The Evidence project supports the implementation of sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) because of their positive health and environmental effects. Their research aimed to support investment into SUMPs by compiling Evidence for their economic benefits.
Their research determined that the most successful transport initiatives are those that result in reduced travel time for a majority of commuters. In fact, new public transport measures were found to have the most verifiable and beneficial economic results. The economic benefits of new transportation could be compounded with added enhancements, like easier ticketing, free wifi, and generally cleaner more advanced facilities.
Different methods of demand management strategies, one of the project’s seven themes, were found to have the second best economic return. These strategies include better investments for pedestrians, road allocations for high occupancy vehicles, emission restriction zones, etc. The direct results of these measures, increased air quality and foot traffic, reduced congestion, and shorter travel times all lead to increased consumerism in the case studies.
At the final workshop February 23 in Brussels the project partners will present all of their findings and final recommendations regarding the economic benefits of sustainable transport.
The Evidence project was partially funded by the EU’s Intelligent Energy Europe Programme. The project examined “what works, from the economic perspective” by completing a literature review of “several hundred international projects on sustainable transport”.