Tag Archive: Transport Policy

  1. UK parliamentary active travel group takes learnings from Paris

    Comments Off on UK parliamentary active travel group takes learnings from Paris

    Sources: Cycling Industry News, BikeBiz

    The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) recently led a delegation on a study tour to Paris to gain an understanding of how the city has successfully implemented active travel infrastructure over recent years, particularly in preparation for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and how it plans to sustain cycling growth.

    The delegation, consisting of APPGCW members plus local councillors, policy makers and representatives of various active travel campaign groups, travelled to Paris by Eurostar and undertook a cycle tour of the city on arrival, using Lime shared e-bikes. The cycle tour allowed the delegation to explore various examples of Paris’s reallocation of space for active travel, ahead of a meeting with local councillor Florent Giry, who shared details of the city’s cycling strategy and how it had rapidly implemented segregated cycle routes.

    The group also met at the French Parliament with Catherine Hervieu MP, alongside representatives of the Paris cycling advocacy organisation Paris en Selle, of national active travel Réseau Vélo et Marche (Cycling and Walking Network), and other policymakers working to promote active travel on a national level.

    Fabian Hamilton MP, Chair of the APPGCW, said: “This visit has shown us what’s possible when political will and investment align behind active travel. Paris has made extraordinary progress in just a few years, creating more space for those walking, wheeling and cycling. The trip was invaluable in learning more about what is possible, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the political spectrum to bring this knowledge into our work on the APPG.”

  2. SUVs and other large vehicles to receive higher parking charges in Cardiff

    Comments Off on SUVs and other large vehicles to receive higher parking charges in Cardiff

    Sources: BBC News, Sky News, Guardian, Clean Cities

    Cardiff has become the first UK city to decide in favour of higher residential parking permit charges on larger vehicles weighing over 2,400 kg, following approval of proposed plans by the Welsh capital city’s council cabinet. The weight limit will affect many SUV-type cars.

    The proposed changes come after a public consultation in which 66% of respondents said they agreed that owners of larger vehicles should pay more for their parking permits.

    The plan in Cardiff would see the city split into three parking management zones, with the central area having no residential permits, an inner area featuring a mix of permits and permitted bays (though not for businesses), and an outer area with all permits allowable, and variable time restrictions.

    The SUV problem

    Research shared by campaign group Clean Cities shows that the number of SUVs in England’s cities has increased from 3% to 30% of cars in the space of two decades; in London specifically, numbers have increased from approximately 80,000 in 2002 to around 800,000 in 2023. Clean Cities also reports that cars overall are getting wider with higher bonnets, presenting higher risks to pedestrians, and putting pressure on parking space and infrastructure.

    A Cardiff council spokesperson stated, “Cabinet has approved the principle of an additional charge for residential parking permits for vehicles weighing over 2.4 tonnes. These heavier vehicles typically produce more emissions, cause greater wear and tear on roads, and critically pose a significantly higher risk in the event of a road traffic collision.”

    A developing approach to SUV management

    Paris is seen by many campaigners as a forerunner in introducing policies to tackle the proliferation of SUVs. Parisians voted in February 2024 to dramatically increase parking costs for SUVs, and evidence suggests an impact is being seen, with the Le Parisien newspaper saying that the increased parking rate had reduced numbers of SUVs using surface parking facilities by two-thirds. In the UK, campaigners are calling for similar measures to be implemented in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, and other European cities have been considering options for some time. 

    Oliver Lord, the UK head of Clean Cities, said, “Other cities across the UK could learn from Cardiff’s leadership. Cardiff is showing real vision by standing up to the SUV ‘carspreading’ that is taking over our streets. It’s only fair that those driving the biggest, heaviest and most polluting vehicles pay more for the extra space and danger they bring.”

    Cardiff Council cabinet member for climate change, strategic planning & transport, Cllr Dan De’Ath, said that the scheme aims to ensure that, “our streets work for everyone – supporting local communities, tackling congestion, and helping us meet our climate goals. This plan is about making Cardiff a better place to live, work and visit for years to come.”

  3. Prague plans to ban e-scooters in city centre

    Comments Off on Prague plans to ban e-scooters in city centre

    A proposal has been submitted to the Prague 1 City Council to introduce zones prohibiting the use of electric scooters in the city centre due to serious concerns about safety, public order, and excessive strain on public space.

    Source: Prague Daily News & Expats.cz

    The Prague 1 City Council has adopted a proposal recommending the introduction of a legislative process led by the city, through which access and movement of e-scooters in designated areas would be restricted. The ban would establish special zones where riding and parking e-scooters, whether privately owned or rented, would be prohibited. The zones would be marked with traffic signs, with exceptions only granted through individual authorisations and special cases. The proposal also calls for consistent enforcement by both municipal and state police.

    Why is Prague considering banning electric scooters?

    Prague 1 has long criticised the unregulated operation of electric scooters in its area. As early as 2023, the Prague 1 municipal council expressed clear opposition to rental e-scooters and urged the city to take appropriate action. The draft ordinance enabling the ban was approved by Prague City Council on April 12, with Traffic Commissioner Vojtěch Ryvola to begin formal negotiations with the city on adopting the ordinance.

    Ryvola stated: “Every day in Prague 1 we deal with inconsiderate parking of e-scooters, danger to pedestrians, and illegal riding on pavements. The situation is intolerable—it’s time to send a clear signal. We are ready to defend public space and the safety of our residents.”

    Previously, Prague 1 City Council led a successful campaign to ban the use of Segways in the city centre in 2016.

    How will the ban on electric scooters work?

    Upcoming contracts with the Technical Administration of Roads (TSK) will no longer include scooters. Without legal parking access, operators will be unable to continue services.

    The City of Prague is expected to approve the new parking zones by the end of May. Upcoming contracts with the TSK will no longer include scooters but the TSK will still sign agreements with bike and e-bike providers. Without legal parking access, operators will be unable to continue scooter services. Shared scooter companies will then be required to remove their vehicles from city streets.

    Enforcement will begin immediately following the May deadline. The TSK will monitor public spaces and remove any unauthorized scooters, issuing fines and requiring payment before any vehicle is returned.

    According to Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib, the new system is intended to promote responsible micromobility while reducing safety risks and visual clutter in public spaces.

  4. Lisbon excludes cars from driving through the city centre

    Comments Off on Lisbon excludes cars from driving through the city centre

    Source: Bloomberg

    Lisbon has become the latest European city to put a plan in place banning through-traffic. The Portuguese downtown capital has implemented the scheme on a temporary three-month basis for now, beginning on April 26th. Cars will be able to drive into the heart of the city but not through it, with a larger exclusion zone barring vehicles over 3.5 metric tones between 8am and 5pm. Only public transport will be exempt from the directive.

    In place of their journey through the city centre, cars will instead be ushered onto a semi-circular road network resembling a ring road. The scheme is expected to significantly reduce the amount of traffic through the historic heart of the city, while not causing major disruption for those vehicles visiting with a purpose. Some trepidation and a significant amount of cloaking accompanied the decision, one that Lisbon Deputy Mayor for Mobility Anacoreta Correia stressed, “is dynamic, it does not have an end in sight and will change as the completion of the works progresses.”

    It’s believed that the scheme will be recognised by even the most devoted of car owners who currently use the city on their journeys. Central Lisbon has some engineering and construction works scheduled for this summer that include two new metro stations, storm drains to aid in flooding along the city’s waterfront, sewerage repairs, and road resurfacing. Traffic passing through the city would only add to the disruption that is already expected.

    Although deemed to be temporary, the three-month trial has ignited some discussion in the city, with many proposing that some of the directives remain permanent, in particular the ban on daytime heavy goods vehicles.

    A number of Portuguese transit experts have concluded that the plan will aid the 2030 carbon neutrality target, implemented by Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas in his previous role as European Union Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation. Lisbon is one of 122 cities that have made the climate pledge, and Paris and Amsterdam are already taking measures to bar inner city through-traffic. London’s congestion charge was a precursor for such changes that are commonly gaining support and shaping the future.

  5. EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2022 – registration and theme

    Comments Off on EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2022 – registration and theme

    Towns and cities are warmly invited to participate in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, which takes place from 16-22 September each year. The theme for 2022 is ‘Better Connections’

    Registration is now open to the official local authority of towns or cities that may wish to participate.

    The registration portal can be found via the Mobility Week Website.

    Participating areas are encouraged to organize activities focusing on sustainable mobility, implement progressive transport measures, and host a ‘car-free day’.

    “The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2022 annual theme, ‘Better connections’, seeks to highlight and foster synergies between people and places that are offering their expertise, creativity, and dedication to raising awareness about sustainable mobility and promoting behavioral change in favor of active mobility, in addition to reaching out and making connections between existing groups and new audiences.”

    The five pillars of ‘Better connections’ are:

    • People
    • Places
    • Packages
    • Planning & Policy

    Download the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK thematic guidelines document here.

  6. CoMoUK – New developments and shared transport: cutting car dependency

    Comments Off on CoMoUK – New developments and shared transport: cutting car dependency

    Source: CoMoUK

    CoMoUK has released its latest research paper, discussing the underpowered and inconsistent approach to development in the UK in regard to shared transport and its potential to deliver sustainable mobility.

    CoMoUK plays a leading role in the UK’s transition to integrated mobility solutions designed for the public good. CoMoUK supports the development of shared modes including bikes, scooters, buses, and cars.

    The new paper, which can be accessed in full here, discusses the state of shared mode development in the UK. “There is widespread planning approval of schemes that lock in car dependency. Shared transport is often not included within scheme design at all, and elsewhere it is only included at a very small scale (e.g. a single car club vehicle). However, there are numerous developments that are being planned around the ability of sustainable transport, including shared options, to cut the need for parking spaces, improve place and air quality and deliver ‘gentle density.”

    The paper goes on to explore multiple case studies, including locations such as Exeter and Leeds, providing recommendations for the future and best practice guidelines. Key recommendations revolve around redefining planning policy, coordinating planning and transportation initiatives, and limitations on private car facilitations.

  7. Up to 900 euro sustainable mobility bonus for Brussels residents

    Comments Off on Up to 900 euro sustainable mobility bonus for Brussels residents

    Source: themayor.eu

    The revamped Bruxell’air mobility bonus will mobilize citizens in their transition towards sustainable mobility

    Brussels Capital Region authorities recently announced the return of their sustainable mobility bonus, titled Bruxell’air. Similar to many other European cities, this move is an attempt to de-carbonize urban travel in light of climate change and city building densification.

    The scheme offers a bonus of up to 900 euros to any citizen who cancels their car registration and applies for the bonus. The bonus can be used to buy bicycle equipment, public transport passes, or access to car-sharing services. Bonuses are distributed based on yearly income, with the lowest earners receiving the full total. Any funds not spent on transportation must be returned to the city authorities.

    The bonus has now been available for over 15 years, with the transition reward jumping from 500 euros to 900 euros in this time; however, damaged vehicle funding is no longer offered. Bruxell’air is now under the supervision of the city’s environmental authorities who will monitor the successful rollout of the fund and prevent any fraudulent activities.

  8. White Paper – Transitioning with LEVs: No cars and then what?

    Comments Off on White Paper – Transitioning with LEVs: No cars and then what?

    Source: LEV kenniscentrum

    New paper provides comprehensive insight for the state of LEVs in the Netherlands

    Countrywide, municipalities in the Netherlands are working to reduce car use in their cities. Ongoing challenges including climate change and city center densification have pushed policymakers to consider options with which to transform the way we fill our urban spaces, and how we move around these spaces. This white paper examines the state of play of a new category of vehicles that can play an important driving role in the mobility transition: light electric vehicles, or LEVs for short. What do we already know, and what is still unclear? What about sustainability, or regulations? Are partial concepts also commercially interesting? And how do LEVs add to the fun of being on the road?

    Challenges of LEV transition are considered in three themes: business and service; people and technology; and policy and mobility. These broad categories are explored and connected through research, fact, and experiences collected within the LEV knowledge center. The final paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of affairs regarding micromobility, from which further developments can be understood and steered.

    Access the White Paper here.

  9. Sustainable Mobility Research: taxes on CO2 & fossil fuels lower emissions most

    Leave a Comment

    Source: Science for Environment Policy by EC – In order to meet global emission reduction targets, the transport sector must become more sustainable. To assess the impact and effectiveness of various transport policy measures in reaching emission reduction targets, a quantitative assessment of policy scenarios was conducted for Denmark. The results indicate that market signals, in the form of taxes on CO2 and fossil fuels, retain the highest impact in lowering carbon emissions in the transport sector, while the promotion of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), rather than autonomous transport, is the most cost-effective measure.

    Transport activity accounts for 23% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions at the global level. Within the whole Danish energy system, the transport sector accounted for 42% of total CO2 emissions in 2015. If emission reduction targets are to be met, there is, therefore, an urgent need to make the transport sector more sustainable. Strategies for achieving this include the implementation of policy measures designed to promote technological developments, regulatory instruments and social change. However, accurately identifying the most effective measures can be a challenge.

    Researchers conducted a quantitative assessment of the impact and effectiveness of a range of transport and energy policy measures on achieving national and European emission-reduction targets in Denmark. A series of policy scenarios were generated, based on workshops conducted with experts, stakeholders and citizens. The four scenarios were:

    • New mobility (measures relevant to e-bikes, car occupancy and teleworking);
    • Electrification (measures relevant to fossil-fuel tax, electricity tax, vehicle-registration tax and fossil-fuel phase-out);
    • Market-driven (measures relevant to internal combustion engine (ICE) bans and CO2 tax);
    • Sea and air (measures relevant to the decarbonisation of the aviation and maritime sectors).

    These scenarios were analysed to elucidate the single and combined effects of policy measures. Analysis was facilitated by a newly developed Scenario Interface tool (an Excel-based tool that helps those unfamiliar with modelling to create energy and transport scenarios). The tool was coupled with the Danish energy system model TIMES-DK, which includes the complete national energy system, covering long-term technology investments.

    The results suggest that market signals, in the form of taxes on CO2 and fossil fuels, retain the highest impact in lowering carbon emissions in the transport sector. Mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) describes a shift away from personal vehicle ownership towards a combination of transportation services from public and private transportation providers (including such options as ride-sharing and e-hailing services, bike-, car- and scooter-sharing programmes and on-demand bus services). MaaS was identified as the most cost-effective measure. The New mobility scenario also illustrated how cost savings at system level could be achieved through the combination of policy measures such as the promotion of MaaS, working from home and increased adoption of e-bikes.

    This research has implications for transport and energy policy. In addition to highlighting the need to address the transition to sustainable transport through the design and implementation of coherent policy packages, the study provides useful insights regarding the potential impact and effectiveness of a wide range of policy measures, considered on their own and in combination.

    The study also identifies a particularly urgent need to develop policy measures aimed at making the maritime and aviation sectors more sustainable, as these sectors have a particularly large impact in terms of fossil-fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.

    Please find the Danish study @ LEVA-EU Light Electric Vehicle Research or @ ScienceDirect.

    Photo by Kelvyn Ornettte Sol Marte on Unsplash