Features

Towards sustainable urban mobility

 

Policy around facilitating transport infrastructure in Europe has improved significantly over the last two decades, shifting the focus from nationally isolated projects to viewing transport as a cohesive network across the continent and beyond. Natasha Levanti reports.

With the significant economic benefits derived both directly and indirectly from successful transport infrastructure, partially driven by increased economic, social and territorial cohesion, the EU has undertaken significant amounts of research and policy facilitation. These efforts allow us to gain a much deeper understanding of efficiencies for transport infrastructure and the successful implementation of projects.

Following the recent publication of several policy and research reports covering the state of European transport infrastructure, both country-specific and EU-wide, it is clear that co-modality, inter-connectivity and operability, as well as sustainable urban mobility, are going to be key drivers for the future of European transport infrastructure.

TEN-T to connect

The Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) are a planned set of road, rail, air and water transport networks in the European Union. Over the years, TEN-T policy has evolved as infrastructure has become a matter of top political importance for national governments.

The purpose driving all facets of TEN-T is to connect Europe, its neighbours and the wider world through ensuring that isolated national priority projects still fit into an overall interconnected multi-modal transport network.

Between 2007-2013 there were at least 68 TEN-T projects within the United Kingdom alone, changing the thinking about transport network use from a single mode isolated approach to one that encompasses the user from journey start to destination, with various transport modes in between, allowing for efficient hassle-free transport of both people and freight.

Inter-connectivity and operability are both particularly intriguing approaches to UK transport, particularly in the light of the conundrums within rail franchising and disputed responsibilities of devolved powers towards initial building as well as maintenance. With individuals statistically living further away from their places of work, it is essential that issues related to transport efficiency and ease of use are addressed. Many in Europe are looking to inter-connectivity and operability for solutions. 

Connect to compete

While interconnectivity and interoperability within Europe has been paramount, significant effort has also been made to ensure that these networks connect with the world, facilitating efficiencies in trade for both goods and services. 

For this to be successful, it is essential for all nations involved to uphold compatible standards. Though done initially to ensure connectivity and operational efficiencies, this extends the knock-on effect of European transport policy, directly impacting worldwide transport.

Given the strategic role that the British Standards Institute has played, the UK has been instrumental in the development of standards that are now used to connect the world.

However, this perspective of transport policy has not only spurred cross-border collaborations, but also collaborations across sectors. Seen across Europe and in the UK, for these large scale compatible networks to be put in place, transport policy and investments are increasingly paired with land use policy and anticipatory optimisation, to best ensure the success of projects.

No longer can the ease of user journeys across various transport modes be fully separated from operational processes, safety needs, funding sources, long-term financial planning, community impact, or local planning permissions. As seen in a variety of EU reports, when considering transport projects all factors must be taken into account as a comprehensive approach to success across the project lifespan. 

Compete to grow

Unlike other forms of public procurement, a large part of the challenge for transport infrastructure is the irrevocable investment commitments needed prior to project commencement, as well as the series of oft-contested governmental decisions relied upon at local, regional, national levels.

Fundamental to the planning and implementation of new projects is the pricing and funding schemes through which projects are most likely to succeed over their lifespans. The case studies experiencing the highest success took account of the social marginal cost from the start of the planning process, while funding was considered over the lifespan of the project, with pricing being factored into the funding process. 

Across Europe’s transport infrastructure data collected over the past 20 years, a fundamental recommendation for the pricing and financing appraisals for new projects is to account for variants or imperfections within the current and predicted economic landscape, within the evaluations of financing and pricing options. If imperfections in the economic landscape exist, the value of initial transport impacts will not be the same as the value of the final economic impacts. While not accounted for within conventional ex-ante and ex-post appraisal methods for transport projects, this was found to have serious repercussions upon both the short term and long term perception of project success for investors.

The cohesion of transport networks and streamlined identification of investment needs have enabled better ROI as well as sustained added value for national and cross border networks, particularly in regards to user feedback. 

Ultimately this reinforces interoperability and interconnectivity as key trends for success, as this is largely dependent on being attractive to investors. 

Grow for the future

As sectors converge, for the enhanced delivery and success rates of large scale transport projects, there is a need to consider the increased integration with innovative content or funding and technology enabled automation processes. 

Though Europe has historically been a world leader in manufacturing and services related to transport, the constantly evolving potential of innovations and digital efforts fundamentally changes the globally competitive landscape. 

It is increasingly important that transport infrastructure is optimised to be competitive not just for today, but for the future. Optimisation is important to not just enable companies based in Europe to export their expertise to the rest of the world, but to have the most efficient and modern transportation network available so as to maintain international competitiveness.

In order to ensure that national and cross-border networks are ready for the future it is vital to develop a strong framework, both within governmental project pipelines as well as individual project development, that will utilise cross-sector synergies to support innovations and incorporate the newest ‘smart’ technologies. Often geared towards efficiency within a rapidly growing population, much of these elements also have to do with balancing the social and environmental impacts of transport infrastructure.

This is the foundation of sustainable urban mobility, the new and fast developing focus of many transport infrastructure initiatives throughout Europe. 

In order to combat the rapidly growing global population, in addition to the well-known environmental, social, economic, and structural impacts of transport infrastructure, sustainable urban mobility is the preferred goal of the majority of projects planned to take place in Europe prior to 2050. 

Along with multi-modality, interconnectivity and interoperability, sustainable urban mobility will undoubtedly be a key objective in the United Kingdom for years to come.