UITP launches 2023 summit wrap up report

June 28, 2023

How public transport continues to benefit cities and people

UITP launched the 2023 UITP Summit Wrap Up Report, shedding light on the comprehensive discussions and knowledge shared during the four-day congress held in Barcelona. With a focus on the future of public transport and sustainable urban mobility, the report examines the valuable insights derived from the two programme tracks: ‘Cities’ and ‘People.’

Gathering 423 speakers from 41 countries in 87 sessions, the summit highlighted the importance of enhancing public transport services to meet the evolving needs of customers and employees, while also addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and urban sustainability.

As the 2023 UITP Summit Wrap Up Report captures the wealth of knowledge and insights shared during the congress, it serves as a valuable resource for industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders in the public transport sector. The report gives a short and thorough overview of the issues the leaders of the sector are currently tackling.

Empowering people: enhancing lives through public transport

Under the ‘People’ programme track, the summit explored the transformative potential of public transport in improving the lives of individuals. The report emphasises the growing necessity for public transport to enhance its services to cater to the diverse needs of customers and employees.

Recognising the importance of inclusivity, the discussions centered around ensuring essential mobility for all, regardless of gender, origin, and accessibility requirements.

The report highlights the significant role of public transport in creating a more equitable and accessible society. It addresses the need for innovative solutions that provide seamless connectivity and enhance the overall customer experience.

Next generation cities: decarbonisation and sustainable urban environments

The ‘Cities’ programme track delved into the pressing challenges faced by urban areas. As cities continue to grow and face the impacts of climate change, it is imperative to transition toward sustainable and livable urban environments. Public transport is a key element in this transition.

At the same time however the changing climate has an increasing impact on public transport. Extreme heat or storms make it increasingly complicated to continue providing service. The report highlights experiences from New York, where entire metro tubes were flooded during Hurricane Sandy, to the Global South. Maybe informal transport can help build climate resilience.

Decarbonisation emerged as a key theme, as public transport systems must innovate to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to the global effort to combat climate change. The summit showcased successful initiatives and strategies for transitioning to net-zero emissions, highlighting the potential for electrification, alternative fuels, and sustainable infrastructure.

Barcelona declaration

Finally, CEOs from the public transport industry worldwide joined forces at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to public transport.

On Tuesday, 6 June, during the Executive Forum, an exclusive gathering reserved for the leaders of UITP Premium members, these influential figures engaged in high-level discussions on the sector’s key challenges. In a powerful show of solidarity, they unanimously endorsed the UITP Barcelona Declaration, underscoring their belief in the crucial role of public transport in society.

Read the Interviews in our Report

Hamburg has more ambitious goals for its mobility network. The city is in the middle of over a dozen state-of-the-art projects, which will give guests from all over the world a genuine behind the scenes look at what it really takes to transform a city’s public transport network into a modern, sustainable, and efficient service.

Hamburg Mobility report cover

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September 26, 2024 26. September 2024
Join the conversation in Hamburg! Call for Contributions now open
The UITP Summit is the defining event in the world of urban mobility – and the must attend occasion for the diary of all public transport professionals.  As the perfect place to get inspired on what the future of our cities can look like, the Summit brings together operators, authorities, industry suppliers and policy makers from across the globe. And now is your opportunity to be part of the global conversation by contributing to our open call to speak alongside your fellow international experts.   Building on the success of previous editions, from 2025 the UITP Summit will take place on an annual basis.  In 2025 and 2027, Hamburg will become the centre of the mobility world with the Hanseatic city becoming the first location for our new annual Summit.  And now, UITP is excited to open the official call for you to share your experiences, ideas, and best practices with the global public transport community!   Taking place in Hamburg, Germany from 15-18 June 2025, the UITP Summit is an unparalleled opportunity to be part of the conversation that will shape the future of urban mobility.    For the 2025 edition of the Summit, UITP is looking for contributions related to the following topics:  Net Zero CitiesLifestyleOperationsPeople-centricitySustainabilityTechnology[dsm_image_carousel gallery_ids="4865,5381,5061" centered_slides="on" slide_to_show="2" speed="1500" autoplay="off" space_between="30" use_arrow_custom_position="on" arrow_custom_position="40px" arrow_size="100px" show_lightbox="on" arrow_color="#FFFFFF" dots_horizontal_placement="-50px" slide_to_show_tablet="2" slide_to_show_phone="2" slide_to_show_last_edited="on|phone" space_between_tablet="20" space_between_phone="10" space_between_last_edited="on|phone" arrow_custom_position_tablet="25px" arrow_custom_position_phone="-5px" arrow_custom_position_last_edited="on|phone" arrow_size_tablet="80px" arrow_size_phone="50px" arrow_size_last_edited="on|phone" module_class="dss-carousel-images" _builder_version="4.24.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][/dsm_image_carousel]Driving policies to net zero  Meeting international climate commitments for our cities requires an ambitious, multi-faceted set of policies that focus on transport, energy and infrastructure. These policies must contribute to reducing  emissions and deploying new sustainable public transport  models in terms of governance, financing or pricing. Explore speaking opportunitiesOperating according to local needs Adapting services to the local context is an important action to best serve the needs of our passengers. By operating locally, public transport operators, authorities and industry can unite to propose operations that respond directly to local needs. From demand management and maintenance to deploying services, local and custom modes can be delivered directly to the passenger in a service tailored for their needs Explore speaking opportunitiesSustainable mobility as a lifestyle  Sustainable urban mobility should be the mantra for all those who choose urban living as their preferred lifestyle. By encompassing different approaches to public transport that favour environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically viable modes of travel, we can integrate convenient mobility options into our everyday lives. With options for all ways to travel, through on-demand transport, MaaS, multimodality, active mobility, and more, we can create convenient, passenger-centric travel as the inclusive way to move for everyone.      Explore speaking opportunitiesFocus on people and communities It is the people within public transport that make our sector the vital service it is to our communities. By placing a focus on individuals and communities we can refer directly  to the values, needs and well-being of passengers and employees. Mobility is an essential aspect of social inclusion, as well as an important pillar of public transport services. The people-and community-centered approach takes into account social aspects such as workforce management, diversity and inclusion, safety and affordability. Explore speaking opportunitiesAligning mobility planning with the SDGs Public transport contributes directly to 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the positive impact our sector has by helping our cities achieve their sustainability targets. Climate action is crucial, and public transport can play a leading role in contributing to more resilient and adaptable cities for everyone.  With thoughtful land-use planning, the necessary tools can be provided to implement the SDGs at the local level. This alignment is facilitated by resilient infrastructure, intramodal hubs, urban planning and public spaces, as well as ongoing adaptation to climate change.    Explore speaking opportunitiesTechnology for change With emerging technologies, public transport can adapt to the latest challenges and the newest opportunities for society, the economy, and our climate. Technological innovations are transforming the sector by examining the latest developments and their potential impact. With the conversation growing around Artificial Intelligence, we need to focus on cybersecurity, fleet electrification and the challenges around climate change adaptation, ticketing and new lifestyle trends. Explore speaking opportunities📆 Key DeadlinesThe Call for Contributions is now open and we’re ready to receive your submission.  Below are the key deadlines for your diary.  Call for Abstracts (Congress) - 31 October 2024Expo Sessions - 31 January 2025Innovation Guided Tours - 21 March 2025
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