From Data Gaps to Action: Tackling Transport Poverty Across the EU  

The issue of transport poverty, long explored in academic circles, is receiving growing attention in political debates. This shift became evident with the European Commission’s Study on Transport Poverty, released in November 2024, which presented the first EU-wide analysis of this critical issue. Thaís Gonçalves from DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL), outlined the conceptual framework for addressing transport poverty. This framework defines transport poverty through “three A’s”: Availability (presence of transport options), Accessibility (ability to reach essential services), and Affordability (cost of transport relative to income). Transport poverty is understood as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by both socio-economic factors (e.g., gender, income, age) and spatial factors (e.g., rural, peri-urban, urban). These factors influence the degree to which individuals experience transport poverty.   

“It’s really about seeing transport as an enabler.”

Thaís Gonçalves, DG EMPL

Pedro Homem de Gouveia from POLIS Network highlighted transport poverty as a symptom of systemic issues in the transformation process. European cities need to consider varying resources and differing levels of development between rural and urban areas. In many urban and peri-urban regions, rising car ownership—and with it, CO₂ emissions—signals that transport poverty is not a peripheral concern but a sign of broader systemic dysfunction. It must therefore be recognised as a core issue, with serious implications for climate justice and social cohesion. 

One of the key challenges in addressing transport poverty revolves around the lack of robust and regularly collected data across all 27 Member States. This gap in data availability and quality not only hinders efforts to measure the scope of the issue but also to develop evidence-based policy responses for addressing the issue. The Joint Research Centre tries to close this data gap. It enhances measurement and monitoring of transport poverty across the EU. With interactive maps on its Transport Poverty Hub, the Centre visualises transport availability.  

On this matter, Thaís Gonçalves presented a few indicators developed by the European Commission to measure transport poverty:  

I1. Transport Availability – Forced Car Ownership.  

This indicator captures where materially, and socially deprived (MSD) individuals own a car out of necessity due to limited alternatives such as public transport. In 2022, it exceeded the EU average in Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, France, Romania, and Ireland (see Figure 1).  

I2. Transport Accessibility – Commuting Time.  

This indicator measures the share of individuals who spend more than 30 minutes commuting to their workplace. In most member states, the share of people with long commute times is the highest within cities, while in most Member States people living in rural areas tend to be less affected by long commute times (see Figure 2). 

I3. Transport Affordability – Cost Burden of Mobility.  

This indicator examines both public and private transport costs, accounting for respondents who reported that public transport tickets are too expensive. While the share of individuals naming ticket costs as the main reason for not using public transport is generally low, averaging 2.7% across the EU, the highest values are reported in Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary (see Figure 3). 

Figure 1: Share of the population that is materially and socially deprived and owns a car (Source: European Commission, 2024, p. 26)  

Figure 2: Share of the active population spending more than 30 minutes commuting to work (one-way) by degree of urbanisation in 2019 (Source: European Commission, 2024, p. 34)  

Figure 3: Share of the population for which public transport tickets are “too expensive” (Source: European Commission, 2024, p.39)  

Here, you can find all the figures and facts that were presented by Thaís Gonçalves.

Improving Access to Public Transport: Best Practices from Municipalities across Central Europe  

The web seminar highlighted how the City of Zagreb and EUKI project “Transforming Transport: Climate Action Meets Social Equity” address transport poverty in Czechia and Slovenia. Marko Velzek from the City Office for Municipal Self-Government, Transport, Civil Protection and Safety of Zagreb presented the local approach to improving accessibility. The municipality held workshops to raise awareness of challenges people with disabilities face and improved the accessibility of transport stops. As of April 2025, residents over the age of 65 and under 18 can travel free of charge on public transport, an initiative that benefits approximately 40% of Zagreb’s citizens. Katjuša Šavc from the Focus Association for Sustainable Development added that addressing transport poverty requires a deeper understanding of the hidden drivers that affect vulnerable groups. She pointed out that many people fail to recognise their own limitations since they have followed the same habits for a long time.

Municipalities should play a key role in addressing transport poverty, she emphasised and highlighted the importance of local-level collaboration. In this context, Katjuša Šavc referred to the work of EUKI project “Transforming Transport: Climate Action Meets Social Equity”. The project currently maps progressive municipalities in Slovenia and Czechia that are already addressing transport poverty. The aim is to identify their specific needs and initiate a dialogue with national ministries on how to provide targeted support. In this context, particular attention is also being given to the new generation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) developed at the local level. The project examines how municipalities integrate transport poverty in those plans.  
Pedro Homem de Gouveia concluded that addressing transport poverty effectively requires a shift towards empowering local and regional actors, recognising their unique knowledge, capabilities, and proximity to the community they serve. In this sense, solutions must build on local strengths and involve the mobilisation of endogenous resources, with national and EU-level support enabling rather than overriding community-driven action.  

Leveraging Funding Instruments to Tackle Transport Poverty 

The Social Climate Fund (SCF) has a limited scope as a funding instrument for addressing transport poverty, as it was specifically designed to mitigate the social impacts of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS2) on buildings and road transport. Thaís Gonçalves highlighted that, beyond the SCF Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), can be mobilised to support transport related investments. However, she underscored that strategic coordination among these funds remains limited. A more integrated and complementary approach in the mobilisation of those instruments is needed, Thaís Gonçalves said. Katjuša Šavc recommended harnessing the potential of private investments, particularly at the municipal level, where it could play a key role in supporting on-demand transport services and addressing local transport poverty challenges.  

Ultimately, Pedro Homem de Gouveia argued that transport poverty should be recognised as a fundamental shortcoming of our current mobility system. From his perspective, a new approach to mobility and accessibility could leverage existing public investments and attract private funding, especially in low-density areas where traditional mass transit is often ineffective and economically unviable.