Filenews 6 December 2021 - by Theano Thiopoulou
A new legislative proposal on digital mobility services to facilitate travel planning and ticketing within Europe is being prepared by the European Commission on the grounds that scheduling trips combining different modes of transport or operators may prove complex, as does the purchase of tickets.
This initiative was announced as part of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and aims to address the market challenges related to the development of digital mobility services. The ultimate goal is to better integrate public transport and rail services into a multimodal combination that will provide a seamless experience for the travelling public. Digital solutions can play an important role in increasing the attractiveness of sustainable modes of transport to the travelling public, helping the EU to achieve its sustainable development goals.
The public consultation is divided into two sections: the first brings together the views of citizens and the travelling public, while the second is addressed to experts and relevant stakeholders. The consultation is open until 23 February. All citizens and stakeholders are welcome to respond to this consultation. The following parties may have a specific interest in doing so:
• Citizens and travellers
• Carriers
• Digital mobility service providers
• Consumer organizations
• Any other directly/indirectly affected stakeholders.
Why it is done
The design and purchase of tickets for journeys that combine different operators or means of transport often faces obstacles in terms of lack of information and limited choice, especially when travelling across borders. According to the Commission, multimodal digital mobility services, such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) applications, route designers or ticket vendors, help to compare different travel options, options and prices and in some cases facilitate the purchase of mobility products. With this public consultation, the Commission would like to better understand how citizens and stakeholders use multimodal digital mobility services and what challenges and obstacles they identify.
In addition, the Commission invites for views preliminary identified possible policy issues such as: insufficient availability and accessibility of data, optimal cooperation between transport operators and multimodal digital mobility services, lack of cooperation between operators, limited availability of digital tickets, insufficient interoperability of payment systems and different licensing and distribution agreements.
The Commission notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated that ensuring a well-functioning Single Market is vital for the EU. The crisis has demonstrated the important role played by the transport sector, as well as the social, health and economic costs when the free movement of people, goods and services is subject to severe restrictions or even to a total ban. Maintaining supply chains and a coordinated European approach to connectivity and transport activity are essential in order to address any crisis and strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy and resilience.
