Metropolitan public transport is key for connecting urban and suburban areas and supporting one of the key metropolitan challenges – sustainable mobility. The new solution, “Cooperation platform for the development of metropolitan public transport,” reshapes transport planning by involving all relevant actors to address real needs and key transport issues. This collaborative, bottom-up model offers greater flexibility, quicker adaptation to changing conditions and locally tailored solutions, resulting in a more efficient and inclusive transport system for all.
The concept of the new solution
The “Cooperation platform for the development of metropolitan public transport” serves as an integrated space for collaboration among metropolitan stakeholders in planning, developing, and operating public transport systems. Its goal is to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and inclusivity of metropolitan public transport through shared best practices and innovative processes. The implementation includes the following steps:
1. Involve relevant stakeholders
The platform that brings together a wide range of stakeholders such as transport planners, local and metropolitan governments, operators, tech and data providers, businesses, citizens and county−commune unions, to ensure diverse perspectives and facilitate data-sharing and communication among all participants and local government units.
2. Establish the structure of the platform
The executive or governing body of the metropolitan entity initiates the formation of the cooperation platform — a formal working group. All members regularly meet to share insights and expertise, identify challenges, and develop coordinated projects.
3. Identify key issues and set the objectives
The solution addresses key transport issues such as fragmentation, municipal coordination, unified fare and information systems, sustainability, car dependency, traffic management, investment, accessibility, inclusivity, and technology integration, aligning transport strategies to create a unified metropolitan transport vision.
4. Create decision-making mechanisms
Combining formal frameworks and voluntary collaboration, the platform adapts decision-making processes to local contexts. Mechanisms such as transport master plans, operational and financial plans, and regulatory frameworks may be used. Decisions are ideally made by building consensus.
5. Establish task forces and leadership
To tackle specific challenges like technological integration, accessibility, or sustainability, smaller task forces can work independently and provide recommendations to the larger group. Rotating leadership ensures equal participation and prevents centralization.
Significance, innovativeness and transferability
Building on the best practices from the Stuttgart Region and the Capital Region Berlin-Brandenburg and the pilot action Possibilities of integrating bus transport in the Warsaw Metropolitan Area (more details are here), the solution introduces key innovations compared to existing tools:
- Enhanced collaboration: Improves coordination among transport services for greater efficiency.
- Flexibility: Integrates multiple transport modes (e.g., buses, trains, trams) and scales with network growth.
- Bottom-up approach: Unlike traditional top-down approaches often seen in public transport systems, the new platform encourages involvement from the entities it serves.
- Multi-stakeholder cooperation: Strengthens partnerships between local governments, transport entities, and others, ensuring equity and inclusivity.
- Sustainability: Supports eco-friendly transport aligned with Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.
Its adaptable design makes the solution highly replicable across metropolitan areas with diverse governance structures and development levels. The Warsaw Metropolitan Area will pioneer its implementation, serving as a practical example of improved coordination and stakeholder engagement in metropolitan transport planning.
Strengthening metropolitan cooperation
By reducing fragmentation and promoting inclusive, collaborative transport planning and management, the solution strengthens metropolitan governance. It provides a flexible, scalable model that can inspire metropolitan areas throughout Europe and beyond. Its implementation not only supports greener and more user-oriented mobility but also builds stronger partnerships and trust among stakeholders.
As metropolitan governances seek to meet the evolving mobility demands, this model offers a forward-looking, practical path toward integrated, resilient, and accessible public transport systems for all residents and visitors across metropolitan areas. To explore the full details and benefits of the platform, a comprehensive information about the new solution is available here.