Most citizens of the European Union live in towns or cities and most of those who live elsewhere visit them from time to time. Good towns and cities have always been concerned for the safety of their citizens and visitors. In the 21st century, the greatest everyday threat to their safety comes from the use of motor vehicles, yet road traffic is also the lifeblood of the same towns and cities. The heart of the resulting range of challenges to towns and cities in Europe today is how to continue to enjoy the benefits that the motor vehicle can bring, whilst massively reducing the currently totally disproportionate amounts of death and disabling injury that it brings with it. The message of Best in Europe 2002 is that there are known ways of achieving this by better adapting road and traffic systems to the needs, capabilities, limitations and vulnerability of their users - including enabling healthier and more environmentally friendly travel on foot and by bicycle to grow while still reducing death and injury on the roads. A number of Member States have adopted policies to take up these opportunities and their towns and cities have begun to implement them, and some towns and cities in other Member States are also showing the way. It remains to bring home to opinion formers and decision makers in towns and cities throughout Europe the urgency of these challenges and the scope of the opportunities open to them. For the covering abstract see ITRD E117761.
Abstract