National Mobility Consultation

In addition to its active participation in each of the six thematic working groups that met between October and December 2017, IFSTTAR responded to a request from the Transport Ministry to organise two important events: a workshop on urban logistics and a round table on the International Day of the Mobility Consultation (Assises de la Mobilité).

IFSTTAR's proposals for the Mobility Consultation belong to three main categories: planning, which sets out a vision of the state of the transport system in the long term; support and economic incentives; regulation and supervision, which includes transport safety. These proposals were presented by the Institute's representatives in each of the six thematic working groups. Olivier Bonin (AME-LVMT) for "M ore supportive"; Nicolas Hautière (COSYS) and Thierry Kretz (MAST) for "More sustainable"; Rochdi Trigui (AME-LTE) and Guillaume Uster (COSYS-ESTAS) for "Cleaner"; Anne Aguiléra (AME-LVMT) for “More connected"; Dominique Mignot (TS2) and Philippe Vézin (TS2) for "Safer"; Laetitia Dablanc (AME-SPLOTT) and Jean-Patrick Lebacque (COSYS-GRETTIA) for "More intermodal".

"We brought together a large amount of input from researchers from IFSTTAR departments within a limited timeframe. The results of several years of collective research on these issues are clear: there is not one form of sustainable mobility but several, depending on the users, their characteristics and the situations in which they find themselves, as well as the different types of area...".

Corinne Blanquard, Director of the AME Department

In parallel with these groups, periods were set aside for speaking and debate, for example the themed workshop on urban logistics on 17 October in Paris, organised by IFSTTAR and chaired by the Deputy Valérie Lacroute. "Promising avenues have been explored for promoting innovative urban logistics solutions," explains Laetitia Dablanc. This researcher is particularly pleased that the organisation of last mile logistics has been considered, as this is a real challenge for urban planning and space management policies at the different territorial scales. "The question of harmonisation and making sure that regulations are clearer for freight transport professionals has emerged as a key issue”.  

Digital technology offers new opportunities. Transport systems, travel practices and mobility policies are undergoing many changes and will continue to do so in the future. IFSTTAR rallied its network for the international day on 24 November, which brought together around 500 people. Led by Anne Aguiléra, a team from the LVMT jointly managed research unit organised a round table on the theme "Digital technology, new mobility practices and the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ". The participants included an advisor to the Finnish Minister of Transport and an official from the Singapore Land Transport Authority. Discussions focused on the nature of the innovations generated by digital technologies and on the role of public authorities in promoting their emergence, development and inclusion within sustainable mobility policies. Virginie Boutueil, Gaële Lesteven and Marianne Thébert of LVMT are unanimous: "Despite the differences in the territorial, cultural, political or economic context, the discussions have shown that current developments and the challenges that face local and national public authorities take very similar forms in many countries, both in the North and the South.”

As requested by the Minister for Transport, the material gathered during the conference will be used as input for the draft Mobility Policy Act ("LOM"). Through its participation in working groups, Innovation workshops and various Mobility Consultation events, IFSTTAR has been particularly active and conspicuous in its public policy support role. This work is continuing in 2018, at the instigation of the DGITM, as a qualified member of the group drafting the Mobility Policy Act.