Activities of Ciarán CUFFE related to 2022/2023(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the new EU urban mobility framework
Amendments (83)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the Climate and environmental emergency1a _________________ 1a https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/doc ument/TA-9-2019-0078_EN.html
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
— - having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions on "The New Urban Mobility Framework" (CDR 952/2022)
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)
Citation 16 b (new)
— having regard to the recognised social partners in public transport, International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) Joint Statement for COP261a; _________________ 1a https://www.etf-europe.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/10/UITP-ETF- Joint-Statement_COP26.pdf
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the European Environment Agency has cautioned that transport emissions increased between 2013 and 2019 and with the exception of a drop in 2020 due to lockdowns introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, transport emissions are still projected to grow;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas around 23% of EU's transport emissions come from urban areas; whereas 70% of the EU population live in cities today, yet this is projected to reach almost 84% in 2050; whereas modal shift from private cars to more sustainable modes like public transport has been very slow since 1996 with only a slight decrease in passenger cars’ modal share from 73.2% to 71% between 1996 and 2016;
Amendment 30 #
Ba. whereas the total cost to society from transport amounts to an estimated €987 billion a year; whereas this figure can be broken down into environmental costs (44 %), accidents (29 %) and congestion costs (27 %); whereas private cars account for €565 billion of these costs but charges from taxes in terms of fuel and ownership, and tolls, cover just under half of these costs (€267 billion) signalling that the external costs from transport have yet to be fully internalised1a; whereas these negative externalities disproportionately affect those on lower incomes; _________________ 1a European Court of Auditors’ special report No 6/2020 on sustainable urban mobility in the EU.
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas congestion costs the EU around EUR 270 billion a year12 is one of the biggest challenges to urban mobility, which affects most Europeans and costs the EU around EUR 270 billion a year12; whereas this can not only reduce worker productivity by up to 30% but lowers the efficiency of the wider European transport network and contributes massively to air pollution; whereas the European Court of Auditors considers that the Urban Mobility Package has so far not achieved the necessary step- change in urban mobility patterns; _________________ 12 European Court of Auditors’ special report No 6/2020 on sustainable urban mobility in the EU.
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the vast bulk of energy used in a car is being used to move the car itself rather than the passengers, which represents an inefficient use of energy, especially compared to other transport modes such as active mobility, micro- mobility, or public transport; whereas the trend of increasing car volumes and sizes further lowers efficiency, while at the same time occupying even more public space and contributing to more congestion; whereas the International Energy Agency estimates that the increase in SUVs in 2020 cancelled out the reduction in oil consumption brought about by Covid-19 restrictions1a; _________________ 1a https://www.iea.org/commentaries/carbon -emissions-fell-across-all-sectors-in-2020- except-for-one-suvs
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the past months have seen an unprecedented increase in oil prices, whose evolution is uncertain; whereas it is of utmost importance to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels; whereas speed reduction is an effective measure to achieve so, according to the International Energy Agency;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the current energy crisis is also impacting mobility in urban areas; whereas rising energy prices means that public transport operators face higher operational costs; whereas on the other hand it is essential to further decrease public transport ticket prices, without excluding free transport in certain cases, in order to foster an increased uptake thereof and avoid mobility poverty;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
Cc. whereas public transport employs 2 million people in local, secure jobs in communities across the EU. It offers a range of career paths and employment opportunities with staff coming from many different backgrounds; whereas during the pandemic, a significant proportion of these staff had to be furloughed and many decided to leave the sector, particularly in Member States with low social security benefits and weak collective bargaining coverage;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)
Recital C d (new)
Cd. whereas a labour shortage in public transport has recently resulted in a reduction of transport services including the cancellation of night and weekend services, and the cutting of routes; whereas this has a negative impact on inclusive mobility, threatening social cohesion and access to jobs, education and health care for the most vulnerable who rely solely on public transport for mobility; whereas mobility poverty is growing across the Union;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C e (new)
Recital C e (new)
Ce. whereas according to the "Handbook of external costs of transport" study by the Commission, the current model focused on the ownership of private cars has an estimated average yearly cost of around 1.500 euro per citizen of public money; whereas this represents a large amount of taxpayers money which could be significantly re- directed towards further funding public transport and active mobility infrastructure;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas city freight transport and logistics are essential to the functioning of urban economies; whereas the increase in its volumes requires the deployment of sustainable urban logistic plans, with zero-emission last-mile trips as a crucial element therein;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges being faced by urban mobility systems, but has also served as a catalyst to make them more resilient, smarter, safer, more sustainable and accessible; whereas many Member States and local authorities introduced measures to facilitate social distancing that favoured active mobility, such as a widespread network of safe and segregated cycling lanes, which improved liveability by reducing air and noise pollution, and a public realm less dominated by private cars; whereas these measures should be either reintroduced, further expanded and/or made permanent;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas a modal shift to more cycling and walking must be seen as a crucial tool to overcome the problems that are associated with urban areas, having a proven ability to improve air quality, reduce congestion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve individual health and make roads safer, where good walking and cycling infrastructure exists;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas half of the trips by car are for journeys of less than 5 km, and otherwise they are parked 95% of the time on average; whereas 60% of the public realm is devoted to private cars; whereas a more rational usage of both resources is needed;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
Ec. whereas traffic calming measures, combined with tactical urbanism have proven successful in an increasing number of European cities; whereas this has improved the safety and liveability of the concerned areas and improved the performance of active mobility and public transport, making those modes more attractive; whereas modern urban planning concepts such as the“15- minutes city” allow independence from private car in the daily life within urban areas;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E d (new)
Recital E d (new)
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas every year around 22 700 people still lose their lives on the EU’s roads and around 120 000 are seriously injured; whereas 38 % of road fatalities in the EU occur in urban areas, and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists account for 70 % of deaths; whereas progress in reducing these figures has stagnated in recent years and the EU’s target of halving the number of road deaths between 2010 and 2020 was not met;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the European Environmental Agency (EEA) estimates that in 2018 long-term exposure to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM 2.5) in Europe was responsible for approximately 417 000 premature deaths, of which around 379000 were in the EU-28; whereas EU thresholds are well above WHO guidelines for most pollutants, with special concern regarding the lack of a daily limit for PM2.5; whereas like Covid- 19, this represents a public health emergency that requires immediate action1a; _________________ 1a https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/mar ked-improvement-in-europes-air
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Fb. whereas more than half a million deaths each year in the EU can be attributed to a higher than ideal body mass index (BMI) and almost 60% of EU adults had high BMI in 2016; whereas 19-29% of the adult population across different Member States is affected by obesity; whereas Member States spend almost 7 percent of their budgets treating health conditions related to obesity including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer; whereas costs related to obesity amount to €70 billion1a; whereas active mobility contributes to tackling these health issues and could play an even greater role with EU support; _________________ 1a https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/news/worldobe sity- day-23-adults-eu-live-obesityanother- 36-pre-obesity-silent-health-crisis
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the rules and requirementssafe speed management, road infrastructure standards and guidance regarding active mobility, new forms of zero-emission mobility and micro-mobility are still underdeveloped or vary between Member States;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas an increase in the number of lightweight powered vehicles and Suburban Utility Vehicles (SUVs) of increased mass and size gives rise to conflict in the sharing of limited road- space, and increased danger posed to vulnerable road users; recognises the need for speed limitations for vehicles and dedicated training for drivers in line with a Vizion Zero approach to ensure the safety of vulnerable road users, and notes that heavy vehicles cause accidents of greater severity and more fatalities;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the number of accidents involving electric scooters and other new forms of urban mobility has increased ovmotorised transport are significantly overrepresented in fatal crashes across all road-user groups although, with vulnerable road users the past two yearose still at greatest risk amongst the victims;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas consumer e-commerce deliveries grew by 25 % in 2020 as a consequence of the pandemic, and the increase in ‘last-mile’ deliveries is likely to persist13 , including an increased impact on transport in urban areas; _________________ 13 COM (2021)0811, chapter 2.6, paragraph 46.
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas urban accessibility plays a vital role inshould fully enablinge groups with special needs, such as persons with disabilities and reduced mobility, the elderly, children or people accompanying children to fully exercise their right to mobility, study, play and work;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that in order to meet its ambitious economic, environmental, digital, health and societal objectives, urban mobility in the EU needs to be guided by smart, competitive, more sustainable and multimodal transport solutionssustainable, active and multimodal transport solutions that prioritise the public good; strongly believes that a modal shift to public transport, active mobility, and shared mobility solutions, such as public bicycles, must be the first priority in any urban mobility transport framework in order to ensure safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable mobility for all; stresses that such an approach is the most cost- effective approach for society given the massive negative externalities of the current transport system;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Underlines that a massive modal shift towards public transport and active mobility, as well as rail for longer distances, is the most effective way to achieve climate neutrality in urban and peri-urban mobility; considers that the involvement and participation of citizens at local, regional, national and European level in the design of SUMPs is essential to best respond to this challenge to secure the necessary support amongst the public, by bringing all stakeholders together in planning a high-quality service that meets the needs and expectations of all;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that alldifferent modes of transport have their role to play and thatbring different benefits and costs and that a sustainable mobility plan must consider all modes, but give clear priority for those modal shift cannot simply be imposed upon people but must be supported by peoplees with the greatest benefit to society, namely sustainable and active modes, such as walking, cycling and public transport, which have a proven capability to improve mobility, road safety and liveability in urban areas and contribute to the achievement of EU’s social, economic, climate and environmental goals;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that all modes of transport have their role to play and that the modal shift cannot simply be imposed upon people but must be supported by peoplemodal shift towards greener options and active mobility will be supported by people provided it offers door-to-door solutions; highlights that a majority of respondents (59%) are ready to move away from cars to more environmentally friendly forms of transport for their daily mobility, according to the Special Eurobarometer 495 on Transport and Mobility, published in July 2020;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for support for the use of zero- and low-carbon private mobility, complemented by efficientmeasures minimising the volume of private mobility, including further deploying a reliable and punctual network of efficient, comfortable and affordable collectivepublic transport services and other modes of transport that bring various options to the market, in order to boost competition and therebywith enough frequency, complemented by other active and zero-emission modes of transport that bring various flexible options, coordinated by local public transport authorities, in order to provide better and more valuable solutions for citizens;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the EU and Member States to strongly support for the use of zero- and low-carbon privatsustainable mobility, complemented byparticularly through efficient and affordable collective public transport services and otheractive modes of transport that bring various options to the market, in order to boost competition and therebywhich should be placed at the heart of the transport system, in order to provide better and more valusustainable solutions for citizens;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses the importance of public transport not only in facing the climate challenges but also in its socioeconomic dimension, namely in providing social cohesion as well as secure, quality and local employment; emphasises that public transport systems need to deliver both excellent levels of service and a good work environment and social protection for employees and points to the importance of ensuring motivated and well-trained staff with good work conditions for improving the users' experience;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Highlights the success of measures to significantly lower ticket prices taken in different EU cities and Member States, either temporarily as a response to the energy crisis or permanently; points to the increase in demand for these mobility schemes which offer free or partially free public transport and suggests the Commission to elaborate a study on the different experiences and their impact on mobility patterns;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for better accessibility and connectivity between urban, peri-urban and rural areas, as well as multi-modal passenger hubs and further calls for unhindered access to smart, sustainable and affordable transport to be guaranteed for all; points out to the opportunity to develop and deploy on-demand public transport services on those peri-urban and outlying rural areas and calls on the Commission to provide support for trialling such solutions and exchange best practices;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses in this regard the important role that urban, sub-urban and regional trains have to play further in terms of daily commuting to and from urban areas; insists that adequate investments need to be guaranteed in order to ensure a reliable service in terms of frequency and punctuality, as well as adapting rolling stock, where necessary, to enable sufficient space for well- designed bike parking, in order to allow a substantial increase in the use of rail and bicycles in combination;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on all the parties involved to adopt measures that could better ensure road safety, such as ensuring quality training, enforcement of working time limits, deploying means to detect safety- related events or conditions, always putting vulnerable road users at the centre of mobility design, and also by taking into account users from groups with special needs; suggests the local authorities adopt the Safe System approach, setting road safety targets and dedicating an appropriate budget for such purposes;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Affirms that urban transport should be more accessible; encourages the Commission, in this context, to propose guidelines regarding accessibility, safety and security for transport users and particularly for those from groups with special needs; highlights the key role artificial intelligence (AI) and digital solutions can play in this regardcalls for a more comprehensive approach to ensure accessibility throughout the journey; highlights the key role digital solutions can play in this regard, but recalls that physical barriers are still the main reason for accessibility problems for persons with reduce mobility; insists on prioritising these needs when designing publics spaces, starting with ensuring that footpaths are wide enough, properly paved and maintained, without inconveniently placed sign posts or sewage drains and with the necessary physical and acoustic references for visually impaired people; considers that adequate enforcement measures need to be put in place to ensure citizen awareness about the need to keep footpaths free from temporary obstacles, such as badly-parked micro-mobility devices and other vehicles or trash bags and bins among others;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Notes that raised pedestrian and cycling crossings at crossroads improve safety by slowing down cars; highlights that this also improves accessibility for people with reduced mobility, by reducing the necessity to change levels using a stes or ramped surface when crossing carriageways at junctions; calls for targeted plans to make cycling more accessible to people with reduced mobility;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses its concern at the shortcomings in the regulation of micro- mobility in many Member States, as it does not facilitate this type of transportation and poses risks for people’s safety; invites the Commission, in this contextUrges the Commission, to collaborate with the Member States to draw up common road-safety guidelines and, recommendations for micro-mobility such as speed limits, helmet requirements, or trainingand common infrastructure standards for active mobility as set out in the Road Infrastructure Management Directive; encourages the Member States to proceed with the adaptation of their national legislation and to launch information campaigns about the economic, health, environmental and societal benefits of modal shift to public transport and active mobility, and the related costs of failing to do so;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Asks the Commission to establish a harmonised yearly “EU car-free day”, as an effective means to show across the Union the possibilities and future benefits in terms of collective well- being of diminishing the central role of cars in our cities; invites cities and towns in the different Member States to go further and establish monthly or weekly car-free days;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls further on the Commission to harmoniseconsider harmonising only technical standards and requirements regarding types of micro- mobility transport;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Believes that the European Commission needs to do more to promote active mobility across the entire EU, including by coming forward with a dedicated cycling strategy and other promotional efforts, such as making 2023 the European Year of Active Mobility; urges the Commission to consider the bicycle supply chain in the EU a strategic sector within the EU’s industrial strategy;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Notes that poor working conditions and precarious employment practices, which are often associated with the so-called ‘gig economy’, are contributing to driver fatigue as well as increased risk-taking, and therefore represent a heightened road safety risk;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Acknowledges the gender-cycling- gap, indicating that in many EU countries the share of female participation in cycling is considerably lower than that of men; calls for targeted plans to increase the female cycling uptake, given women currently experience a higher barrier of entry to cycling; notes the higher risk aversion of female cyclists1a and highlights that segregated cycling lanes and increased safety standards, including signalling, not only increase ridership overall but also support the closing of the gender-cycling-gap; calls for secure cycle parking, as well as minimum requirements of shower and hygiene facilities in offices and public buildings, ensuring that they fit particularly the needs of female cyclists; _________________ 1a https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti cle/pii/S0967070X20300809
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Highlights that urban infrastructure planning should contribute to a smart and sustainable transport transition, allowing for multimodality and ensuring quality of life in cities; recommends, in this regard, incorporating active mobility and micro- mobility, as well as underdeveloped sustainable transport modes, into sustainable urban mobility plans, reducing the current centrality of private cars and re-gaining public space which can be repurposed for green areas, sustainable urban drainage systems and commercial activities;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Insists that urban infrastructure planning should be developed in accordance with EU standards on road safety, including standards for safety of cycling infrastructure and other active modes, such as pedestrian and cycling tracks, lanes, bridges, tunnels, parking areas and fast recharging points for L- category vehicles; calls on the Member States and regional authorities to ensure continuity and safety of cycling infrastructure in new building and upgrading of road infrastructure;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Encourages Member States and local authorities to join forces to promote and implement sustainable urban mobility plans, respecting the principle of subsidiarity (SUMPs), which should incorporate concrete objectives and related targets in terms of modal shift towards active mobility and public transport, whose full fleet should progressively become zero- emissions before 2030;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses the importance of traffic circulation plans, including low traffic neighbourhoods, as they offer significant potential to reduce emissions, increase safety and avoid congestion; suggest adopting modal priority policies based on increased efficiency, safety, and affordability and emphasises that vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists, have to be at the top of the hierarchy, followed by public transport; calls for the use of zoning that restrict direct routes for personal motorised vehicles, while granting direct access for active mobility like cycling, thus providing a comparative modal advantage; suggests a revaluation of priority traffic lights at crossroads, including the introduction of advanced stop lines, toucan crossings, right turn on red among other features that safely make the cycling journeys safer and smoother, such as bi-directionality for bicycles in most of the streets, while exploring also the possibility of rain sensor traffic lights giving quicker priority to bicycles on rainy days; notes that older traffic light systems do not detect the presence of cyclists and should be upgraded;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Stresses the importance of safe bicycle parking and storage facilities in proximity to start and end destinations; calls for the development and support of projects offering secure bicycle storage for citizens without access to private storage; recognises that the emergence of electric bicycles demands higher safety standards with regards to storage; notes the increased number of thefts of electric bikes;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10c. Notes that speeding is a key factor in around 30 % of fatal road crashes and an aggravating factor in most crashes; considers that lower speed limits, such as 30km/h in residential areas, generate a positive synergy between economies in terms of energy savings, safety and sustainability, also in urban areas; recalls the “Vision Zero” targets and urges the Commission and the Member States to prioritise investing in speed enforcement; requests also the Commission to better integrate the EU road safety targets and actions into the guidelines on the sustainable urban mobility plans by monitoring and promoting best practices, including establishing an indicator on using EU funding for improve urban road safety effectively;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a reinforced approach to TEN- T urban nodes as being necessary to address missing links and poor connections that remain a major challenge; highlights, in particular, the need to reinforce seamless connectivity between rural, peri-urban and urban areas, allowing effective and accessible commuting without the need of a private car, with an interoperable infrastructure backbone of sustainable modes of transport, such as rail, public transport and inland waterways, in combination with active mobility; considers in this regard that the EuroVelo network should be better integrated into the TEN-T in order so as not to obstruct the connectivity of the cycling network;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Highlights the untapped potential of inland waterways in urban areas, as illustrated in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, particularly on urban areas which are becoming more and more congested; asks Member States to encourage their local authorities to include in their SUMPs the goal of making better use of inland waterways in cities and to come up with concrete proposals that aim to boost logistics over our inland waterways and take into account end delivery via cargo bikes, boosting the modal shift; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to enhance its collection of urban mobility data for waterborne passenger transport and freight and highlights the potential of inland waterway transport for the last mile in urban sustainable logistics;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that border cities should have the capacity to provide efficient and seamless cross-border daily transport while addressing missing links and bottlenecks, particularly in terms or rail infrastructure and services; and ensuring better and more sustainable connectivity between European capitals and major cities; highlights, in this regard, that high-speed train and night train services should be better deployed; stresses that one of the main competitive advantages of rail compared to aviation is that it can provide a link between city centres; urges in this regard all the concerned authorities to remove any existing barriers and accomplish this central connection in European cities where this is not yet the case;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Welcomes the Commission for the Revision Proposal of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which include minimum requirements for bicycle parking in all new and renovated residential and non-residential buildings in the EU; suggests however to rethink the approach of linking bicycle parking requirements with car parking space requirements and believes that Member States and the local level should update building codes where possible to set maximum car parking space requires, as opposed to minimum requirements in order to progressively reduce the number of car parking spaces in cities particularly where is an oversupply or sufficient number of car parking spaces, or the area is well-served by public transport and other sustainable transport mode infrastructure;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls for adequate infrastructure to be deployed enabling bi-modality between bicycle and rail, supported by public transport, allowing effective zero- emission commuting or leisure travelling; insists on the importance in this regard to make train stations fully accessible also for this purpose, as well as ensuring enough safe parking spaces therein and in any other inter-modal exchange hub with other forms of public transport, such as bus or tram;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Advocates for including minimum requirements for e-bike charging facilities in the sustainable urban mobility plans, as well as minimum number of parking spaces adequate for bicycles with larger dimensions, such as three-wheeled bikes for people with limited mobility and cargo bikes, both in public and private spaces;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that urban mobility ambitions and targets require adequate, long-term financing, even more so in light of rising costs due to the energy crisis provoked by the war in Ukraine, as well as other non-financial support instruments; calls, in this regard, for a mix of sufficient public, private national and European funding, including the involvement of the European Investment Bank, and the swift implementation of the relevant existing EU programmes and projects, allowing an increase in the funding available, including direct allocation to local authorities where possible, while paying particular attention to the needs of smaller cities and towns; further calls for ambitious urban mobility financing beyond the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Considers that effective CO2 taxes are an important tool of climate-friendly mobility policies; insists in this regard that revenues from CO2 taxes should be channelled into the funding of rail, public transport and cycling network funding in order to accelerate the necessary modal shift within the ecological transition;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes that decarbonisation is often easier in urban areas given, among other things, greater population density, and that therefore decarbonisation should take place significantly quicker in these areas;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Given differing mobility patterns and needs between women and men, the SUMP guidelines should incorporate stronger gender mainstreaming1a; _________________ 1a Study requested by the FEMM Committee: Women and Transport
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Strongly believes that the energy crisis precipitated by the war in Ukraine demonstrates an even greater need to eliminate all dependence on fossil fuels, which had it been followed before would have left the EU in a better position when it comes to energy security;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Supports the integration of the freight dimension into sustainable urban mobility plans in order to accelerate sustainable urban logistics plans and low- to duly contribute to climate neutrality through zero-emissions solutions to city freight transport, including rail, commercial cargo bikes and inland waterways, with the use of new distribution models, dynamic routing and multimodal connections; stresses the importance of decarbonising urban logistics, by means of zero-emissions vehicles and particularly adapted electric cargo-bike solutions; welcomes existing initiatives in EU cities that restrict the circulation of heavy goods vehicles in urban areas at certain peak times;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Points out that commercially-used cargo bikes are in many instances more efficient and sustainable than light commercial vehicles in urban mobility settings; calls on the Commission to analyse data from cycle logistics hubs of companies using cargo bikes in their supply chain;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Member States to ensure the availability of recharging and alternative fuels refuelling infrastructure, pursuant to the alternative fuels infrastructure regulation, in cooperation with local and regional authorities; invites the Member States to collaborate with the Commission to create incentives for individuals and businesses to take up zero- and low-carbemission modes of transport;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Underlines the fact that corporate vehicle fleets (of both passenger vehicles and vans) across the EU account for 20% of total light and heavy-duty vehicles, but are responsible for half the emissions from road transport; Calls on the Commission to propose a new Zero Emission Fleets Regulation mandating any company with a fleet size of 25 vehicles or more to acquire at least half of its new cars and vans as zero emission vehicles from 2025 and 100% from 2030, as well as requiring high-mileage fleets (i.e. taxi, private hire, delivery vans, etc.) in urban areas to go zero emission by 2030;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Welcomes the ‘EU Save Energy’ recommendations on lowering speeds to save energy which not only helps reduce energy consumption, but also brings benefits in terms of road safety;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16c. Points to the correlation between vehicle size and mass and its overall energy consumption, as well as the increased risk towards third parties, particularly vulnerable road users; considers that the Clean Vehicles Directive has a role to play through public procurement, not only in promoting zero- emission fleets of buses and other public transport service vehicles, but also in promoting the use of smaller and lighter cars used by the public services and authorities;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Highlights that AI and digitalisation can improve efficiency, safety and affordability, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions; stresses that available technology allows for seamless multimodal integration, including single- ticketing, provided that scheduling and real-time date is properly shared by the different operators;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for the further development and implementation of ‘mobility as a service’ (MaaS) across Europe, further incorporating the zero-emissions ambition as a core objective therein, and retaining public transport as its backbone;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Considers that investing in infrastructure and an adequate service for a public system of shared bicycles and electric bicycles in urban areas, duly enhanced by digital technology, contributes to the threefold objective of reducing emissions and air pollution, promoting active mobility, and minimising congestion;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses the importance of smart parking management, adeploying park-and-ride and kiss-and-ride drop-off intermodal exchange nodes at the external city accesses with associated fare benefits for regular users, as they offers significant potential to reduce emissions, avoid congestion and save time; calls for the use of smart parking mobile apps to be enhanced in order to facilitate access to parking spaces and park-and-ride facilities, and to increase their availability and the range of payment methods;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Notes that cities and local authorities are directly facing most of the impacts of air pollution; recalls that exposure to fine particulate matter increases the number of premature deaths in Europe; underlines that road traffic is still a major source of air pollution in cities, especially nitrogen oxides; calls thus on the Commission, in order to improve air quality in cities, to swiftly propose ambitious Euro 7/VII rules, namely the next generation of vehicle air pollutants emissions limits, ensuring that brake particle emissions are included within the scope;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Emphasises that all efforts in decongestion will ultimately be to the benefit of the punctual use for emergency-related vehicles, such as ambulances, firefighting trucks or police vehicles, which will be able to reach their destinations much quicker and safer, as well as taxi services used by citizens when the occasion requires it;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19c. Deeply regrets the Commission’s decision to again delay the Euro 7/VII proposal within its 2022 Work Programme, which casts doubt over its “Zero Pollution Ambition” and its commitment to the European Green Deal, and jeopardises the industry’s ability to plan the required engineering changes;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes with concernWelcomes that urban vehicle access regulations (UVARs) are leading to further fragmentation of the single European transport area, while also going against the principles of the single market; highlights in this regard the importance of smart solutions better informing drivers about their compliance with certain rules; becoming mainstream in European cities, as they are a crucial tool in helping urban areas address the negative externalities of road transport, particularly in reducing congestion, emissions and air pollution; highlights that the Court of Justice recognized that UVARs do not create obstacles to the Single Market1a and considers that they should be promoted in order to improve liveability in cities and foster modal shift, as they make active modes and public transport more attractive and competitive; highlights in this regard the importance of Low Emission Zones in improving air quality and the need to consistently enforce compliance with those rules; _________________ 1a Judgment in Joined Cases C-177/19 P Germany - Ville de Paris and Others v Commission, C-178/19 P Hungary - Ville de Paris and Others v Commission and C- 179/19 P Commission v Ville de Paris and Others
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Welcomes local initiatives to tackle noise emissions from transport given the negative impact on human health and biodiversity, including for example the use of noise radars in Paris; believes the Commission should identify and promote such initiatives including through its guidelines on SUMPs, and Member States should deploy such tools more widely;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Strongly urges the Commission not to delay any further legislative proposals it has promised that affect urban mobility, particularly multimodal ticketing; notes that a 2019 Eurobarometer study found that a single ticketing tool for all urban journeys in any European city would be the most useful for personal mobility;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Urges the development of an appropriate legal and policy framework for the use of AI in sustainable and smart mobility and transport; stresses that digital solutions must be introduced in an inclusive and participatory way to achieve accessible transport for all user groups, and considers that while they may help improve public transport and user experience, they must neither replace staff and in-person services for users nor result in different levels of service for users based on digital skills and access to technology;
Amendment 342 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Encourages the Commission, Member States and local authorities to mandate businesses to adopt sustainable mobility plans that facilitate the transition and related practices, including tailored benefits for those who choose public transport and active mobility options over private cars for their commute;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Suggests that a comprehensive impact assessment should be undertaken on urban air mobility before any measure or plan is adopted in this field, in order to properly evaluate the potential consequences in terms of safety, noise and other concerning aspects; considers that any future use of the urban air space should be restricted in volume and linked to a limited range of punctual emergency services;