The 2016 edition of the European Mobility Week, held on 16-22 September under the banner of “Smart and sustainable mobility – an investment for Europe” was the most successful so far, with 2424 cities and towns from 51 countries signing up.
URBACT cities, with their long-standing commitment to sustainable mobility, were also part of this extraordinary campaign. Below a quick overview of activities from the cities that take part in URBACT mobility-related Action Planning Networks: Freight TAILS (sustainable urban logistics) and CityMobilNet (sustainable urban mobility planning).
So many ways to move around in Brussels
Brussels-Capital Region (Belgium) was celebrating with the slogan “Become Mobilmix” and a number of events designed to give inhabitants a taste of alternative mobility. Hundreds of people took part in activities, ranging from cycling and walking tours to a big party in the Port de Namur tunnel!
Brussels Mobility, a partner of URBACT Freight TAILS network, organised 9th edition of the campaign promoting car-free ways of getting to work and school. The campaign proved very popular, with 92 schools and 194 companies participating (reaching a total of 500.000 people!).
Watch the short video presenting the campaign, in English
The 2016 has seen also a debut of Maestro Mobile, a citywide game in which companies challenge each other by using the best mobility solutions. 80 teams of 4 members were stationed all around the city, with the mission to get to a given destination with a lowest impact on environment possible while using as many modes of transport as possible. The participants competed for attractive prices, including a 3-day trip to Copenhagen for each member of the winning team.
Staying safe in Umeå
The municipality of Umeå (Sweden), also a partner of the URBACT Freight TAILS network, used the opportunity of the European Mobility Week to further promote traffic safety among inhabitants, regardless of their age and the mode of transport they use.
The campaign focused on the interaction between different types of transportation, e.g. how car drivers should behave so that cyclists can feel safe. In addition, the municipality handed out free bike lights, cycle maps and reflexes to encourage safe cycling.
In a true URBACT spirit, the campaign emphasised that safety on the road is a common responsibility of all its users and encouraged inhabitants to reflect upon their own behaviours. This was done using an online « promise tree » where every inhabitant was asked to give a promise about what they can do to make the traffic situation safer.
Going car-free in Zadar
Zadar (Croatia), partner in URBACT CityMobilNet network, organized Car-free day, closing large parts of the city centre to motorised traffic and offering free bus transport on selected routes. The city focused their activities mostly on youth, offering traffic safety workshops to primary school pupils. The running and cycling events, organised in cooperation with local partners, also attracted a lot of interest.
Zadar, like many cities along the Croatian coast, is very popular among tourists. The influx of tourists has many benefits for the city but can be a challenge in terms of mobility. To address this question, the city has organised a round table on “Movement of people in the city of Zadar during summer” and invited local stakeholders to jointly reflect on possible solutions, offering tourists’ an alternative to private car.
Raising awareness in Agii Anargiri-Kamatero
The municipality of Agii Anargiri-Kamatero (Greece), a partner in URBACT CityMobilNet network, decided to celebrate European Mobility Week in a quite unusual way. The municipality invited pupils and teachers to take part in a theatre play focusing on traffic safety. The performance adressed issues such as speeding, helmet use, distractions or drunk driving. “For our city, the theatrical performance is an alternative method of sensitizing youth about mobility issues” said Nikolaos Sarantis, Mayor of Agii Anargiri – Kamatero, adding “We are optimistic that this activity will induce behavioural changes towards smart mobility”.
