Source: EU Urban Mobility Observatory

The European Commission recently adopted recommendations for member states on addressing the complex challenges of transport poverty and the promotion of fair, inclusive sustainable mobility.

The recommendations are given with particular reference to the Social Climate Plans, which member states must submit before the end of June in order to access their share of at least €86.7 billion of funding available under the Social Climate Fund (SCF). Member states can use the SCF to implement targeted measures and investments to support vulnerable groups, including a number of mobility initiatives:

• Improvements to transport services in low-income areas, such as the development of public transport infrastructure to ensure good connections to city centers.
• Voucher programs for public transport.
• Zero-emission on-demand services.
• Enhanced accessibility for people with disabilities.

The EU’s Joint Research Centre has launched the Transport Poverty Hub to support these efforts. This is an online platform providing high-resolution maps enabling the visual identification of areas with well-developed or under-developed transport networks, providing policymakers with essential information and insights into regional connectivity.

Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: “Transport poverty is more than an economic challenge. It’s a barrier to social and climate justice. Today’s recommendation sets a strategy to break down those barriers, ensuring that all Europeans, regardless of where they live or what their income is, have fair access to affordable and reliable transport and the opportunities it creates.”