Tag Archive: emissions reduction

  1. European Commission recommendations for SUMP national support programmes

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    Source: Eltis, M. Collings

    430 European cities to receive support to develop their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs)

    A recommendation was adopted on 8 March by the European Commission, designed to help member states to support their cities and towns in improving urban mobility and cutting transport emissions. The 430 major cities along the trans-European transport network will receive support to develop their SUMPs.

    National programmes are recommended to support the planning and implementation of urban mobility, managed by a dedicated office. Cities should expect support in the form of guidance materials, traningin programmes and capacity building, alongside technical expertise and financial support.

    Cities and towns will be encouraged to participate in peer learning and networking, and the sharing of good practices. Coordinated awareness-raising campaigns are also envisaged. Representatives from national programme management offices will be invited to work with the new Expert Group on Urban Mobility. Member States are expected to inform the Commission annually of actions taken in the light of the Recommendation.

    Under the recommendation, the concept of SUMPs has been updated to integrate latest policy developments and strategies to make use of new mobility services, address climate change, and reduce road fatalities in cities. These policy developments prioritise such affordable and sustainable transport modes as shared mobility services, walking, cycling, public transport and zero-emission urban logistics. The update to the SUMPs concept is a result of the commitment to the European Commission’s 2021 Urban Mobility Framework.

  2. Incentives to enable e-bike purchases for staff considered in Australia and New Zealand

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    Source: MicromobilityReport, S. Green / Stuff.co.nz, S. Edmunds

    In Australia and New Zealand, active transport lobbyists and Green MPs are pushing for the introduction of financial purchase incentives to encourage corporate e-bike purchasing schemes

    WeRide Australia officials were scheduled to meet on 23rd March with the Federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Catherine King, to push for salary packaging assistance to be extended to e-bikes. This would bring provisions in line with those recently introduced for electric cars in Australia, in a move designed to tackle emission reduction goals.

    WeRide Australia executive officer Peter Bourke stated, “We know even if every single vehicle purchased from today is an electric car, we will not get anywhere near the emission reduction goals the government has signed up to for the transport section. We’re saying electric cars are part of the solution but they are not the complete solution.

    “Anyone in the bicycle sector is well aware of the benefits of the bicycle, whether it’s the health benefits and reducing congestion but right now we’re talking about emissions reduction. The transport sector needs to do some heavy lifting in terms of reduction of emissions and e-bikes are certainly part of it, so they should be considered the same way at e-cars when it comes to incentives for more people to buy them.”

    He also referenced the UK’s Cycle to Work scheme, pointing to the potential to persuade people onto two wheels: “In the UK, 40% of people who took out a bike through the Cycle to Work scheme hadn’t been considering buying a bike and 40% were women. It simply makes bike riding more attractive.”

    In New Zealand, a Taxation Bill is going through parliament, with a supplementary order paper from Green MP Julie Anne Genter proposing a scheme for employers to offer their staff e-bikes without incurring fringe benefit tax.

    Deloitte tax partner Robyn Walker said, “There is definitely a trend toward employers wanting to provide benefits which have health benefits, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a popular option – and more popular than providing public transport.”

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