MISSIONS AND ORGANISATION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES IN THE EUROPEAN METROPOLITAN

摘要

More than 3/4 of the European population now lives in urban areas, and among them a growing part in metropolitan areas which are not viable without efficient public transport systems. Organising public transport systems in such complex territories is not an easy task (multi-modal networks operated by several companies, multiplicity of public authorities concerned). In spite of the great differences between the European cities, some common characteristics can be identified as far as their public transport systems are organised: clear separation of responsibilities between organising authorities and operators, decisions taken at the local level, co-operation between the public authorities involved through ad hoc public bodies, and, lastly, generalisation of public service contracts between authorities and operators, increasingly awarded through tendering procedures.