At the ETUI event Béla Galgoczi, senior researcher at ETUI and Milena Büchs, University of Leeds, addressed transport poverty in the EU in connection with social and environmental targets. What exactly is transport poverty? Transport requirements can differ, depending on age, gender, income, location, social status, and physical condition. Nevertheless, existing transport offers are not always compatible with the requirements of socially disadvantaged people. Hence, social vulnerability may result in people being disadvantaged regarding transport participation – and vice versa. 

Since spatial planning and settlement structures as well as the available transport infrastructure have a significant impact on mobility, transport is characterised by a strong urban-rural gap. In urban areas, low income households can mainly be found along busy roads. Accordingly, they are particularly affected by traffic and noise pollution, even though many of them do not even own a car. In contrast, high-income households in Austria benefit far more from the commuting allowance and from tax advantages resulting from the private use of company cars. In many of Europe’s rural regions, cars are the only available or suitable transport option, making commuting the only option left. 

Due to the fact that the mobility systems focus on cars, the workplace, shopping centres and everyday destinations cannot be reached without an automobile in many rural areas. However, high mobility is also closely linked to a high quality of life, as it is an important factor for leisure activities as well as social and political participation. Hence, people, who can neither drive a car nor have access to one or simply can not afford one, are at risk of transport poverty. Problematic is that commuter routes are often organized around permanent car availability and public transport services are tailored to the needs of full-time employees. This means that many people, who, based on their income, age, location, and gender or who are socially disadvantaged and do not always have a car available, are often restricted in their everyday mobility. The same applies to part-time employees, in particular women.

The EU’s target is to reduce transport emissions by 60% by 2050, compared to the 1990 level. Transport accounts for almost 30% of the entire CO2 emissions in the EU, 72% of which comes from road traffic. Hence, transport is the largest problem sector with respect to greenhouse emissions and other air pollutants. According to Béla Galgoczi (ETUI), 13% of household expenditure for transport does not sound very much at first glance – however, studies show that approximately three quarters of it can be attributed to car use. Households in the highest income class spend ten times as much for using their vehicles than households in the lowest income class. Therefore, combatting transport poverty is a question of distributive justice. This shall be addressed at EU level, for example by revising the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the creation of a Social Climate Fund. Simulations in Milena Büchs’ study illustrate that introducing a CO2 tax with the simultaneous hand out of vouchers and tax reductions would be the most successful in fighting poverty and achieving climate targets.

In addition, expansion, accessibility, and new concepts of public transport are key to preventing stigmatisation of socially disadvantaged people. When designing mobility, climate and social issues must be thought together. Otherwise, the combined effect of low mobility and social disadvantage will result in a vicious circle, risking the exclusion of affected people from society.

Further information:

AK EUROPA: REPowerEU – The EU Commission’s new plan for more affordable, secure and sustainable energy

AK EUROPA: Energy poverty – Time to act at European level

AK EUROPA Position Paper: A long-term Vision for the EU’s Rural Areas

A&W-Blog: Lange Arbeitszeiten und Arbeitswege – Verzicht auf Freizeit und Familie (German Only)