engleski

Need for a Radical Change of Current Comprehension of the Urban Transport Character and Engagement of a Long-Term, Carefully Planned, and Rational Policy

The world of the 21st century will be urban by its nature. Future generations will not live in a global village, but rather in a globally inhabited agglomeration. Despite all problems it is facing today, a city is, or must be, the best form of organised living. Some facts support this and point out that a city offers future – from an economical, social and environmental point of view. Today, urbanised areas of the European Union occupy only 15-20 % of the territory of the states in question, but more than 80 % of the total number of population lives there. Major disturbances referring to processes of urban and regional planning in European urbanised areas are expected to take place in future, and what is mostly characteristic of urban areas is traffic congestion. Passenger transport is carried out via a company. Price as company’ s own revenue does not suffice so that subsidy support has been present noticeably. Doing business with constant operating losses and insolvency problems solved by expensive borrowing without engaging a long-term, carefully planned, and rational policy, have caused the present state that cannot be solved either quickly or easily. Economic basis of public enterprises has weakened completely and today it is lagging behind considerably with respect to demands made on them. On the basis of the aforementioned, there follows a need for a radical change of current comprehension of the public transport character based upon its functions of a broader social interest. The situation is unsustainable and it is necessary to build a new system of financing. With regard to proved ungenerousity of “ communal revenues” and financing of their deficit from taxes as well as the present trend of expanding other public functions of local self-government units that cannot be financed within the stipulated volume, it would be necessary to enable local self-government units to have certain independence concerning taxation policy.

transport in the cities; transport strategy; financing; public transport; sustainable development; legal regulations

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