Category «Policies»

A toolkit is online to support decision-makers in planning and implementing Urban Vehicle Access Regulations

A toolkit is online to support decision-makers in planning and implementing Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs). The CIVITAS project ReVeAL aims to help cities in their journey towards people-centered urban spaces by giving urban road space back to people and sustainable mobility. This toolkit was developed and tested within the 6 ReVeAL city pilots during the project’s three and a …

Road safety: trucks versus bikes

Over a third of traffic fatalities and over two-thirds of seriously injured traffic in the Netherlands are cyclists. The death rate of cyclists (the number of traffic fatalities per distance traveled) is more than eight times higher than that of motorists but more than three times lower than that of motorized two-wheelers. Almost three-quarters of …

Train and bike: a marriage made in heaven. But don’t forget walking first!

The Guardian reports about the underwater bike garage that should solve Amsterdam Central Station’s bike parking headache by offering space for 7.000 bicycles. The city of Amsterdam facilitates underwater bike parking to return the public space to pedestrians (residents, visitors, commuters). According to the Guardian, the garage results from a 4-year and €60 million project to clear …

AIANY presents plan for city logistics in NYC

Each year, 365 million tons of freight move through the New York City area. While this flow of goods brings many economic benefits, it also raises complex challenges, especially at the middle-mile and last-mile segments of the delivery supply chain, contributing to traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, public health and safety issues, and the degradation …

How cargo cycle drivers use the urban transport infrastructure

Electric cargo cycles are often considered a viable alternative mode for delivering goods in an urban area. However, cities in the U.S. struggle to regulate cargo cycles, with most authorities applying the same rules for motorized vehicles or traditional bikes. One reason is the lack of understanding of the relationship between existing regulations, transport infrastructure, …

Zero emission: attention moves from air quality to soil and water quality

Over 5 percent of Europeans die prematurely because of inadequate air quality; poor air is unhealthy. The EU Environment Agency presented new figures on air quality. In 2020, 96% of the European population was exposed to more particulate matter (PM2.5) than the World Health Organization considers healthy. NOx and Ozone also cause health problems. The …

POLIS and Eurocities comment on Euro 7 proposal: positive steps, with room for improvement

The recent proposal for the new Euro 7 standards to reduce pollutant emissions from vehicles, although taking some positive steps in the right direction, was met with serious concern by POLIS and Eurocities. Both organisations penned a joint letter urging EU policymakers to review the lack of ambition in the proposal, along with its increased …

COP27: many countries want more zero-emission heavy road transport vehicles

Ten more countries have supported a Dutch initiative for cleaner heavy road transport vehicles like buses and lorries. The countries in question are Ukraine, The United States, Aruba, Belgium, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, Curacao, Croatia, Liechtenstein, and Lithuania. Today they signed an agreement to ensure that all new lorries and buses from 2040 onwards in …

Biden labor proposal shakes up the gig economy

A US Department of Labor rule proposed this week would make it more difficult for companies to treat workers as independent contractors, a change expected to shake up ride-hailing, delivery, and other industries that rely on gig workers. The proposal would require that workers be considered employees, entitled to more benefits and legal protections than …