Urban Vehicle Access Regulation As A Mean To Improved Accessibility And Quality Of Life

Since the 20 th century, motorised traffic has framed how cities are shaped, where people live and how they experience urban life. The proliferation of internal combustion engine vehicles brought about a range of challenges, including air and noise pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, safety risks and inequality, and neighbourhood disconnection. Urban Vehicle Access Regulations (UVARs), understood as regulations governing road traffic entering cities or specific areas within them, have emerged as effective tools to address these issues. These policies have proven effective in promoting sustainable transportation choices, fostering liveable, healthier, and more inclusive cities. Indeed, across Europe there is a growing implementation of various regulatory UVARs, including Low Emission Zones (LEZs), pollution emergency schemes, Congestion Charge Zones (CCZs), and so on. However, missing guidance and missing clear information are often barriers for their effective implementation. This paper aims to address some the most common problems behind UVARs implementation and describes the latest initiatives aiming to add UVARs to the standard range of sustainable urban mobility policies in Europe. The aim is to demonstrate that state-of-the-art UVAR approaches are - if planned and executed in smart ways – effective, financially viable, can gain public acceptability and fit into modern governance structures. To this end, emphasis is placed on the necessity for comprehensive, harmonized, and digital approach to address fragmented or unavailable information and unclear rules. The paper explores ways to support the operation of more efficient, user-friendly, and non-discriminatory UVARs. Additionally, it underscores the need to investigate EU-wide interoperability standards for UVAR compliance, enforcement technologies and digital solutions. This paper leverages insights gathered from three studies commissioned by DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission over the last four years and from the ReVeAL research project funded by the EU Horizon 2020 program.