A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan is a planning concept applied by local and regional authorities for strategic mobility planning. It encourages a shift towards more sustainable transport modes and supports the integration and balanced development of all modes. A SUMP is instrumental in solving urban transport problems and reaching local and higher-level environmental, social, and economic objectives.
European policy background
In 2009, the European Commission adopted the Action Plan on Urban Mobility, which proposes measures to encourage and help local, regional and national authorities in achieving their goals for sustainable urban mobility. Also the 2011 Transport White Paper “Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area - Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system” advises cities to develop Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. The European Commission adopted the Urban Mobility Package “Together towards competitive and resource-efficient urban mobility” in December 2013. Sustainable urban mobility planning is emphasized in the Urban Mobility Package alongside urban freight distribution, urban access regulations, deployment of intelligent transportation system solutions in urban areas and road traffic safety. In its annex, the Urban Mobility Package includes a comprehensive definition and explanation of the SUMP concept which was developed based on a discussion and exchange process between planning experts and stakeholders across the European Union.
Objectives and aims
A Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan addresses all modes and forms of urban and regional transport. It aims to provide sustainable and high-quality transport and mobility in the agglomeration and enhance its accessibility. Instead of addressing the needs of the administrative area only, a SUMP regards the entire urban area including its commuter hinterland. A SUMP integrates technical, infrastructure, policy, and soft measures to improve performance and cost-effectiveness. It aims to meet the basic mobility needs of all users. The SUMP concept emphasizes aspects of participatory planning, vertical and horizontal integration, and mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation and quality control.
