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The importance of good local and regional transport
The European Commission aims to strengthen the European Union’s economy,
improve its environment and ensure social integration.
Good local and regional transport has an important part to play in achieving
these objectives. This is because poor, uncoordinated transport throws up
obstacles to the smooth movement of people and goods, often at an unacceptable
environmental cost. Our vision is an efficient and attractive transport system,
enabling ordinary citizens to get where they want easily and sustainably.
The lead role in making this happen has to be taken by local and regional
authorities, transport operators and user groups. The European Community aims
to support them in two main ways:
 establishing the right policy framework
providing a range of practical tools which people
working on the ground can use.
The main political objective that underpin the Citizens’ Network Benchmarking
approach are set out in the Green Paper ‘The Citizens' Network’ (COM(1995) 601) and the
communication ‘Developing the Citizens' Network’ (COM (1998) 431). The White Paper
‘European transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ (COM(2001) 370) which
was published by the European Commission in September 2001 reinforces the need
and the commitment to promote the identification and dissemination of best
practice in urban transport.
Citizens' Network Benchmarking is one of the practical tools the European
Commission aims to provide to decision makers and officials in charge of local
and regional transport policy.
Through this initiative, the European Commission’s Energy and Transport
Directorate General (DG TREN) aims to enable authorities, operators and
citizens to answer two questions:
how does our local or regional transport system
compare with those elsewhere in Europe?
how can we learn from the best European practice?
Citizens' Network Benchmarking is based on self-assessment rather than on
assessment by outsiders. It aims to help people working on the ground to
achieve their own objectives more effectively. It is not a beauty contest, a
league table or a tool for academics.
Some benchmarking initiatives based on self-assessment are open, others are
confidential – that is, the results are only known by the organisations
actually taking part. Citizens' Network Benchmarking is an open benchmarking
initiative. Results are available to anyone who wants
to look at them.
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