EU opts for green transport

Friday 17 March 2006

All journeys by staff at the European Commission will be as environmentally friendly as possible under a new sustainable mobility plan for 2006-2009, announced this week. The ambitious scheme covers Brussels employees travelling between home and work, as well as between Commission offices. Of the Commission’s 22,000 staff members, 38% use public transport. It is hoped that the scheme will encourage greater use of public transport, along with bicycles and car-sharing.

The EU has operated a voluntary sustainable transport programme since 1997, but the new plan will come under the urban policies implemented by the Brussels Capital Region, which requires a formalised transport scheme for all organisations with more than 200 employees.

"The mobility plan should encourage the positive changes that have occurred in our staff’s attitudes and transport habits in recent years ,” commented Vice-President Siim Kallas. “The plan aims to bring the percentage of staff regularly using private cars down from 44% to 35% by 2009. In parallel, use of public transport should increase from 38% to 45%, bicycle use and walking to 19%, and car-pooling to rise by 50%."

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