Moderator:
Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General, POLIS Network

Panellists:

  • Gemma Ellis, Clean Mobility Project Officer, Generation Climate Europe
  • Dr. Isabel Cunha, Assistant Professor, ENTPE University of Lyon
  • Esen Köse, Project Coordinator, SMALL (Shared Multimodal Mobility for All) project, Mpact vzw
  • Laura Alčiauskaitė, Accessibility expert and independent researcher
  • Jorge Morera, Board Member of the European Passengers’ Federation

On 8 July, EPF was invited to participate in a panel discussion in Ankara, moderated by POLIS Network, on the critical topic of “Building Equity into Everyday Mobility.” The conversation delved into accessibility in everyday mobility, and points addressed by EPF included how public transport, while forming the backbone of sustainable mobility, can truly serve everyone, everywhere, at any time.

Jorge Morera, EPF’s board member, addressed two core questions, prompting an exchange on how we can enhance accessibility, promote sustainability, and foster a truly integrated mobility ecosystem.

Public Transport: Leading the Way Towards Sustainable & Accessible Cities

For public transport to truly be the backbone of mobility, accessibility and addressing transport poverty are paramount. We need to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live or work, has the opportunity to be a passenger. This means extending clean and energy-efficient public transport services not just to central areas, but also to the outskirts.

Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), which were the main topic of the conference, play a crucial role here, as urban planning and infrastructure design are fundamental to ensuring easy access to public transport stations and stops. Plans of this kind should also provide a framework where new kinds of public transport services are enabled while ensuring no one is left behind while transitioning. Ultimately, citizens must be offered a diverse portfolio of sustainable mobility options that can genuinely compete with private car use.

The Power of Multimodality: Connecting Journeys, Near and Far

The second key area of discussion revolved around how better integration of public transport and shared mobility can serve a broader group of users, extending beyond urban cores. This requires a dual perspective: focusing on both infrastructure and operations to provide multimodal services, and on the passenger experience—how people perceive and utilize these services in their daily journeys.

A key point emphasized was the importance of multimodal digital mobility services. This is a priority for the EPF, particularly for long-distance travel. The goal is to integrate all tickets and steps into one seamless process, under a single framework covering everything from tickets to passenger rights, making it clear, accessible, and centralized.

The link between long-distance and local mobility is also crucial. Urban mobility and local public transport are vital for enabling the first and last mile of trips. With the European Commission’s example of the recent announcements to keep expanding Europe’s high-speed rail, it’s more critical than ever that urban mobility systems complement long-distance rail, ensuring passengers can reach or leave high-speed rail stations sustainably and conveniently.

Finally, it was discussed the need for multimodal hubs at all levels. While high-speed rail stations will increasingly serve as key multimodal connectors, these hubs shouldn’t be limited to just big stations. They should exist throughout the network, providing passengers with convenient and sustainable options everywhere they go.

Our ultimate goal is clear: to build a public transport network that enables sustainable, convenient, and seamless access to all destinations—both near and far.