EU Transport 2050 Strategy to bring conventionally-fuelled cars out of cities by 2050

The European Commission has presented on 28 March EU's comprehensive Transport 2050 Strategy which aims to created a competitive transport system that will increase mobility, remove major barriers in key areas and fuel growth and employment. This strategy described in the Transport 2011 White Paper for a Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area, also contains proposals to reduce Europe's dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050.

The European Commission has adopted a series of 40 concrete initiatives for the next decade which make up the European Strategy Transport 2050 and are described in the 2011 White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system”. In this text, the Commission considers that the transformation of the European transport system will only be possible through a combination of manifold initiatives at all levels.

The Transport 2050 roadmap to a Single European Transport Area  sets out to remove major barriers and bottlenecks in many key areas across the fields of transport infrastructure and investment, innovation and the internal market. The aim is to create a Single European Transport Area with more competition and a fully integrated transport network which links the different modes and allows for a profound shift in transport patterns for passengers and freight.

Key objectives set by European Transport 2050 Strategy

  • No more conventionally-fuelled cars in cities.
  • 40% use of sustainable low carbon fuels in aviation and at least 40% cut in shipping emissions.
  • A 50% shift of medium distance intercity passenger and freight journeys from road to rail and waterborne transport.
  • Overall 60% cut in transport emissions by the middle of the century.

An important part of Transport 2050 strategy focuses in enhancing energy efficiency consumption in the transport sector, an issues that was not covered by the Energy Efficiency Action Plan adopted  by the European Commission on 8 March, leaving its treatment to the Transport 2011 White Paper. The Transport 2050 Roadmap sets different goals for different types of journey, including within cities, between cities, and long distance journeis.

Intercity travel: getting 50% of all medium-distance passenger and freight transport out of the roads

The Commission wants that buy 2050, the majority of medium-distance passenger transport, about 300km and beyond, should go by rail, and that by the same date more that 50% of road freight should shift to other modes such as rail or waterborne transport. These objectives will require a fully functional and EU-wide core network of transport corridors, ensuring facilities for efficient transfer between transport modes (TEN-T core network) by 2030.

It also foresees to connect all core network airports to the rail network, preferably high-speed and ensure that all core seaports are sufficiently connected to the rail freight and, where possible, inland waterway system.

Furthermore, by 2020 the framework for a European multimodal transport information, management and payment system, both for passengers and freight, should be established and the sector should move towards full application of “user pays” and “polluter pays” principles as well as private sector engagement to eliminate distortions, generate revenues and ensure financing for future transport investments.

Long-distance travel and intercontinental freight: air travel and ships will continue to dominate

Low-carbon fuels in aviation should reach 40% by 2050, and EU CO2 emissions from maritime bunker fuels should be reduced by 40%. A complete modernisation of Europe's air traffic control system by 2020, delivering the Single European Sky with shorter and safer air journeys and more capacity, aspects where major improvements have been made by the introduction of technologies such as EGNOS “Safety-of-Life” service for aviation. The objective entails the completion of the European Common Aviation Area of 58 countries and 1 billion inhabitants by 2020.

Work with international partners and in international organisations such as ICAO and IMO to promote European competitiveness and climate goals at a global level.

Urban transport: big shift to cleaner cars and cleaner fuels

The European Union will reduce in 50% the use of conventionally fuelled cars by 2030, phasing them out in cities by 2050. The document foresees to achieve essentially CO2-free movement of goods in major urban centres by 2030. In line with this objective, the European Commission aims to move close to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050, halving road casualties by 2020. This objective implies making sure that the EU is a world leader in safety and security of transport in aviation, rail and maritime.