Committing to Sustainable and Attractive Public Transport: Cities and Associations Sign New European Declaration
Representatives from major European cities and public transport organisations have reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable, accessible, and resilient public transport systems that enhance urban mobility.
Recognising the sector’s critical role in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges, the signatories aim to strengthen collaboration and support multimodal integration.
They envision public transport as a reliable option for all, integrating cycling, walking, and shared mobility to ensure affordability and access for vulnerable communities.
The signatories pledge to boost the sector’s resilience to climate change, tackle staff shortages, and invest in skills development with a focus on gender balance.
Proposed Actions
The Declaration Outlines Several Key Actions, Including:
- Calling on European policymakers to adopt a public transport declaration that sets shared objectives, highlights positive impacts, and endorses best practices.
- Requesting support from European policymakers for zero-emission mobility, digitalisation, network projects, and innovation through the EU multi-annual financial framework.
- Advocating for new funding mechanisms based on beneficiary-payer and polluter-payer schemes, similar to the Emission Trading System, for transport investments.
- Requesting national policymakers to ensure stable, long-term funding for sustainable public transport development.
- Encouraging Social Climate Plans that prioritise public transport to improve accessibility for vulnerable communities.
The Signatories
Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing, City of Barcelona
Filipe Araújo, Vice-Mayor for Environment, Climate, Innovation and Digital Transition, City of Porto
Eugenio Patanè, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Rome
Thomas Avanzata, Spokesperson of the European Union Committee, UITP
Dieter Reiter, Mayor, City of Munich
Lars Strömgren, Vice Mayor for Transport and Urban Environment, City of Stockholm
Kristjan Järvan, Deputy Mayor for Transport, City of Tallin
Frédérique Bonnard Le Floc’h, Vice-President for European Affairs, Brest Métropole
Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate, Glasgow Green Deal, Transport and City Centre Recovery, City of Glasgow
Cllr Donna Cooney, Deputy Lord Mayor, City of Dublin
Arianna Censi, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Milan
Olga Maria Estves de Araújo Pereira Martingo, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Braga
Eva Oosters, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Zero Emission Transport, City of Utrecht
Jürgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Climate, Environment, Democracy and Personnel, City of Vienna
Maria Jose Aparicio Sanchiz, General Coordinator for Mobility, City of Madrid
Christian Specht, Mayor, City of Manheim
Jean-Charles Kohlhaas, Vice-President in charge of Transport, Intermodality and Urban Logistics, Lyon Metropole
Melanie van der Horst, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam for Traffic, Transport and Air Quality
