This indicator monitors the share of collective and non-road transport modes in total inland passenger and freight transport, respectively. Collective transport modes refer to passenger transport via buses, coaches and trains. Non-road transport modes refer to freight transport using trains and inland waterways. Total inland passenger transport activity includes transport by passenger cars, buses and coaches, and trains. Total inland freight transport activity includes transport by road, rail and inland waterways. All data are based on movements within national territories, regardless of the vehicle’s nationality.
Figure 1: raw data for the EU-27 share (%) of collective and of non-road modes in total inland passenger and freight transport activity, respectively, were obtained from Eurostat. Raw data for the increase in total inland passenger and freight transport demand were retrieved from the 2022 version of the statistical pocketbook EU transport in figures published by the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. EU-27 aggregate data were used. No additional gap filling was applied to the data. Information on data set uncertainties can be found directly in the metadata and explanatory notes provided by Eurostat. For data on the share of buses and trains in total passenger transport, only official Eurostat data sets have been used.
Additional information on the methodology used for data collection can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’ , ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’ and Statistical pocketbook 2022 (europa.eu).
Figure 2: raw data by country on changes (between 2005 and 2020) in the shares of collective and of non-road transport modes in total inland passenger and freight transport activity, respectively, were retrieved from Eurostat. Data are displayed at country level and are expressed in percentage points. To provide the broadest possible picture of European countries, geographical coverage was extended to the 32 EEA member countries and the Western Balkan cooperating countries when data were available. No additional gap filling was applied to the data. Information on data set uncertainties can be found directly in the metadata and explanatory notes provided by Eurostat. Only official Eurostat data sets have been used.
Additional information on the methodology used for data collection can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’ and ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’.
This indicator is one of a set of indicators that track the EU’s progress towards meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and their 169 related targets which are at the heart of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The indicator monitors trends in the shift towards environmentally friendly transport modes and the progress towards building a resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation (SDG 9) and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11). These targets are embedded in the following European Commission priorities: ‘a European Green Deal’, ‘a Europe fit for the digital age’ and ‘an economy that works for people’. The indicator is also relevant in the context of the Commission’s ‘sustainable and smart mobility strategy’, adopted in 2020. This strategy lays the foundation for the EU transport system’s green and digital transformation and for making it more resilient to future crises.
Eight Environment Action Programme
The component of this indicator that looks at the share of inland passenger transport accounted for by buses and trains is a headline indicator for monitoring progress towards the 8th EAP. It contributes mainly to monitoring mobility aspects of the 8th EAP priority objective set out in Article 2(f), to be met by 2030: ‘promoting environmental aspects of sustainability and significantly reducing key environmental and climate pressures related to the Union’s production and consumption, in particular in the areas of energy, industry, buildings and infrastructure, mobility, tourism, international trade and the food system.’ For the purposes of 8th EAP monitoring, this indicator assesses specifically whether the EU will increase, during the period of the 8th EAP (2021-2030), the share of inland passenger transport, expressed in passenger-kilometres, accounted for by buses and trains.
The accuracy of the part of the indicator dealing with passenger transport is currently limited because the collection of road passenger data is voluntary. As a result, these data are based on a large variety of statistical sources and some data gaps are filled with estimates. Additional information can be found here: ‘Share of buses and trains in inland passenger transport (sdg_09_50)’.
In contrast, the accuracy of the data on freight transport is generally good, since data collection is based on the following legal acts:
- inland waterways: Regulation (EU) 2018/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways.
Additional information can be found here: ‘Share of rail and inland waterways in inland freight transport (sdg_09_60)’.