UITP urges the European Summit to prioritise public transport in the EU recovery

Publication date: 19 March 2009

UITP URGES THE EUROPEAN SUMMIT TO PRIORITISE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE EU RECOVERY PLAN AS REQUESTED BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

UITP calls the Heads of Sate and Government to specifically integrate public transport networks into the EU recovery plan during the meeting of the Spring European Council on 19-20 March. More and better public transport is part of the solution towards vibrant and competitive cities within a low-carbon future!

The European Parliament own-initiative report on the recovery plan adopted on 11 March shows the path to the wilful policy required by the situation. EPs advocate for the inclusion of urban transport in the recovery plan and particularly in the additional EUR 5 billion to be invested in infrastructure projects.

This political message must be endorsed by the Heads of State and Government.

Cities are the economic motors of Europe and good public transport represent the solution to the most pressing transport related problems:

• More than 70% of the economic wealth in Europe is created in urban areas which at the same time face high congestion and pollution levels. Approximately 7% of this wealth is wasted on the external costs of accidents, congestion, health and environmental damage linked to transport.
  

• More public transport means lower energy consumption for transport and thus reduce carbon dependency, lower GHG emissions and lower air pollution. Cities with a high modal share of public transport, walking and cycling can save about 400 to 500 kg of petrol per inhabitant per year (about 15 full tanks!!).
  

• More public transport means less expenditure on transport for citizens and thus increases available purchasing power for other goods and services. In Hong-Kong, Amsterdam or Helsinki transport costs 6% of the urban GDP against 12% in cities where mobility depends on private cars;

• More public transport means more inclusive societies and more jobs for local communities that cannot be delocalised!

Public transport networks represent the essential link enabling good accessibility for all to the different functions of the city (employment, education, health, leisure …) while securing social inclusion and providing stable local employment.

In the European Union we estimate that public transport operators offer 1.000.000 direct jobs and studies suggest that every direct job in public transport is linked to 4 jobs in other sectors of the economy. “The current financial and economic crises can favour the emergence of a new mindset. The European and national recovery plans developed to mitigate the effects of the crisis should lay down the basis for this paradigm shift” underlined Guido del Mese, President of the UITP EU-Committee.

Source: UITP