Introduction


Transport and urban life: Developments and trends

Public transport has contributed to the shaping of towns ever since the end of the 19th century. Its growing impact on the economic development of urban areas and its contribution to social inclusion have been widely recognised.

Simultaneously, societal factors have had an impact on the mobility behaviour of citizens and the role of public transport in urban areas. In particular the increased use of private cars in the last 50 years has challenged public transport. However it has become clear in recent years that the achievement of an adequate balance between all modes of transport is the only way forward to be able to maintain liveable cities and to provide mobility to all citizens in the short and the long run.

Such a balance may only be obtained through a combination of innovative measures related to the integration of public transport within urban development policies, adequate demand and traffic management, and the sustained development of public transport.

See the UITP Commission on Transport and Urban Life

Read more

Assessing the benefits of public transport
Integrating public transport & urban planning: a virtuous circle
Public transport and cycling: living apart or together?  
Tackling Social Exclusion - The role of public transport  
Parking Policies
Traffic calming measures and bus traffic
Public Transport Connections to Out-of-Town Shopping and Leisure Facilities

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UITP Commission on Transport and Urban Life

Missions and issues    List of members  Working groups  Information for members

The Transport and Urban Life Commission aims to increase the awareness of the intertwining between public transport and other urban policies and to raise the profile of public transport among urban policy makers.

The current Chairman is Tom Magrath, Policy & Strategy Director, CENTRO, United Kingdom

CONTACT:Caroline Cerfontaine ; Virginie Delcarte

Missions and Issues

1. Mission statement: To achieve sustainable urban mobility by a balanced modal split.

2. Issues
How to meet the urban mobility needs while avoiding traffic congestion and improving the quality of environment?
By co-ordination between land use and mobility policies:

• urban planning contributing to balanced modal split
• real estate development around public transport stations;
• regeneration of town centres and priorities for public transport and friendly modes.

By mobility policies in favour of public transport and friendly modes:

• restraints on private vehicles by parking policies, traffic calming, road pricing;
• priority for public transport vehicles on restricted road space and integration between public transport and slower traffic (bikers, pedestrians);
• management systems to favour public transport, car pooling and friendly modes (corporate transport planning..).

By adapting the service to the demand:

• public transport services for non motorised people and persons with special needs;
• public transport services to shopping centres and leisure activities;
• integration between modes (intermodal interchange points, park and ride…).

Promotion of these issues (politicians, media people, general public, etc.).

The Working programme derives from the issues mentioned in the Mission Statement.

List of members

See the list of members

Working groups

• Public transport social inclusion
  
• Public transport and large events

Information for members

The Terms of Reference of UITP Divisions and Commissions are only available to UITP members. Please enter your login and password here and click on the section ‘Working bodies’ in the menu.