SUMP Central

A report has been published on TRIMIS by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in May that provides the latest assessment of innovation capacity in the EU transport sector. TRIMIS provides periodical assessments of transport innovation capacity through macro-level indicator analysis at EU level.

The report analyses research and development (R&I) indicators and presents an updated review of overall transport innovation capacity, including private and public investment in R&I, the number of transport researchers and R&I personnel, patents and capacity bottlenecks. It offers a general view on the transport sector innovation engagement, supporting the reflection on main sector’s trends and possible research and policy measure to support its enhancement.

In May 2017, the European Commission adopted the Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda (STRIA) as part of the ‘Europe on the Move’ package, which highlights key transport R&I areas and priorities for clean, connected and competitive mobility. The role played by R&I is central to achieving a more sustainable transport system as part of the European Green Deal, which aims to reduce emissions by 90% by 2050.

Some of the main conclusions identified by the analysis include:

• The private sector maintains its key role in R&I activities in the transport sector, which in 2019 amounted to €38 billion. Total EU public investment was substantially lower, at €2.4 billion in 2020, a 25% fall from 2010.
• In 2019, 250,000 researchers and R&I personnel worked in the transport sector, or 1.8% of total people employed, with males resenting 87.4%.
• The total number of EU patents granted to the transport sector between 2010 and 2020 was approximately 71,400.
• The type of innovation introduced by transport companies was mainly associated with process and product innovations. A main barrier suggested to increasing R&I was insufficient financial support at local, national and EU level.
• A lack of market cooperation among transport stakeholders and qualified and skilled personnel, as well as uncertain market trends are also considered major barriers.

The conclusions of the report suggest a general negative trend in the innovation capacity of the transport sector in the EU, compared to the previous years.

To read the full report, click here.

A new report from Sustainable Urban Mobility for All (SuM4All) Gender Working Group exposes the transport sector’s significant gender imbalance and provides a comprehensive toolkit for creating targeted action on the ground. 

Worldwide, the transport sector is facing a significant gender imbalance. According to the International Labour Organization’s latest figures, women make up just 16.8% working in transport globally. This differs immensely regionally, with 29% in North America, 5.5% in Arab States, 10% in Africa and 12.2% in Asia and the Pacific-nonetheless, the lack of women (particularly in STEM-related roles) is visible across the entire sector.

Transport now faces an important moment for action. Digitalisation and automation are transforming working practices, an accelerating climate emergency prompts the urgency for more sustainable practices, and skills and labour shortages persist. Confronted with this complex medley of challenges, the need to recruit and retain women in the sector can no longer be ignored.

There is growing recognition of the need not simply to shift, but transform this imbalance, with repeated calls for action from transport organisations across the globe. However, the last decade has seen neither the scale nor speed of progress required, and there has been little significant improvement in the situation on the ground.

So how do we shift from ambition to action, creating tangible change?

The ‘Gender balance in the transport sector: A toolkit for change”, developed by POLIS for the Sustainable Urban Mobility for All Gender Working Group, with funding from the FIA Foundation, seeks to address this.

“As this study reveals, these inclusive transport services cannot be delivered without a more diverse workforce. We need to be able to reflect and represent who we seek to serve, and at present, the transport workforce is far from achieving this much-needed diversity. The lack of gender diversity in particular is apparent. While we have seen a growing recognition of the necessity for change, displayed vividly in this study, translating words into action has been far slower,” says Karen Vancluysen, POLIS’ Secretary General.

Informed by extensive primary and secondary research conducted over a year, the toolkit surveys the current state of the transport workforce, and the key changes we have witnessed across the last decade and identifies the key barriers which are obstructing progress.

The report, launched at the ITF Summit in Leipzig, is the most up-to-date and extensive research on gendered employment practices in the transport sector so far. It provides in-depth case studies on how actions can be initiated, the technologies on hand to assist, partnerships which can be created, and other key information for practitioners seeking hands-on solutions.

The research unveiled that despite progress in global and national policy arenas, women working across the transport sector continue to face multiple impediments to entering, remaining, and advancing their careers. While there are regional and modal variations, the toolkit identifies 5 key barriers to women’s ability to enter and flourish in the transport sector and 5 entry points for action.

Gendered stereotyping, discriminatory and unsafe workplace cultures, lack of flexible working and childcare provisions and ‘invisible’ glass ceilings are constraining progress towards a more gender-balanced workforce, with detrimental impacts on those women already working there.

Although international and national equal opportunities and anti-discrimination policy frameworks lay the foundations for change, decision-makers in the transport sector cannot rely solely on these to generate the transformative shifts necessary at the rate required.

Targeted, effective action demands positive action at the organisational level, and there are many out there, which have proved incredibly successful; from innovative approaches to flexible working, new ways of collecting employee satisfaction data, partnerships between universities and operators, and platforms for addressing gender bias in recruitment.

“While this study is a stark reminder of the immense progress still to be made, it also demonstrates that we do not need to reinvent the wheel. If we are to fulfil gender equality, and indeed, climate pledges, the time is not ours to fitter away. The tools, processes, and partnerships outlined in the toolkit provide a huge resource for those seeking to act fast to push beyond ambition and toward systemic action,” says Vancluysen.

Read the full report HERE.

As with many European cities, the Polish City of Krakow has seen a rapid growth in the use of e-scooters, the majority of which are supplied by commercial shared mobility operators. In common with many cities, it has been facing the growing problem of e-scooters that have been poorly parked or abandoned throughout the city. E-scooters scattered across pavements, in front of the entrances of buildings, in parks and green spaces and even dumped into the Vistula River, have become a nuisance for many in the city. As a result, the city’s authorities have put forward new measures to regulate the parking of e-scooters.

The city’s authorities informed the city’s three commercial operators of shared e-scooters about its plans in May. “We informed the representatives of three companies about the end of the period of free use of the city space. We also proposed the introduction of a municipal patrol, which would be financed by operators from fines for improperly parked scooters, as well as fees for using areas belonging to the municipality”, said the deputy mayor of Krakow, Andrzej Kulig. “The current state of Krakow is unsustainable (..) Despite existing arrangements with equipment operators, the problem of abandoned devices has been steadily growing, mainly due to the lack of legal regulations”, explained Kulig.

In 2020, Krakow’s Public Transport Authority and e-scooter operators signed an agreement, which included, amongst others, the imposition of a speed limit for e-scooters in the city centre, and a no-parking zone consisting of the Old Town and parts of the Vistula Boulevards. Outside of these areas, e-scooters are to be parked in designated spaces, so called ‘mobility hubs’. These areas are created and designed by the City free of charge for the operators. The operators were made responsible for the removal of improperly parked e-scooters. The City has now informed operators that they will have to start paying for the use of the mobility hubs under a lease contract and that the companies will be fined for e-scooters that have to be removed from other parts of the city by patrol officers.

In the meantime, the commercial operators have agreed between themselves to limit the maximum number of e-scooters at mobility hubs in central areas. In practice, this means that users cannot return an e-scooter when the maximum capacity of the mobility hub is reached. They will have to leave their e-scooter at another mobility hub. The operators also asked the city to designate additional mobility points, possibly by introducing a new type of mobility point, where users could end and start the rental, but unlike the current mobility points, there would be no active deployment of e-scooters by the operators themselves. Also, the maximum number of e-scooters that would be allowed at these points would be significantly lower.

The City is hopeful that the new measures will end the nuisance caused by improperly parked e-scooters. If not, it will consider additional measures, which may even see the number of e-scooters restricted by regulation or even the termination of the contracts of the operators.

Original article published by Radio Eska.  

In May 2023, four European cities won the second edition of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) Awards. The four winners received their awards at ECF’s annual flagship conference, Velo-city, which took place in Leipzig, Germany.

The four winning cities in the four award categories were:

1. Helsingborg, Sweden – Cycling Infrastructure Award

Helsingborg’s stylish cycling and pedestrian Varvsbron Bridge signals the importance that the city places on active modes of transport in the city. The beautifully-designed bridge snakes its way over the city’s docks in a natural, meandering and gently sloping way, connecting up-and-coming neighbourhoods with the city centre and nearby public transport hubs, thereby encouraging people to walk or cycle into/out of the city centre.

2. The City of Essen, Germany – Cycle-Friendly Employer Award

The City of Essen won the Cycling Friendly Employer Award for its sponsorship of local organisations that promote cycling, as certified by the ECF. The city won a silver-level Cycle-Friendly Employer (CFE) certificate in 2019 and raised this to a gold-level certificate in 2022 for its efforts in sponsoring local cycle-friendly companies and organisations, as well as forming a cycle-friendly employers’ network of 18 CFE-certified companies in the city.

3. The City of Oslo, Norway – Road Safety Award

Over the last few years, Oslo has made impressive progress towards becoming one of the world’s safest cities for road users. The number of road users that considered the city safe for cycling was just 19% in 2014; in 2022, the number had risen to 31%! Significant adjustments have been made to the city’s streets, such as implementing a 30 km/h speed limit and removing over 700 on-street parking spaces within the city’s inner ring road. As a result, in 2019 Oslo became one of the first cities in Europe to achieve “Vision Zero”, with zero road deaths on its streets, and has some of the fewest cyclist fatalities per year in Europe.

4. City of Heidelberg, Germany – Cycling Improvement Award 

In 2022, the city reported a 17% increase in the number of cyclists on the city’s streets. The public bike-sharing service registered almost twice as many rentals, 325,165 compared to the previous year’s 166,465. Approximately 40% of the city’s residents now use bikes as their main mode of transport for trips within the city. Local authorities subsidise bike purchases and have an ambitious investment programme to create safe cycling connections between urban and rural areas, including improving rural-urban cycle paths and providing more bicycle parking. The city’s Mayor, Eckart Würzner, leads the transition by example, by providing cycling tours!

Article first published by Travel tomorrow on 12 May 2023.

A report released in May 2023 from Greenpeace ranked 30 European countries, and their respective capital cities, by the quality of their public transport ticket offerings. The report covered the EU27, plus Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The study used four criteria for its analysis: the simplicity of the ticketing system, the full price of long-term tickets, discounts for socially disadvantaged groups and the VAT rate on public transport tickets. The report weighed these criteria differently for the purpose of the national and city rankings.

The report puts Luxembourg at the top of the national ranking with a full score of 100 out of 100 points, followed by Malta, Austria and Germany. The three cities that topped the capital city ranking were Tallinn (EE), Luxembourg (LU) and Valletta (MT), followed by Prague (CZ), Bratislava (SK) and Madrid (ES).

The report emphasises that only 3 of the 30 countries offer relatively affordable tickets covering the entire county, these being Austria, Germany and Hungary. At the city level, public transport is free in Luxembourg, Tallinn and Valletta. Cheap monthly or annual tickets are available in Prague, Bratislava, Vienna (AT) and Rome (IT), although the latter is considering a price increase in 2023. Out of the 30 countries, 6 tax public transport tickets using the standard VAT rate, which is typically applied to a luxury good.

Greenpeace calls for the creation of a “European ticket”, modelled on the “Germany ticket”. The latter provides passengers with access to regional train and bus services, as well as local public transport services nationwide, at a cost of €49 per month. The report argues that the cost of the European ticket should be covered by ending the tax exemptions for international flights.

You can find the full report here.

How can we ensure that an increasing urban population does not translate into more traffic, congestion and pollution in European cities? Mobility management offers solutions to this issue. With its ‘soft approach’, mobility management is highly adaptable in promoting sustainable transport in different local circumstances.

With SUMPs and mobility management both seeking to achieve the same overall goal – namely the increased use of sustainable modes of transport – measures associated with mobility management form an essential part of any SUMP.

To support urban planners and transport practitioners in this process, a Topic Guide on Integrating Mobility Management for Public and Private Organisations into SUMPs has been developed by the third Policy Support Group of the CIVITAS ELEVATE Coordination and Support Action, which consists of experts from five organisations (European Platform on Mobility Management, Klimaaktiv mobil, Tisséo Collectivités, Alba Iulia Municipality, Gdansk Municipality), the CIVITAS Policy Advisory Committee, TRT (Trasporti e Territorio), and a group of stakeholders from the mobility management sector.

The SUMP Topic Guide proposes a selection of key recommendations and includes a variety of good practice examples from all over Europe, highlighting the benefits of better integrating mobility management for public and private organisations into SUMPs for the 5 following areas: urban development, public authorities, companies, the education sector, as well as the tourism and leisure sectors.

The Topic Guide is part of a compendium of EU guidance documents, complementing the revised second edition of the SUMP Guidelines.

Read the publication here.This and other SUMP Topic Guides can be accessed via the Eltis website here.

The Greek capital, Athens, recently achieved a landmark, as it now has a metro station, Monastiraki, that is fully accessible for people with reduced mobility (PRMs). The work was undertaken on the initiative of the Superfund and Athens Transport and involved the participation of passengers with reduced mobility, which was key for the evaluation and implementation of the project.

In particular, a survey was distributed to PRMs to identify the obstacles that they face in their journeys and to allow them to suggest the best design of the products and services that an accessible metro station should have. The results emerging from the survey and from wider research enabled the realisation of the accessible Monastiraki metro station in Athens’ city centre.

The project was part of the initiative “TOGETHER EVERYWHERE we become accessible”, under which the following actions have been planned:

• Training and information: The provision of training for bus drivers and staff in metro stations, and the creation of accessible communication tools, which indicate the location of all metro lifts on Google Maps, to facilitate PRMs’ access to metro stations.
• Infrastructure: The completion of 2 accessible metro stations (Kallithea and Monastiraki), which includes an accessibility assessment by PRMs and the recording of detailed suggestions for improvement. In addition, 20 soft infrastructure measures will be implemented to improve the accessibility of public transport, along with a monitoring mechanism to report and verify progress, as well as the installation of 409 ramps at bus stops.
• Monitoring of results & governance: The creation of an Accessibility Index as the main KPI to monitor the effectiveness of these actions, measuring the increase in the use of public transport by PRMs.
• Help Desk: With the support of PRMs, a helpdesk will be set up to improve the accessibility of communication materials.

The project will improve the accessibility of public transport infrastructure and improve passengers’ travel experience, thus facilitating PRMs’ daily life, making their journeys on public transport easier, and more attractive. The project works on the basis that accessibility to public transport for PRMs is a fundamental right. The initiative is fundamental to providing such rights, which other users already have, and is a sign of the transition towards a more inclusive society that embraces everyone.

The participatory approach showed the success of involving users in an urban planning project and demonstrated how their involvement can bring extensive benefits to all when urban public transport facilities are co-shaped, co-created, and co-decided by the entire local community.

The Interreg PAV (Planning for autonomous vehicles) project has just released the European CCAM Outlook 2023 report, offering a comprehensive overview of CCAM for public transport in Europe.

This report delves into the intricate interplay between technological advancements, regulatory frameworks, societal impact, and market dynamics, all of which shape the deployment of connected, cooperative, automated vehicles (CCAVs).

The report covers:

Access the full report on the PAV website and benefit from the expertise of the international thought leaders.

This article was originally published on CCAM. The original blog post can be found here.

In April 2023, the City of Sofia announced the launch of a new on-demand bus service for the more remote neighbourhoods of the Bulgarian capital. Low emission buses will take residents from large transit hubs to their residential areas, offering them a more affordable and sustainable solution to their last-mile trips.

Buses will operate in the neighbourhoods of Manastirski Livadi East and West, as well as Pavlovo, from Monday to Friday, between 6:07 to 22:40, with a frequency of 16 to 18 minutes during peak hours. During the night, residents will be able to book a ride through an app, called BusInn, and meet the bus in designated pick-up points. The city will implement 6 electric vehicle charging stations and a total fleet of 5 buses serving the neighbourhoods at pre-identified stops.

The provision of the new on-demand bus service aims to make public transport more attractive by offering more and better connections to residents who live farther from the city centre and where frequent, timetabled public transport services do not make much sense. Giving residents, who are reluctant to move away from cars, more attractive options encourages them to switch to more sustainable transport modes, such as public transport.

The measure will also help Sofia improve its air quality, as the city is one of the most polluted in Europe. The city is now investing in a range of actions to improve air quality, which also focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Another relevant project is INNOAIR, funded through the European Urban Innovative Actions initiative, within which it is planned to implement a low emission zone (LEZ).

EIT Urban Mobility, a leading organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable mobility in urban spaces, has unveiled its ambitious plans for the 2023-2025 Innovation Programme. With a strong focus on accelerating change towards a sustainable mobility model and combatting climate change, EIT Urban Mobility aims to support innovators in developing commercially viable solutions that enhance the quality of life in cities while creating job opportunities and strengthening the European mobility sector.

Since its inception in 2020, EIT Urban Mobility has been actively fostering collaboration and agility in mobility projects across Europe. By partnering with city administrations, research organisations, and businesses, the organisation aims to build a robust urban mobility ecosystem. Now, with the launch of the 2024 Call from their Innovation Programme for 2023-25, EIT Urban Mobility is seeking proposals in three key challenge areas:

• Sustainable City Logistics,
• Energy and Mobility, and
• Future Mobility.

The primary goal is to address pressing issues faced by public, private, and hybrid mass transit providers while promoting innovation in the urban mobility domain.

Importantly, this Call aligns with the objectives of the Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, an initiative that urges cities to accelerate their digital, energy, and mobility transformations in order to achieve net-zero emissions. EIT Urban Mobility supports the mission’s aim of experimenting with urban mobility solutions for a sustainable future. In addition, the organisation actively collaborates with the European Technology Platform – ALICE in relation to the Sustainable City Logistics challenge area, emphasising its commitment to addressing logistics-related challenges and achieving sustainable urban freight solutions.

The Innovation Programme seeks projects that are close to market readiness and capable of testing new solutions through real-life city demonstrations. By the end of the project, these initiatives should demonstrate commercial viability, making a tangible impact on improving citizens’ lives. EIT Urban Mobility’s Business Plan for 2023-2025 outlines nine Challenge Areas that have been identified based on over 250 urban mobility challenges raised by cities across Europe.

In the current call, three areas—Sustainable City Logistics, Mobility & Energy, and Future Mobility—are prioritised, inviting the participation of public, private, and hybrid mass transit providers to drive pan-European innovation and enhance transport services and operations.

In line with the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, EIT Urban Mobility encourages applications from the 112 cities committed to achieving net-zero climate neutrality by 2030. Recognising that the transport and mobility sector plays a pivotal role in cities’ efforts to reach climate neutrality, the organisation actively supports cities in fulfilling their commitments and action plans outlined in their Climate City Contracts. By fostering a cross-sectoral and demand-led approach, EIT Urban Mobility aims to facilitate the transformation of cities into sustainable, climate-neutral hubs.

With the announcement of this new call for proposals, EIT Urban Mobility is eager to expand its partnership network and portfolio of entrepreneurial innovation projects. By harnessing the collective expertise and creative potential of innovators, businesses, and city administrations, the organisation envisions a future where sustainable mobility solutions become the norm, contributing to the well-being of citizens, environmental preservation, and economic growth.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the EIT Urban Mobility website for more information on the 2024 Call and how to submit proposals. The deadline for submission is [insert deadline date]. Together, let us pave the way for a sustainable and inclusive urban mobility revolution.

Interested? Do you have queries?

• For legal, financial and administrative procedures, including questions about PLAZA submission tool: pmo@eiturbanmobility.eu (Programme Management Office (PMO))
• For content, topic-related related questions: innovationcall2024@eiturbanmobility.eu (Innovation Team)

You can also watch all of the recorded webinars that covered the Call’s topics, difficulties, and requirements as well as general procedures including the submission and review process and the PLAZA submission platform. These webinars were held from April 17 through April 20, 2023.

• General info session
• Meet the cities
• Sustainable City Logistics
• Mobility & Energy
• Future Mobility
• Commercialisation and Financial Sustainability
• Guidance to applicants
• Proposal writing

You can find a summary of the above webinars at the end of the call webpage.

You can submit your proposal through the PLAZA Platform until 7 June 2023 at 17:00 CET.

This article was originally published on CCAM. The original blog post can be found here.