The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) will call on cities across the world to invest in public transport to revitalize economies and liberate cities from congestion at the 60th UITP World Congress in Geneva from May 26 to 30.

UITP launched a sector-wide objective at its 2009 World Congress in Vienna to double the market share of public transport worldwide by 2025. The Grow with Public Transport campaign supports this strategy and the Geneva World Congress will be an opportunity to learn about the most innovative examples of what is being done around the world to boost the quality and quantity of public transport.

UITP has developed urban mobility scenarios for 2025 with the International Energy Agency (IEA) highlighting the urgent need for more and better public transport.

“By 2025, 60 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas and the number of trips in these areas is projected to increase by 50 percent from 2005 levels,” said Alain Flausch, UITP secretary general.

Cities represent around 80% of the world’s economic output, with those cities investing in public transport gaining a competitive advantage in greater connectivity, job creation and in spurring new business.

“Doubling public transport’s market share by 2025 means tripling the number of trips made by public transport. This would lead to a 25 percent decrease in urban transport GHG emissions per capita between 2005 and 2025,” Flausch added.

Greater public transport patronage would also mean 60,000 fewer urban traffic fatalities per year as well as healthier lifestyles thanks to the 30 minutes of daily physical exercise by sustainable urban mobility.