The SCALE-UP Urban Nodes Platform Second Event: Key Discussions and Outcomes

*Urban Nodes Platform in Antwerp, Belgium on 13 November 2024*

On 13 November 2024, the SCALE-UP coordinator, City of Antwerp hosted an Urban Nodes Platform, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the integration of urban transport systems into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The event highlighted the increasingly vital role of Urban Nodes especially in light of the revised TEN-T Regulation, which now encompasses 431 urban nodes.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

*Figure 2 - Nathalie Guri (Eurocities) welcoming all participants at the Urban Nodes Platform Event*

The day began with a warm welcome from Nathalie Guri, Director for Projects & Knowledge Sharing at Eurocities. The opening session, "Feedback to Policy – What Research and Innovation Can Contribute to TEN-T and Urban Nodes Policy", featured a discussion between Yannick Bousse (CINEA) and Michiel Penne (SCALE-UP/City of Antwerp). The session highlighted the importance of R&D projects in supporting the real-world realisation of the TEN-T network framework and policy development.

*Yannick Bousse (CINEA) & Michiel Penne (City of Antwerp/SCALE-UP) at the Opening Session*

Mr Penne provided an overview of the SCALE-UP project, which involves three important European Urban Nodes: Antwerp (BE), Madrid (ES), and Turku (FI). The project runs until May 2025 and has implemented 28 measures across five areas to integrate urban mobility with long-distance transport. Both speakers highlighted the pivotal role of Urban Nodes in ensuring seamless transport integration, while Antwerp served as a standout example, showcasing its advances in multimodal hubs, mobility data platforms, and logistics systems. The integration of freight, demonstrated by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and bridging the knowledge gap between experienced and arising Urban Nodes were also discussed. In its role as both city and project coordinator, Antwerp has the unique opportunity to "translate" city-level needs to the EU level, furthering the alignment of urban and TEN-T priorities.

More key highlights included an emphasis on governance and establishing cross-boundary cooperation between the city and other stakeholders in the TEN-T urban node or across the TEN-T corridors. The use of SUMI indicators was mentioned as a simple and effective tool for cities to collect and share data with the European Commission. Finally, the session stressed the need for clear definitions of urban nodes, effective planning processes, and stronger connections between urban and rural areas.

Panel Discussion: Urban Nodes & TEN-T Governance

The panel discussion dove into the governance structures necessary to integrate Urban Nodes effectively within the TEN-T framework. The panel included Robert Szűcs (DG MOVE, European Commission), Erik Stok (Netwerkstad Twente), Thomas Geier (European Metropolitan Transport Authorities-EMTA), Thomas Ertel (Interregional Alliance for the Rhine-Alpine Corridor EGTC), and Luc Hellemans, (Lantis Antwerp), moderated by Juan Montero (Florence School of Regulation, EUI). The discussions highlighted how Urban Nodes are recognised within the TEN-T regulation, emphasising their crucial role in connecting long-distance transport with urban mobility for passengers and freight. Also, they focused on the need for a structured governance model to improve coordination between cities and TEN-T corridors, stressing the importance of collaboration across local, regional, and national levels. Some key points that are worth mentioning include the need to define metropolitan interests, ensure urban nodes have a voice in shaping corridors, and improve communication with partners like ports and other infrastructure managers. The role of EU funding and awareness of TEN-T across all governance levels were also emphasised, alongside the need for greater investment in urban infrastructure, particularly for freight.

Launch of the Eurocities Statement on "Prioritising Fast and High-Quality Passenger Train Connections in Europe"

*Alberto Mazzola explaining the new ambitions of the TEN-T regulations*

Turning ambitious goals into actionable steps, the discussions delved into the practicalities of implementing the TEN-T Regulation’s objectives. Speakers included Peter Staelens (Eurocities) and Alberto Mazzola (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies - CER), moderated by: Nathalie Guri (Eurocities). Discussions centred on the EU’s vision of connecting European capitals via high-speed rail, considering how cities’ priorities align with this goal. The session highlighted the importance of harmonising ticketing, ensuring fair competition with air travel, and promoting night trains. As part of the EU's long-term vision, High-Speed Rail (HSR) should connect 60% of EU citizens by 2050.

Policy Dialogue: Citizens at the Heart of Urban Nodes Priorities

*Speakers during the Policy Dialogue session*

Empowering citizens to shape the future of urban mobility was the focus of this dynamic panel discussion, which examined Urban Nodes policies through the lens of community priorities. Panellists included Elina Rantanen (City of Turku), Aquilino Iniesta López (Madrid City Council), Koen Kennis (City of Antwerp), María Corral Escribano, (TEN-T Network and Logistics at the Spanish Ministry of Transport), and Menno Menist, (Panteia), moderated by Ivo Cre (POLIS Network). Speakers discussed key challenges in urban mobility, particularly in cities like Turku, where transport systems still largely depend on private cars. Improving connections between urban and peri-urban areas and enhancing rail connections were identified as priorities, focusing on both short- and long-distance travel. Antwerp highlighted the difficulty of expanding sustainable transport modes beyond city limits and stressed the importance of improving regional train connections, including to ports, for freight transport. The main takeaway of the session is the need for cities to be directly involved in decisions affecting Urban Node investments, with a push for better coordination between urban, regional, and national authorities.

Urban Nodes Feedback Session: Investment Needs & Funding for Urban Nodes

Investment as the backbone of progress was the central theme of this session, addressing the pressing funding challenges faced by Urban Nodes in transforming transport systems. The plenary introduction was led by Torsten Brand and Alberto González Sánchez (European Investment Bank-EIB), followed by four facilitated roundtable discussions to collect feedback from urban nodes representatives and regional or national stakeholders. The session was moderated by Peter Staelens (Eurocities). Participants explored the types of investment projects required, such as public transport network planning, metro extensions, multimodal hubs, and long-distance rail connections. They also discussed the governance structures around transport infrastructure projects, highlighting the roles of local, regional, and national authorities in initiating and funding these projects. Participants shared their experiences with various funding sources, including local, regional, national, and EU funding, such as CEF Transport, ERDF, Cohesion, and Recovery funds.

Workshops

Three parallel workshops took place, focusing on key themes in Urban Nodes integration, encouraging active learning and collaboration:

Planning Long-Distance Transport & Urban Mobility Together: The workshop focused on exploring the integration of transport across various levels. Alberto González Sánchez (European Investment Bank/JASPERS) presented on mobility planning for functional urban areas, while Jochen Maes (Ecorys) discussed governance models for vertical integration. Dirk Engels and Evelyn De Wachter (Transport & Mobility Leuven) examined methods for monitoring sustainable urban nodes, and Sergio Fernández Balaguer (EMT Madrid) focused on the strategy to develop multimodal interchange hubs in Madrid. The session was moderated by Anna Ibraeva (Transport Research Centre of Technical University of Madrid).
Urban Logistics Management & Access Regulations: The workshop highlighted cutting-edge innovations in urban logistics and heavy-duty vehicle access regulations. Stella Aaltonen (City of Turku) shared insights on integrating urban logistics within SUMPs; Stijn Vernaillen (City of Antwerp) discussed advanced freight route planning; Isak Solomon (City of Oslo) presented integrated micro-logistics services for zero-emission cities; and Yanying Li (ALICE) addressed challenges faced by logistics operators. The session was moderated by Joris Beckers (University of Antwerp).
National SUMP Support Programmes (NSSPs): The third workshop examined best practices for developing NSSPs and support programmes for urban nodes. Eva Mastny (Austrian Ministry of Climate Action), Yiorgos Chronopoulos (Greek Ministry of Infrastructure), and Dominique Ameele (Flemish Ministry of Mobility), provided insights from the experience of developing support programmes in Austria, Greece, and Flanders. Irma Lissberg-Grondstra (Netwerkstad Twente) reacted on behalf of a city’s perspective and offered additional insights on integration and accessibility. The discussion was moderated by Lucian Zagan (Eurocities).
The SCALE-UP Urban Nodes Platform event highlighted the need for collaboration and innovative solutions to integrate urban transport systems within the TEN-T network. The key takeaway was that there is no need to panic: cities have long been at the core of transport solutions, and multi-level cooperation is already in place in many urban nodes. The challenge of the revised TEN-T Regulation is to scale up these efforts, improving integration between long-distance transport and urban mobility across Europe.
A policy document summarising the main outcomes and key recommendations will be shared at a later stage, providing a roadmap for further advancing the integration of urban transport within the TEN-T network.

Author: Eftychia Koliou (Smart Transportation Alliance)