In a concerted effort to elevate the status of public transport within Europe, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and a coalition of 43 European transport organisations have united to advocate for increased funding in the European Union’s (EU) budget review. At the forefront of this campaign is the call to amplify the budget allocated to the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for transport, a move deemed crucial for the advancement of Europe’s transport network.
The coalition, representing a diverse spectrum of Europe’s transport sector, highlights the strategic significance of public transport in tackling environmental concerns and enhancing mobility across the continent. Thomas Avanzata, Spokesperson for the UITP EU Committee, underscores the indispensable role of public transport in aligning with Europe’s overarching environmental and societal policy goals.
Avanzata emphasises, “Public transport is facing structural and long-term issues such as the increase of energy prices, staff shortages, declining fare revenues, and new mobility patterns. It is more than ever crucial that the EU continues to support the development of local public transport.”
The recent and ongoing crises have underscored the necessity of a resilient, adaptable and innovative public transport sector to effectively respond to disruptions and achieve the objectives outlined in the Green Deal.
The oversubscription of the current CEF transport budget highlights the incongruity between the ambitions and challenges of the transport sector and the level of EU support available. According to the coalition, to fortify Europe’s resilience, lead the transition to net zero emissions and finalise the Trans-European Transport Network, substantial investment in the sector is imperative.
Thus, European leaders and policymakers are urged to seize this opportunity to reverse the trend of underfunding the public transport sector and to set ambitious funding targets in the new EU budget. A robust CEF instrument for transport is advocated as the optimal means to deliver high EU added value, promote equitable opportunities across Europe and facilitate essential investments.