Commissioner Valean: Integrated approach for infrastructure needs, mobility and logistics in Bucharest, absolutely neccesary
Bucharest needs to raise its comfort and prosperity level to match that of other European capitals, and on the transport side, an integrated approach of infrastructure, mobility and logistics needs is absolutely necessary, the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Valean, declared on last Friday.
"Infrastructure, not only transport, in general, but looking towards matters tied to transportation, an integrated approach, of both infrastructure needs, as well as for mobility and logistics in the Capital City, is absolutely necessary. That is the trend actually. Things that we should start kick off with a strategy, an integrated vision on mobility and logistics in the city, that then unfolds into projects, which together represent, as a puzzle, piece by piece, what mobility and logistics mean for the city. The needs are huge. Of course that everything that means zero-emission transportation, the metropolitan train and tram, are means that the European Union places at the center of transport policies for urban strategies so that, of course, it encourages many projects," Valean said, after meeting with the mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan.
She highlighted that all member states, Romania included, are facing a financing opportunity from several possible sources.
"We glossed over (with mayor Nicusor Dan, ed. n) a few of the challenges in regards to financing those investments, financing, on one hand, but also the cobwebs of an administrative nature that are tied to various legislative acts or regulations that can delay those investments. It is a first visit, a first discussion. I am prepared, along with my colleagues from the European Commission, the Transport Directorate, to support all European cities in their strategy for sustainable development strategy for mobility and logistics, and of course, even more when discussing about Bucharest," the European commissioner pointed out.
Adina Valean mentioned that there is a European platform for big cities, where there are also Romanian cities and where is a constant exchange of ideas and projects that support urban sustainable mobility.