Untitled - Ministerstwo Rozwoju Regionalnego

Chapter 11
SUSTAINABLE URBAN MOBILITY:
INTEGRATED PERSPECTIVE
(Marcin Wo³ek)
11.1. Introduction
Development of a city should be perceived as a continuous process of a system
striving to reach equilibrium. Such system is characterised by high complexity
because it involves a number of diverse functional subsystems. Since these functions
are interconnected, their coordination becomes crucial so that underdevelopment
of one does not result in limiting others.
The necessity of reconciling opposing goals of economic development, environmental
protection and social issues is a dilemma facing local authorities having
limited resources to carry out the tasks assigned by the legislator.
One of the fundamental urban sub-systems is transport, which is composed
of collective and private transport components. Appropriate shaping of the relation
between the two in the context of entire urban population plays a great role
in determining spatial attractiveness and quality of life. This is of particular importance
in view of the following facts:
– cities of the European Union produce approximately. 75-85% of EU GDP;
– about 80% of EU citizens live in cities;
– creation of a high-quality urban spatial environment is a priority of the
Lisbon Strategy.
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