Revised TEN-T Regulation adopted: Active mobility better integrated into EU’s flagship transport policy

The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) is an EU-wide network of rail, inland waterways, short-sea shipping routes and roads, connecting 424 major European cities with ports, airports and railway terminals.  TEN-T policy is crucial for developing coherent, efficient, multimodal, and high quality transport infrastructure across the EU. 

Historically, active mobility has been omitted from the TEN-T guidelines. However, the revised TEN-T regulation, officially adopted by the European Parliament on 24 April 2024, now acknowledges and includes active modes of transport within the objectives of the network. The critical role of urban nodes has been recognised, along with the need to integrate cycling with long-distance transport while promoting a modal shift towards active modes. The guidelines also highlight synergies, including general priorities for the whole network and additional priorities for railways, inland waterways and roads.

The key changes are:

• Definition of active modes
• Inclusion of health in the cost-benefit analysis
• Active modes as one of TEN-T's objectives
• Taking into account synergies with cycling infrastructure, including long-distance cycle routes
• Active modes in TEN-T general priorities
• Active modes in additional priorities for railways, including cycle parking at stations
• Active modes in additional priorities for inland waterways
• Excluding non-motorised traffic from TEN-T roads
• Excluding at-grade crossings across TEN-T core and comprehensive core roads
• Active modes in additional priorities for roads
• Obligatory Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) in urban nodes
• Multimodal passenger hubs accessible by active modes
• Mobility data indicators for urban nodes

Looking forward, in 2025 there will be an implementing act defining sustainability, safety and accessibility indicators for urban nodes. By 2027 SUMPs for all urban nodes will need to be in place, and by 2030 multimodal passenger hubs will be required to be accessible by active modes.