The Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda (MITMA) is in the process of developing a new transport strategy, a "Strategy for Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility”. Its vision is to “see mobility as a right, an element that helps to create social cohesion and economic growth”. The strategy is being developed in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, as well as wider international and European experiences.

As part of the development of its strategy, MITMA has initiated a participation process via its website through which it hopes to receive suggestions on the drafting of a new Law on “Sustainable Mobility and Financing of Urban Transport”. This law aims to respond to the challenges in economic, social and environmental matters that transport and mobility currently face, while taking account of emerging challenges in all areas of transport.

Amongst the objectives of the planned regulation, the following stand out: move towards applying green taxation in transport; establish a financing system for public transport based on stable, predictable and proportionate criteria; develop a governance model that allows for the coherent design of mobility policies; steer innovation and digitisation in transport and logistics; and move towards a sustainable transport and mobility model.

Given the complexity of the challenges that mobility and transport are currently facing, MITMA considers that it is very important to establish a true dialogue with different stakeholders to guarantee the success of its regulatory project. Without intending to be exhaustive, it considers the following areas as priorities for structuring the future regulation, and on which opinion is being sought:

• Transport taxation;
• Financing of urban transport;
• Subsidies and aid to transport;
• Planning and financing of transport infrastructures;
• Regulation to promote sustainable mobility;
• Regulation on raising awareness and training in sustainable mobility;
• Research and innovation in transport and mobility;
• Regulation of logistics and urban distribution of goods;
• Digitisation and automation of transport, including open data;
• Improving the competitiveness of transport and other sectoral measures;
• Instruments for governance and public participation.

The public consultation will be open until 30 October 2020. All interested residents, entities, administrations and associations can participate by completing the online form by following this link.

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Original article published by movilidadsostenible.com.es on 24 July 2020.