News from Europe
Economists forecast continuing bus industry decline in major UK cities
A new report commissioned by PTEG (Public Transport Executive Group) from NERA, has concluded that without significant policy change the decline of the bus in the major UK conurbations outside London will continue. Over the next ten years NERA predicts that service levels will fall by around 20%, fares will rise by about 20% in
Commission authorises Dutch Province of Gelderland to grant € 4.6 million aid for environmental protection and innovation in public transport
The European Commission has decided on 19 July not to raise any objections to the € 4.6 million aid which the Dutch Province of Gelderland plans to allocate to initiatives which explore new ways for protecting the environment and making public transport more efficient and more appealing to the users. The Dutch Province of Gelderland
Nearly one car per two inhabitants in the EU25 in 2004
The Car Free Day took place on 22 September 2006 during the European Mobility Week, dedicated to sustainable mobility. The objective of the week is to facilitate the debate on the necessity for changes in behaviour in relation to mobility and in particular the use of the private car. On this occasion Eurostat, the Statistical
Commission acknowledges carmakers progress on CO2 emissions but calls for extra efforts
In order to respect its Kyoto commitments, the EU is trying to reduce CO2 emissions from road transport – a sector that generates more than one fifth of all CO2 emissions in the EU. Passenger cars alone are responsible for more than half of these emissions. In 1998, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) promised
EEA underlines the link between climate change battle and air quality improvement
The EU Thematic Strategy on air pollution aims to improve European air pollution significantly by 2020. The European Environment Agency (EEA) has analysed improvement prospects for a further ten year period, also integrating climate change instruments as an intervening variable. In a report published on June 1st, the Agency stresses the positive side-effect of climate
Results of the pilot program on hydrogen-fuel cell buses
The EU Commission presented on 11 May the results of a pilot programme launched in 2003 that powered 27 hydrogen-fuel cell public buses in 9 European cities. Called “Clean Urban Transport for Europe” (CUTE), the project has helped cast light on the viability of this emissions-free transportation means. The small-scale CUTE experiment shows that improvements
New orientation for EU Transport Policy
The European Commission adopted on 22 June the orientation for the future EU transport policy. The objective of mobility growth control and modal shift from road and air to rail and waterborne modes described in the 2001 White Paper has been replaced by an objective to offer the necessary level of mobility to people and
Political agreement on the revised proposal for a regulation of PSO in public transport
The Council reached a political agreement on the revised proposal for a regulation on public service obligations for passenger transport services by rail and by road, published by EU Commission on 20 July 2005. The text as agreed will be adopted as a common position at a forthcoming Council session under Finnish Presidency and sent
The European Commission adopted the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment
Following the communication “Towards a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment”, adopted in February 2004 EU commission adopted on 11 January 2006 the expected Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment – SEC(2006)16. Based on extensive consultation with stakeholders this strategy aims at improvement of the quality of the urban environment. It sets out new measures
EU Commission proposes clarification of EU rules on public-private partnerships
The European Commission has published in November 2005 a Communication with new policy options on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) that are agreementsbetween public authorities and businesses, whose aim is to carry out infrastructure projects or providing services to the public. The Communication follows a major public consultation which was launched by the PPP Green Paper in
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