certain extent) for cities. Several stakeholders 
suggest  that  the  European  Commission  should  ensure  that  all  cities  that  are  urban 
nodes  of  the  TEN-T  network  and  as  many  other  cities  as  possible  produce  a  high-
quality SUMP (or similar strategy document)  in  place by 2025 or 2030. Additional 
comments on the compulsory creation of SUMPs include the need to further consult 
public stakeholders (e.g. trade unions and civil society). 

In their contributions, stakeholders also stress that sufficient funding is necessary for 
SUMPs to be successful. Certain stakeholders express the need to make funding for 
cities only accessible based on the existence and/or quality of their SUMP.  

Several stakeholders stress the need to require/incentivise cities and towns to monitor 
and report on the effectiveness of their SUMPs based on key indicators. Suggestions 
were made that cities implementing SUMPs should be required to follow through with 
implementation and report on progress as well as challenges.  

One key issue flagged by several stakeholders is the need to further include climate 
policy and planning within the SUMP framework. A few contributions suggest that 
new and updated SUMPs should be aligned with EU climate objectives  (the Green 
Deal,  air  quality,  etc.)  and  international  commitments  (such  as  the  Sustainable 
Development Goals) while having as a primary goal the decarbonisation of transport. 

Another  key  issue  flagged  by  a  few  stakeholders  is  the  requirements  of  SUMPs  to 
focus on creating an accessible and attractive public transport offer and incentivising 
active mobility. Public transport networks are seen by stakeholders as having a key 
role  to  play  in  decarbonising  transport  systems  while  ensuring  accessibility  and 
inclusivity. Contributions propose that SUMPs should prioritise public transport when 
it comes to building new infrastructure or attributing road space to transport modes. A 
few  contributions  also  emphasise  the  importance  to  address  accessibility  and 
affordability of transport, as well as links into the wider region. 

81 

 
 
 
 
 
Many contributions touch upon the need to further improve and develop urban freight and 
logistics strategies.  

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

More than a third of these contributions acknowledge the changing nature of urban 
freight  and  logistics  and  the  growing  challenges  this  sector  faces.  Stakeholders 
associate these challenges with the rapid growth of e-commerce (accelerated during 
the COVID-19 lockdowns) and having to increase delivery efficiency (delivery speed, 
cost  efficiency,  safety,  etc.)  which  can  be  incompatible  with  sustainability  goals. 
Stakeholders also identify other important changes in the labour sector (e.g. towards 
gig-work which can present both labour and safety issues) and in local economies (e.g. 
local shops having to compete with bigger platforms) that can have an impact on urban 
freight.  Therefore, one of the common suggestions mentioned by stakeholders is  to 
promote local shops as part of an urban freight strategy but also increase awareness 
among consumers on the environmental costs of deliveries. 

Among the improvement to be operated in the urban freight and logistics sector to face 
changes  in  e-commerce,  multiple  stakeholders  advocate  for  cities  to  take  a  more 
integrated approach to urban freight through further regulation and planning. Several 
stakeholders  believe  that  the  European  Commission  should  pro-actively  involve 
different  actors  and  processes  to  plan  for  urban  logistics  at  the  urban  and  TEN-T 
network  level  and  integrate  logistics  holistically  with  a  wider  strategic  regional 
development.  

Half of the contributions point out solutions to ensure the sustainable development of 
urban freight and logistics strategies. One of these solutions pointed out is the use of 
cargo  bikes  for  deliveries  as  they  are  seen  by  stakeholders  to  make  a  very  positive 
contribution to zero-emissions freight and more flexible for last-mile deliveries. The 
use of cargo bikes is seen by a few stakeholders as easier to be implemented with the 
increasing number of cycling lanes and the existing practices of using bikes for fast 
and last-mile deliveries. Another solution suggested by a few stakeholders is the use 
of shared and sustainable commercial vehicle services.  

Among other solutions mentioned by stakeholders, the creation of urban logistics hubs 
and the creation of pick-up stations are pointed out  by a  couple of stakeholders, as 
complementary  solutions  to  the  ones  previously  mentioned.  A  few  stakeholders 
believe  that  the  European  Commission  should  encourage  the  diversification  and 
prioritisation of solutions that increase efficiency, such as pick-up collection points or 
delivery  lockers  while  reinforcing  the  use  of  urban  logistics  hubs  at  the  local  and 
regional levels.  

In  their  contributions,  many  stakeholders  also  share  their  thoughts  on  the  role  of 
innovation  and  data  management  in  urban  freights  and  logistics.  Deliveries  using 
drones is identified by two stakeholders as a key innovation to the sector that should 
be further researched and developed (one stakeholder, however, expresses concerns 
about it). 

82