The European Passengers’ Federation joined forces with 16 associations calling upon the European Commission to commit to modal shift and set targets for increasing the share of walking, cycling and public transport.

The joint letter was sent to Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, and the Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, ahead of the publication of the Strategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility on 9 December.

Signatories wish to see 5 key recommendations integrated in the Strategy:
1. Unequivocally prioritize safe walking, cycling, public transport and shared mobility services over individual motorized transport, in particular in Functional Urban Areas; therefore commit to modal shift and set targets for increasing the share of these modes;
2. Make improved road safety for active mobility users a priority for the next decade, in particular through continuously addressing the inherent safety risks of motorized vehicles through speed-management, eliminating drink-driving as well as addressing driver distraction;
3. Strengthen the urban mobility policy context, by enhancing not only EU funding for Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, including from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, but also on information collection to better measure the impact of policies and investments;
4. Integrate walking and cycling infrastructure in EU-funded infrastructure projects, including TEN-T, as part of making all EU investments in the transport sector climate- and air quality-proof; and
5. Reduce the externalized costs of motorized transport and systematically apply the polluter-pays principle and the users-pay principle.

Implementing these recommendations would address concerns of citizens and businesses all across the EU, as air pollution, road crashes and ineffective traffic continue to impact our quality of life. In order to adapt to the “new normal” and overcome current economic, environmental, climate and public health challenges, it is crucial that people have access to clean, safe and affordable mobility.

Signatories to this letter offer their help to the Commission in its quest for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility.

Read the full letter here.