Response by KNV to Public Consultation on the EC Green Paper: Towards a new culture for urban mobility
KNV welcomes the efforts by the European Commission aimed at the development of efficient and sustainable transport systems in urban areas. KNV appreciates that EC is cautious in defining its role as part of a collective effort at all levels: local, regional, national and European. KNV agrees that the European Union has an important role to play.
Clear preference for collective modes of passenger transport in urban areas
EC expresses the view that all transport modes must be employed for an urban mobility solution, but is not pronounced on a modal shift policy. KNV holds the opinion that for the sake of sustainable development the collective modes of transport (train, metro, tram, bus and taxi) merit to be preferred above individual cars. To this effect KNV demands from EU a clear statement saying that in urban areas collective modes of passenger transport must be promoted in combination with walking and cycling.
Evidently KNV fully agrees on the statement in paragraph 2.2 (page 9), that clean public transport should continue to be promoted and supported by the EU.
Focus on students and scholars
Whereas the Green Paper refers to various categories of urban population, the category of students and scholars is not specifically mentioned. A recent analysis on demand and supply of transport capacity (‘Landelijke Markt en Capacaiteits Analyse’) in the Netherlands reported that 43% of public transport users are students and scholars. KNV considers that students and scholar merit more attention as principle group of public transport customers (see note). Moreover KNV considers that students and scholars merit special attention from perspective of road safety.
The urban dimension of freight transport
KNV applauds the involvement of freight transport in the urban mobility context. Indeed for efficient planning of urban mobility all actors must be involved. Moreover, city centres, which can not efficiently be supplied will loose their attractiveness and lead to development of shopping malls in suburbs, what may be an undesired development.
Environmental zones with balanced and harmonised access conditions
KNV has gained good experience with the implementation of environmental zones in some 12 larger cities in the Netherlands. Based on this hands-on experience KNV shares the fear expressed by EC in the Green paper for the emergence of fragmented patchwork of urban areas with new ‘border lines’ across Europe.
KNV has experienced that local authorities tend to overestimate the negative effects of trucks on the environment in urban areas and act accordingly. An agreement between authorities and stakeholders obliging the authorities to make a proper assessment of environmental impact before setting restrictions for trucks largely resolved the biased perception of local authorities.
Based on the same experience KNV has come to the opinion that harmonisation of conditions and measures to restrict access to environmental zones needs to take place. Such harmonisation could comprise the specification of vehicle categories with permissible emission limits. Furthermore information on measures taken by local authorities should be disseminated in an orderly and standardised manner to stakeholders Europe-wide. As national authorities seem to be reluctant to take the necessary action, indeed initiatives by EC are welcome in the view of KNV.
European registry of vehicles
Somewhat unexpected the Green Paper launches the idea of a European Registry of vehicles (paragraph 2.2., page 11). KNV views this idea also a s a first step towards a unique electronic identification system for vehicles. Such electronic label could replace the old fashioned visual number plate and would facilitate harmonisation of systems for road user charging schemes and the implementation of environmental zones.
Smart charging and Intelligent Transport Systems
Smart charging and ITS provide opportunities for managing demand and making more economical use of (transport) resources. Transport operators, authorities and suppliers are currently pioneering with systems and defining their own protocols for data exchange. In this reference is made to the introduction of electronic signalling systems in the rail sector and current efforts for introduction of ERTMS. At an early stage the introduction of a standardised protocol for the electronic signalling system was relatively easy, while at a later stage such an effort becomes an extremely complicated and costly operation. The window of opportunity is easily missed.
Coordination between urban, regional and interurban transport (question 15)
The cost of collective transport per passenger.km generally decreases when passenger volumes increase and journeys of more individual passengers can be combined. In particular regional transport over medium range distances therefore tends to depend more heavily on supplement payments under public service contracts. Gradual changes in allocation of funds therefore has different effects on public transport categories. In the Netherlands the gradual decrease in funding transport from around 0.3% of GDP in 1990 to around 0.2% of GDP in 2008 has in particular affected regional passenger transport and encouraged the use of automobiles for commuting.
As regards enhanced coordination between transport and land-use planning KNV expresses the opinion that all transport modes, and in particular private cars, must pay for the external effects, which they generate, and that financing from public funds is in particular well justified for collective passenger transport with low external costs.
In summary
KNV in particular welcomes efforts by the European Commission for the development of efficient and sustainable transport systems in urban areas, when these efforts are aimed at EU-wide harmonisation or standardisation of measures and systems.
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note
In Paris a start has been made with special measures focussed on students and scholars as main group of public transport customers.
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| KNV -> standpunt |
terug |
Response by KNV to Public Consultation on the EC Green Paper: Towards a new culture for urban mobility
KNV welcomes the efforts by the European Commission aimed at the development of efficient and sustainable transport systems in urban areas. KNV appreciates that EC is cautious in defining its role as part of a collective effort at all levels: local, regional, national and European. KNV agrees that the European Union has an important role to play.
Clear preference for collective modes of passenger transport in urban areas
EC expresses the view that all transport modes must be employed for an urban mobility solution, but is not pronounced on a modal shift policy. KNV holds the opinion that for the sake of sustainable development the collective modes of transport (train, metro, tram, bus and taxi) merit to be preferred above individual cars. To this effect KNV demands from EU a clear statement saying that in urban areas collective modes of passenger transport must be promoted in combination with walking and cycling.
Evidently KNV fully agrees on the statement in paragraph 2.2 (page 9), that clean public transport should continue to be promoted and supported by the EU.
Focus on students and scholars
Whereas the Green Paper refers to various categories of urban population, the category of students and scholars is not specifically mentioned. A recent analysis on demand and supply of transport capacity (‘Landelijke Markt en Capacaiteits Analyse’) in the Netherlands reported that 43% of public transport users are students and scholars. KNV considers that students and scholar merit more attention as principle group of public transport customers (see note). Moreover KNV considers that students and scholars merit special attention from perspective of road safety.
The urban dimension of freight transport
KNV applauds the involvement of freight transport in the urban mobility context. Indeed for efficient planning of urban mobility all actors must be involved. Moreover, city centres, which can not efficiently be supplied will loose their attractiveness and lead to development of shopping malls in suburbs, what may be an undesired development.
Environmental zones with balanced and harmonised access conditions
KNV has gained good experience with the implementation of environmental zones in some 12 larger cities in the Netherlands. Based on this hands-on experience KNV shares the fear expressed by EC in the Green paper for the emergence of fragmented patchwork of urban areas with new ‘border lines’ across Europe.
KNV has experienced that local authorities tend to overestimate the negative effects of trucks on the environment in urban areas and act accordingly. An agreement between authorities and stakeholders obliging the authorities to make a proper assessment of environmental impact before setting restrictions for trucks largely resolved the biased perception of local authorities.
Based on the same experience KNV has come to the opinion that harmonisation of conditions and measures to restrict access to environmental zones needs to take place. Such harmonisation could comprise the specification of vehicle categories with permissible emission limits. Furthermore information on measures taken by local authorities should be disseminated in an orderly and standardised manner to stakeholders Europe-wide. As national authorities seem to be reluctant to take the necessary action, indeed initiatives by EC are welcome in the view of KNV.
European registry of vehicles
Somewhat unexpected the Green Paper launches the idea of a European Registry of vehicles (paragraph 2.2., page 11). KNV views this idea also a s a first step towards a unique electronic identification system for vehicles. Such electronic label could replace the old fashioned visual number plate and would facilitate harmonisation of systems for road user charging schemes and the implementation of environmental zones.
Smart charging and Intelligent Transport Systems
Smart charging and ITS provide opportunities for managing demand and making more economical use of (transport) resources. Transport operators, authorities and suppliers are currently pioneering with systems and defining their own protocols for data exchange. In this reference is made to the introduction of electronic signalling systems in the rail sector and current efforts for introduction of ERTMS. At an early stage the introduction of a standardised protocol for the electronic signalling system was relatively easy, while at a later stage such an effort becomes an extremely complicated and costly operation. The window of opportunity is easily missed.
Coordination between urban, regional and interurban transport (question 15)
The cost of collective transport per passenger.km generally decreases when passenger volumes increase and journeys of more individual passengers can be combined. In particular regional transport over medium range distances therefore tends to depend more heavily on supplement payments under public service contracts. Gradual changes in allocation of funds therefore has different effects on public transport categories. In the Netherlands the gradual decrease in funding transport from around 0.3% of GDP in 1990 to around 0.2% of GDP in 2008 has in particular affected regional passenger transport and encouraged the use of automobiles for commuting.
As regards enhanced coordination between transport and land-use planning KNV expresses the opinion that all transport modes, and in particular private cars, must pay for the external effects, which they generate, and that financing from public funds is in particular well justified for collective passenger transport with low external costs.
In summary
KNV in particular welcomes efforts by the European Commission for the development of efficient and sustainable transport systems in urban areas, when these efforts are aimed at EU-wide harmonisation or standardisation of measures and systems.
note
In Paris a start has been made with special measures focussed on students and scholars as main group of public transport customers.
