UCLG, together with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Railways (UIC,) joined forces with UITP and adopted a joint global statement to call for the important recognition that local public servants and local transit authorities deserve in maintaining local public services in operation via public transportation.
The statement calls for maintaining an adequate level of service through measures including the protection of local transit operators and users, and access to information and service based on demand. It further calls for a coordinated response that includes all relevant competent local authorities and mobility stakeholders to ensure continuity of public transport, essential to the economy and social services, in this unprecedented time of crisis.
The statement acknowledges the important role of local public service provision during the crisis and expresses support for the local government officials working tireless at the frontline to ensure that this health crisis does not turn into a social one, too.
Essential services such as mobility will be critical, not only during the crisis, but in its aftermath as citizens return to work and cities reopen and the Guardians of Mobility continue providing their vital public service. Actions from competent authorities will be required now to ensure that local transit operators are protected and able to maintain service during the crisis.
The letter concludes with an example of good practices to follow for local transit authorities to protect operators and citizens and support the combatting of the pandemic.
UCLG has also partnered with UITP in our Live Learning Experience on mobility, held in partnership with UN-Habitat to showcase the value of public transport and protecting public servants, and to stress the role that partnerships between local and regional governments and transport organizations can play in securing the sustainability of public transport during the outbreak and beyond.
- Read the statement.
- Watch the live learning experience on mobility here.