High-value datasets – mobility in the EU
Publication Date/Time
2023-03-21T14:18:09+00:00
Monitoring the push towards greener mobility in the EU
This is part of a series of articles showcasing examples of high-value
datasets from their different thematic categories. High-value datasets
are defined by EU law based on their potential to provide essential
benefits to society, the environment and the economy. This series aims
to help readers find reliable and accurate information from official
sources relating to the availability of various high-value datasets,
and to present this information through data visualisation. You can
check out the article providing an overview of high-value datasets
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/datastories/high-value-datasets-overview-through-visualisation].

Only datasets specifically defined by law can be considered high-value
datasets, and as such the data presented in this series of articles
does not necessarily fall under that definition. Instead, the data has
been chosen to be thematically adjacent to high-value datasets and to
showcase what can be done with information made available by official
EU bodies and EU Member States. The official list of high-value
datasets adopted on 12 December 2022 can be found in the legal
documents
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=PI_COM:C(2022)9562]
that define these datasets and their characteristics.

MOBILITY AND HIGH-VALUE DATASETS

The drive towards a greener, more sustainable economy encompasses many
aspects of society, including transportation. Modern, efficient
transportation methods can significantly reduce individuals’ carbon
footprint and contribute to the fight against climate change.

The European Commission has proposed
[https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news/efficient-and-green-mobility-2021-12-14_en]
several initiatives within the context of the European Green Deal to
improve the EU transportation system. The proposals aim to increase
connectivity by shifting passengers and freight to rail and inland
waterways, support the implementation of charging stations and
alternative fuelling infrastructure and incorporate new digital
technologies to improve urban mobility. The trans-European transport
network will serve as the overarching EU transportation network,
connecting 424 major cities through a network of rail, waterways,
shipping routes and roads, reducing travel times between cities.

High-value datasets will support the implementation of this strategy
by improving the availability and accessibility of mobility data
across Member States, with a category dedicated specifically to
mobility. This category includes datasets within the scope of the
INSPIRE data theme ‘Transport networks’ (as outlined in Annex I of
Directive 2007/2/EC
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32007L0002])
available up to a scale of 1:5 000. Important attributes include the
national identification code, geographical position and links with
cross-border networks (when available). The INSPIRE directive aims to
create an EU spatial data infrastructure for the purposes of EU
environmental policies and activities which may have an impact on the
environment.

For some Member States (to which Directive 2005/44/EC
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32005L0044]
of the European Parliament and Council on harmonised river information
services on the EU’s inland waterways applies), the category
includes additional datasets related to inland waterways. These
include static data on the characteristics of waterways, presence of
obstructions and usage fees, and dynamic data on water depths,
river/canal conditions, and possible flood and ice restrictions.
Inland electronic and navigational charts are also part of this
category, with information on the location of ports, lock and dam
contours and other useful navigation data.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/4.mobility-fin-01.png]
MOBILITY DATA FROM EUROSTAT

Timely and comprehensive data on mobility can be found on the
dedicated section
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/explore/all/transp?lang=en&display=list&sort=category]
of Eurostat’s website. Here, data can be accessed on various types
of infrastructure, including railways, roads, maritime and air
transport.

With the help of these data
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/RAIL_IF_LINE_NA__custom_4728137/default/table?lang=en],
it is possible to analyse the progress of railway electrification in
Member States over recent decades. The dataset provides information
about the transport infrastructure and provides insight into the
extent to which passenger and freight lines have been converted to
electric lines. Electric railway lines also play a significant role in
the push for a greener mobility. As an increasing amount of
electricity in the EU is generated from renewable sources, a
transition from traditional to electric lines contributes to a
decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. The visualisation below shows
all Member States with available 2021 data.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/4.mobility-fin-02.png]
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/4.mobility-fin-03.png]
In line with the reduction of greenhouse gas emission from mobility
through electrified railways is also an increased role for inland
waterway transportation. Inland waterways can help reduce greenhouse
gas emissions because water transport is more energy-efficient than
road or air transport, meaning that it produces fewer emissions per
unit of goods transported. Additionally, barges can carry much larger
loads than trucks, meaning that fewer journeys are needed to transport
the same amount of goods, further reducing emissions.

Eurostat provides data
[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/IWW_GO_ATYGO/default/table?lang=en&category=iww.iww_go.iww_go_a]
on this topic, specifically on the volume of goods transported via
inland waterways. This data can be used to monitor national or
international transportation, the type of packaging used and the
specific category of goods being transported, dating back to 2007.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/4.mobility-fin-04.png]
MOBILITY DATA FROM DATA.EUROPA.EU

The data.europa.eu portal offers a very high number of
mobility-related datasets. A search for information about railways
yields thousands [https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?query=railways]
of results, as do searches for inland waterways
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?query=waterways] and roads
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?query=roads]. To mention just a
few examples, it is possible to find information about electrified
railways in France
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/59593656a3a7291dd09c825e?locale=en],
the features of railways in Slovakia
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/b2160e58-c0df-48b6-8673-275ccacff981]
and the real-time status of waterways in the Netherlands
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/16060-vaarweg-informatie-status-vaarwegen-lijnen-].

Tracking the number and location of electric-vehicle recharging
stations – another key component in the push for a greener
mobility – is possible
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?query=%22electric%20car%22&locale=it&format=CSV&page=1&limit=10]
as well. Several national and local authorities have uploaded datasets
that detail how many of those stations are available all across the
EU, for example those near Antwerp (Belgium), Bologna (Italy)
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/colonnine-elettriche-ricarica-autoveicoli]
or Eindhoven (Netherlands)
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/22449-oplaadpalen~~1]. The
following graphic shows the position of some charging stations in
those areas.
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/img/media/4.mobility-fin-05.png]
MOBILITY DATA FROM OTHER SOURCES

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and
Transport operates the TENtec interactive map viewer
[https://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/tentec/tentec-portal/map/maps.html],
a map of the EU transport system where users can overlay various data
layers. On this platform, users can find information about the various
components of the trans-European transport network, including inland
waterways, passenger and freight railways, roads, urban nodes, ports
and airports. In addition, users can access data on the location of
alternative fuel charging stations, such as gas, hydrogen and
electric. The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport website
also provides access to news, reports and other relevant information.

The EU’s Joint Research Centre has conducted scientific research on
mobility and made the results available on the data.europa.eu portal.
One study analysed
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/217827b8-3e8b-4c8e-8738-497a94096717]
the impact of reducing subsidies for electric cars, while another
modelled
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/217827b8-3e8b-4c8e-8738-497a94096717]
the effect of the widespread adoption of electric cars on greenhouse
gas emissions.

The European Environment Agency website has a section
[https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport] dedicated to transport
and the transition to a more sustainable transport system. It includes
an annual report
[https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/transport-and-environment-report-2021]
that tracks the progress of the transport sector towards EU policy
targets, provides updates on electric vehicles and offers a series of
relevant datasets in its data services section
[https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport/dc].

Also worth mentioning are:

 	* the European Railway Agency, which collects and publishes data on
rail transport, including data on rail infrastructure, rolling stock
and rail traffic volumes, and plans and reports
[https://www.era.europa.eu/library/documents-regulations/plans-and-reports_en]
about the railway system;
 	* the European Aviation Safety Agency, which provides data on
aviation safety, including data on air traffic and the safety
performance of EU airlines, and information about sustainability in
aviation [https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/light/topics/sustainability];
 	* the European Maritime Safety Agency, which collects and publishes
[https://www.emsa.europa.eu/we-do/sustainability.html] data on
maritime transport, including data on ship movements, ports and
maritime accidents.

CONCLUSIONS

Mobility data can play a crucial role in promoting greener and more
sustainable mobility for both people and freight. This data can be
analysed to understand travel patterns, identify areas where
alternative modes of transport, such as public transport, cycling or
walking, can be promoted and optimise the use of the existing
transportation infrastructure. It can also help in the planning and
implementation of new, sustainable transportation solutions, such as
electric-vehicle charging stations, car-sharing schemes and green
freight initiatives.

By providing valuable insights into mobility behaviour, mobility data
can support the transition towards a low-carbon, efficient and safe
transportation system that benefits the environment and society as a
whole.

 

To download the visualisations, click on the following: HVD overview
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/4.0_HVD_overview.png],
electrified railways 2021
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/4.1_electrified_railways_2021.png],
electrified railways 1990-2021
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/4.2_electrified_railways_1990-2021.png],
inland waterways
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/4.3_inland_waterways.png],
charging stations
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/4.4_charging_stations.png].

To download the data behind the visualisations, click on the
following: mobility data
[https://gitlab.com/Giuseppeascone/data-provider-repository/-/blob/master/Data%20stories/mobility_data.xlsx]

 

_Article by Davide Mancino_

_Data visualisations by Federica Fragapane_

 
