IRU Head of Passenger Transport Mr Oleg Kamberski, stressed, "Multimodal passenger transport terminals are an essential requirement in creating the truly integrated, seamless and sustainable European transport network that its citizens demand. Not only are buses and coaches routinely prevented from accessing the terminals of other modes, but in many European countries, bus and coach terminals simply do not exist. This situation is unacceptable to the millions of people that use buses and coaches every year".

Bus and coach access to all transport terminal infrastructure is crucial to ensure an attractive door-to-door transport solution for all passengers. European citizens must enjoy a seamless collective passenger transport service, which successfully competes with the performance and flexibility of the private car if private car users are to be encouraged to use more sustainable forms of mobility.

More information is available here. 

• The top 5 biggest sea ports in the EU are all connected to inland waterways.

• Every year, 140 billion tonne kilometres are transported over EU inland waterways.

• There are over 230 inland ports in the TEN-T network, of which about 75 are part of the Core network. About 40 of these ports combine the status of inland and seaport.

• The CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of a large inland waterway ship are only 1/3 of those of road transport.

• Rotterdam, the largest sea port in the EU transferred in 2010 1/3 of all goods via inland waterways.

• Europe's navigable inland waterways add up to 37,000 kilometres.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: "Further substantial progress towards a European single market for telecoms is essential for Europe's strategic interests and economic progress. For the telecoms sector itself and for citizens who are frustrated that they do not have full and fair access to internet and mobile services. In brief: 

• EU-wide and roaming-free mobile plans;

• Simpler rules to help companies invest more and expand across borders;

• First-ever EU-wide protection of net neutrality;

• Abolishing premiums for international phone calls within Europe

EIB President Werner Hoyer stated: "The positive development of our support for European SMEs and midcap companies underlines our strong commitment to contributing to the creation of jobs and growth in the EU. We will stay focused on this target and will continue to adapt our instruments to market needs".

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for Transport, said: "This grant demonstrates the continued commitment of the EU to Sustainable Urban Mobility. CIVITAS is one of the most important EU initiatives in this field, and will deliver tangible results. We need to develop further the urban dimension of our transport policy. To that end, the Commission will present a comprehensive urban mobility package later this year".

A network of sensors will be placed along a 50-mile (80-km) stretch of the A14 in a collaboration between British Telecom, the Department for Transport and the Cambridge start-up Neul, creating a Smart Road which can monitor traffic by sending signals to and from mobile phones in moving vehicles.

The technology, which sends signals over the white spaces between television channels instead of mobile phone networks, could even pave the way for government systems to automatically control car speeds.