An efficient transport system is regarded one of the factors that make urban areas competitive. It provides access to jobs, education and health care. In many urban areas, however, increasing demand for motorised transport has created a situation that is not sustainable. Congestion affects travel times as well as the emission of pollutants and noise. Road accidents take their toll especially among vulnerable groups.
Cities all over Europe acknowledge the need for more sustainable urban transport and aim at creating people friendly mobility by creating new approaches to urban mobility planning and by stimulating a shift towards cleaner and more sustainable transport modes. The Wuppertal Institute has developed the report "Living. Moving. Breathing. Ranking of European Cities in Sustainable Transport" on urban mobility performance measurement, which enables European city stakeholders and the general public to understand their current urban mobility situation through a point based results framework. It measures and evaluates the urban mobility in 13 European cities, namely Berlin, London, Vienna, Brussels, Moscow, Rome, Zurich, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Budapest and Madrid.
The report analyses 21 indicators representing the performance of public transport and active mobility, the state of road safety and air quality; and the progress in mobility management. The review and analysis of the indicators confirms experience from other studies:
- Many European cities struggle to provide reasonable air quality.
- Public transport can be made attractive by incorporating technology for scheduling trips and purchasing tickets.
- Safer conditions for cycling will encourage cycling in cities.
- A strong parking policy and right parking pricing can act as a deterrent for automobile use.
- To increase walking and cycling shares in cities, active mobility must be integrated with public transport.
- All cities in our ranking are making efforts. They should share their good practices with other, less advanced and less ambitious counterparts.