Citizen's network: fulfilling the potential of public passenger transport in Europe. Green paper

OBJECTIVE: the Commission's Green Paper seeks to open a public debate on the best way of promoting public transport in the European Union. CONTENT: the Commission's aim in this Green Paper is to promote the use of public transport as part of an integrated approach which aims to extend the choice available to users and resolve congestion problems by making full use of technical developments and adopting fairer and more efficient fare-pricing principles. The Commission suggests several improvements to make public transport more attractive: - improving access to public transport networks: improving the rolling stock, providing interchange points, links between residential areas and standard destinations, accessibility for people with mobility problems, improving safety, comfort and quality; - better integration of the various means of transport: improving operational coordination between the various means of transport (bus, tram, underground, railway); - better integration of transport policy in other fields of action: research into the global impact of improved public transport on society, application of regional planning rules in order to improve access to the workplace and to services. The Commission recognizes that it is up to the national, regional and local authorities to draw up these strategies but considers that it has a role to play, especially in the following four areas: 1. Promoting exchanges of information and sharing best practices by encouraging the dissemination of innovative initiatives taken at local level (e.g. prizes awarded to particularly deserving towns for the quality of their transport system). 2. Research and development: the Commission will refocus RDT actions in order to place greater emphasis on work to promote public transport. 3. Financing mechanisms: improving the use of financing mechanisms which already play a role in promoting public transport (e.g. within the framework of trans-European network projects). 4. Legislation: re-evaluating Community provisions which impact on public transport (rules on public procurement, environmental protection and transport equipment) in order to make them more conducive to the development of public transport. �