Committing to Sustainable and Attractive Public Transport: Cities and Associations sign new European Declaration

Representatives from major European cities and public transport organisations have reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable, accessible, and resilient public transport systems that enhance urban mobility.

Recognising the sector’s critical role in addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges, the signatories aim to strengthen collaboration and support multimodal integration. They envision public transport as a reliable option for all, integrating cycling, walking, and shared mobility to ensure affordability and access for vulnerable communities.

The signatories pledge to boost the sector’s resilience to climate change, tackle staff shortages, and invest in skills development with a focus on gender balance.

• Calling on European policymakers to adopt a public transport declaration that sets shared objectives, highlights positive impacts, and endorses best practices.
• Requesting support from European policymakers for zero-emission mobility, digitalisation, network projects, and innovation through the EU multi-annual financial framework.
• Advocating for new funding mechanisms based on beneficiary-payer and polluter-payer schemes, similar to the Emission Trading System, for transport investments.
• Requesting national policymakers to ensure stable, long-term funding for sustainable public transport development.
• Encouraging Social Climate Plans that prioritise public transport to improve accessibility for vulnerable communities.

Read the Full Declaration

Our official joint press release with EuroCities

Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor for Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing, City of Barcelona

Filipe Araújo, Vice-Mayor for Environment, Climate, Innovation and Digital Transition, City of Porto

Eugenio Patanè, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Rome

Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General, UITP

Kristjan Järvan, Deputy Mayor for Transport, City of Tallin

Arianna Censi, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Milan

Olga Maria Estves de Araújo Pereira Martingo, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, City of Braga

Eva Oosters, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Zero Emission Transport, City of Utrecht

Jürgen Czernohorszky, Executive City Councillor for Climate, Environment, Democracy and Personnel, City of Vienna

Maria Jose Aparicio Sanchiz, General Coordinator for Mobility, City of Madrid