Public transport makes our cities, our lives and our planet better. Besides walking and cycling, public transport is the most climate friendly and sustainable way to travel, while stimulating the economy and making our roads safer.
As public transport and combined mobility professionals we are proud of our contribution to the world. And the new ‘public transport benefits toolbox’ helps the entire sector, from individuals to companies, show its added value.
The ‘Public Transport Benefits Toolbox’ contains brochures, posters, visuals and much more, to help you communicate this message to the public, policy makers and other stakeholders.
Public transport is one of the most sustainable and safest modes of transport. It brings benefits to all of society; improving the lives of people, guaranteeing a healthy planet, and stimulating technological, economic and societal progress.
Public transport and combined mobility improve social cohesion, guarantee financial and physical accessibility, and fight climate change. The sector contributes to the economic development of regions and cities, creates employment and connects places and people.
Across the world, cities are increasing their investments in public transport, walking and cycling. After decades of policies promoting private car use, they are giving cities back to people and making the sustainable choice.
The 12 benefits of public transport are divided into three categories: people, progress and planet.
u003cstrongu003eAccessibility u0026amp; Affordabilityu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport is accessible and affordable. It offers equal opportunities to all citizens and guarantees access to essential services like schools, hospitals and work. It does so at 1/16 the cost of owning a personal car.rnrnu003cstrongu003eHealthy, active lifestylernu003c/strongu003eMost journeys on public transport involve walking or cycling. They encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Active travel has positive impacts on diabetes, mental health, dementia, obesity, and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and different types of cancers.rnrnu003cstrongu003eConnecting peopleu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport is a space where people of different backgrounds meet and interact. By connecting people, the sector strengthens the social fabric across the world. At times of increasing inequality and social division, this is more important than ever.rnrnu003cstrongu003eNumber one in safetyu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport is the safest way to travel. Globally, road traffic crashes cause almost 1.3 million deaths every year. On top of this, 50 million people are injured. They are the leading killer of children and young people. Public transport plays a vital part in any plan to achieve ‘Vision Zero’.
u003cstrongu003eClean Airu003c/strongu003ernIncreased use of public transport improves air quality. It produces far fewer quanitities of air pollutant per passenger kilometre than individual motorised mobility. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air polution is associated with 4.2 million premature deaths per year.rnrnu003cstrongu003eSaving the planetu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport is the most climate-friendly way of traveling besides walking and cycling. For citizens’ daily mobility, a modal shift to collective public transport and active mobility is needed. Achieving this, brings benefits to the planet and every person living on it.rnrnu003cstrongu003eQuality of urban lifeu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport takes cars off the road and frees up space for people. Fewer car lanes means more greenery, safe walking and cycling infrastructure, and a calmer urban environment. An investment in public transport gives space to children to play outside, fights urban heat islands and improves city life for all.rnrnu003cstrongu003eNoise reductionu003c/strongu003ernRoad traffic remains the biggest source of noise pollution. This leads to sleep disturbances, hypertension, and premature death. With a modal shift to public transport, traffic volumes decrease resulting in lower exposure to noise.
u003cstrongu003eInnovationu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport companies provided e-mobility long before we discussed electric cars. Fully autonomous metros have been in operation for over 35 years. Now, smart phones make it easier than ever to plan journeys and use public transport. As the sector looks to the future, new research and development areas include hydrogen, artificial intelligence, cross-border digital ticketing, and autonomous road vehicles.rnrnu003cstrongu003eBoosting the economyu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport connects people to jobs, training and leasure, supports tourism, increases land and property value, and helps regenerate poorer areas through public transport connections.rnrnu003cstrongu003eLocal jobsu003c/strongu003ernThe public transport sector is among the largest employers at the local level. Importantly, public transport provides secure local jobs, which cannot be delocalised abroad. The sector employs staff with very diverse backgrounds.rnrnu003cstrongu003eBustling citiesu003c/strongu003ernPublic transport keeps cities moving safely and sustainably. Its stations provide places for people to come together, meet and shop; while public transport lines become part of the DNA of the city.rnrnBy reducing congestion the city is not just nicer for the public transport user. It improves the lives of walkers, cyclists and even those that still need to use a car. Trams, busses, metros and taxis; they make our cities better.
The public transport benefits toolbox was originally launched by the UITP Europe division. They featured the assets during the EU Mobility Week and launched a pop-up stand at the Schuman station right at the heart of the EU.
The response to this original toolbox was so great that UITP decided to expand the toolbox to a global scale, using statistics from all parts of the world and expanding on the examples.
We are continuously updating the public transport benefits toolbox with new statistics, visuals and animations! Keep an eye on the dedicated page or get in touch with UITP’s content communications manager Patrick Regan to receive updates or suggest new assets.
