Uber calls on European authorities to invest in public transport at local, national and European levels
For more than one hundred years, the private car has played a significant role in how people move around cities. But mobility is at an inflection point. We are shifting from today’s dominant singular mode of transport, defined by personal car ownership, towards a mix of mobility options enabled by the growth of digital apps.
However, public transport will continue to be the backbone of the future of mobility. What we currently need to move efficiently through cities won’t change: high capacity, high frequency systems running on dedicated rights of way such as metros, light rail lines, and upgraded bus systems.
New mobility services, used together with public transport, offer an attractive alternative to driving your own car. Recent research suggests that ride-sharing services reduce the number of cars on the road and increase the use of public transport, while a “10% reduction in car ownership is estimated to double demand for public transport”.
On-demand ridesharing services like Uber have proven to significantly impact people’s ability to think beyond their personal car in cities, by seamlessly integrating with traditional services. The recent introduction of the night tube in London has revealed that people are combining public transport and apps like Uber to get around more efficiently.
Against this background, and with many European public transport systems in many cities already operating at capacity, we are calling on the European Commission, governments and cities to invest more in public transport. As mobility needs are rapidly changing, this is the moment to reinforce investments in an integrated mobility framework that puts public transport at its core to accommodate for further growth in demand and reduce the current dependency on private cars.
As negotiations continue on the next multiannual EU budget, it is important that the European Commission and Member States increase support for public transport. A first and important step in this direction, is to strengthen the urban dimension in Cohesion Policy, which will reaffirm a commitment to sustainable urban development.
We understand that companies like Uber also need to step up and play their part in supporting cities in tackling transport challenges and we are committed to doing so in different ways.
Ridesharing has a crucial role to play in the shift away from individual car use. But the rise of e-bikes and scooters has confirmed that riders are driven by efficiency, avoiding cars in general at peak times. For example, in San Francisco, the recent integration of JUMP e-bikes into the Uber app has been shown to reduce car trips by 10%.
We have recently launched a $10M Global Fund for Sustainable Mobility to campaign for ideas that put the long-term public interest over maintaining the mobility status quo. Uber has also become a member of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), and we have started introducing our urban planning tool Uber Movement in a number of European cities, including London, Paris, Lisbon and Amsterdam.
We are convinced that the best solutions will come from new mobility services providers and public transport working together. We are committed to playing our part in the journey, but ongoing public investment in core services will be crucial to get there.
Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty