Public support for bus lanes stronger than assumed

European city residents have delivered a clear mandate for better public transport but remain uncertain about the role of robotaxis in future mobility, according to new polling from Clean Cities.

The survey, carried out by OpinionWay across nine European capitals, shows that 83 percent of respondents support expanding metro, tram and rail networks and improving connections to suburbs. A substantial majority–63 percent–also back converting existing car lanes into bus or tram lanes if doing so speeds up services and makes them more reliable.

Public backing outpaces political caution

For Clean Cities, the numbers reinforce the case for immediate, pragmatic action even amid tight budgets. Jens Müller, Deputy Director of Clean Cities, told Cities Today that cities should not wait for large-scale projects before delivering noticeable improvements.

“Our polling sends a clear signal that cities should not wait, and even with stretched public budgets they do not have to,” he said. “Clever, targeted measures such as dedicated bus lanes can deliver major improvements quickly.”

Despite broad public backing, Müller acknowledged that some city authorities hesitate to reallocate road space to public transport, often due to pressure from vocal critics. He said the data shows this resistance is overblown.

“A vocal minority often creates the impression that measures like bus lanes lack public support, but our polling shows the opposite,” Müller said. “Cities should stay committed to reallocating public space, even when facing the initial opposition that every change encounters.”

Robotaxi regulation faces early trust test

While support for public transport is emphatic, views on autonomous vehicles are more complex. The polling reveals that 37 percent of city residents currently support robotaxis, compared with 35 percent who oppose them, while a sizeable 28 percent remain undecided. Interest is higher among those living in city centres than in suburbs, and demographic divides–including by age and gender–are evident.

Vienna, London and Hamburg are among the few European cities to publish basic policies or run experiments with autonomous vehicles, Müller stressed that the regulatory choices made now will shape long-term public trust.

“We see two crucial decisions that cities need to take now,” he said. “First, regulations must absolutely ensure that road safety is improved, not worsened. Second, rules should require integration with existing transport systems, particularly public transport.”

Müller warned that autonomous vehicles risk adding to congestion if policy frameworks are not carefully designed.

“Automated cars are still cars and we already have too many of those in our cities,” he said. “It is critical we get this right from the outset. And if city leaders are not involved then operators will simply cherry pick the most profitable routes, which has happened before.”

Main image: Ying Feng Johansson | Dreamstime.com