21-24 March 2007, Séville, Spain Fifth European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns Taking the Commitments to the Streets Chantal DUCHENE Managing.

Fifth European Conference on Sustainable Cities & Towns

Taking the Commitments to the Streets

Chantal DUCHENE Managing Director

Association of Public Transport Authorities (GART)

French Association of Public Transport Authorities

Founded : 1980

Status : Non profit organization under the law of 1901.

Membership : 258 public transport authorities : towns, departments and regions.

Goals : To promote public transportation and represent elected transport officials.

The citizens’ conference (1)

During the year 2003, a panel has to examine the following question: “How to incite car drivers to diversify their means of transport”?

The principal lessons learned by the citizen conference is to go beyond the conventional approach to public transport issues Actually, communications targeting the public are usually based on the public transport offer.

The key of the panel changes. The awareness of the challenges represented by :

sustainable mobility understanding of individual advantages that can result from diversifying means of transport.


The citizens need to know in order to say : “I have the choice, I can do it differently”. To know that the mobility is not neutral is the first and necessary step” He second step is : “maybe, I can change”. The last step is : “I’m going to study the alternatives”. In fact, there are two keys : sensibilisation (to know), and information about solutions to diversify means of transport (to have choice).

New prospects: greater awareness and providing information on the challenges represented by mobilityThe conference participants showed their willingness to change their habits, and even make sacrifices, on condition that they received explanations concerning the collective and individual interest of a more rational use of the car.

Three participants had even radically changed their habits and stated that they had come out winning on a number of fronts: financially, quality of life, time gained, reduced stress, user-friendliness and health.


Extract from the panel’s declaration

Providing citizens with information on transport challenges requires the organisation of public information meetings upstream from the introduction of projects. Rather than being focussed on urban mobility scheme type technical measures, they should concentrate on the societal choices to be made.

Over and above the “forewarned” persons, there is need to increase the awareness of certain specific population categories, and in particular :

Children, young people, students the world of education Parents Companies and employees in the public and private sectors


How to increase this awareness?

Through a major national campaign using local relays and, in particular, the large number of technical and administrative departments of the various local authorities.

By increasing awareness of GART by measures aimed at the general public. By innovative measures taken in terms of participation (consultation and

information by taking time to engage in dialogue both upstream and downstream from the decisions made in order to make assessments and any required rectifications)

By measures taken by all concerned to provide education on mobility: in our role as parents or at school, take the time to teach children how to read a bus map. The attitude of the younger generations will largely affect the quality of the air we breathe in the future.

By flagship operations: urban transport Open Days, a day placing emphasis on alternative means of transport, because an increasing number of people are opting for these means of transport (bicycles, roller blades, skateboard, etc.).

This should use visual communications covering alternatives to the car in towns: (roller blades, bicycle, walking, skateboard, etc.).

A global approach for urban mobility

Urban mobility plan for the Paris region is an interesting example of mobility management in a metropolitan area, which size is closed to major cities in developing countries

Service approach Very active involvement of stakeholders

Actions taken (2)

Mobilien Network (BRT network)

Add on to the Paris metro and commuter rail radial networks by

connecting the suburbs focusing on the beltway

(express services in the outer edge of the urban area)

High linkage between the rail and the BRT systems

« Rail like » quality of service

Mobilien network:quality of service for the inner

metropolitan area

Reliability and special focus on problematic sections

Frequencies of 10mn or less throughout the day High service span with service at night and on

the weekend User information at stops and on board Accessibility for disabled users

Mobilien network:quality of service for the outer

metropolitan area between urban nodes

Express service between urban nodes Use of the express ways Information to users at the stops Regular frequency Service throughout the week (even on the

weekend)

Results of this policy in Paris

2001-2006

Objective2013 compared with 2001

Objective 2020 compared with 2001

Decrease car traffic

17 % 26 % 40 %

Thank you for your attention

Mail: [email protected]: 33 1 40 41 18 20

Fax: 33 1 40 41 18 12Website: www.gart.org