· Background materials for the media
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 1/38 · Introduction
‘What can be done to promote environmentally friendly public transport, car-sharing, walking and cycling? How can we make more use of clean technologies? What information systems can be put in place to keep us better informed while on the move? What can be done to improve our safety and security when travelling in town and city centres?’ On 25 September 2007, the EU Commission adopted a Green Paper “Towards a new culture for urban mobility” which aims to open a debate on the key issues regarding mobility in European towns and cities. The Paper aims to stimulate dialogue among both citizens and all relevant stakeholders in order to find solutions and improvements to a range of issues affecting people’s urban mobility.
Freedom to move: Urban Mobility across the EU
Free-flowing and greener towns and cities, smarter, more efficient ways of travelling and accessible, safe and secure public transport are cornerstone themes to improve urban mobility across the EU. Indeed, the efficient movement of people and goods is one of the main challenges facing most European towns and cities today. The EU Commission remains committed to improving urban mobility in the EU and, rather than imposing measures on towns and cities within Member States, it aims to enable and encourage the search for common solutions to urban mobility problems, promoting the sharing of good practices across borders, providing financial support, raising awareness among the general public and simplifying legislation in this sector, or in certain cases, introducing new legislation.
Shared solutions for a new mobility culture
A vast majority of EU citizens live in urban areas. On average a European citizen makes 1 000 journeys per year, with half of these less than 5 km. But how many of these shorter trips are made on foot, by bicycle, or using public transport? In the EU the car is dominant, with around 75% of all trips within urban areas made in privately owned vehicles. Within the confined space of our towns and cities, such a volume of car traffic causes significant congestion, higher stress levels, safety and environmental problems.
Based on the input received during a six month consultation with stakeholders, the Green Paper presents a set of issues for urban mobility and includes 25 open questions acknowledging these common problem areas. The questions address issues such as how the quality of public transport can be improved, how clean and energy efficient technologies can be best used, how walking and cycling can be promoted and how passenger’s rights can be protected. Other questions look at the idea of a “labelling” scheme to recognise the efforts of cities already combating congestion and improving living conditions, the introduction of urban Green Zones with various traffic restrictions and improvements to pedestrian and cyclist safety, or charging schemes for urban areas. The Green Paper addresses all forms of transport, including walking, cycling, motorcycles and motor vehicles; addressing passenger transport as well as urban freight and logistics. The Paper also examines potential obstacles to a successful urban transport policy and how these can be overcome through consensus building and the joint development and implementation of solutions across the EU.
Key themes: Addressing the challenge
Urban mobility contributes to quality of life for European citizens, but must adequately respect the environment, while stimulating economic development. With these requirements in mind, EU towns and cities face five main challenges:
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 2/38 First, to facilitate free-flowing towns and cities, solutions to traffic congestion must be found. Throughout Europe, permanent congestion in our city centres has negative economic, social and environmental impacts, costing almost EUR 100 billion annually. A fluid, properly functioning transport system allows people and goods to arrive on time and to limit the negative effects of congestion. Possible solutions include making alternatives to private cars attractive and safe, including public transport, car-pooling, walking and cycling. Other solutions may include Park and Ride facilities, urban charging schemes, better traffic management and information, and efficient freight transport.
Secondly, to facilitate greener towns and cities, solutions to the growing problem of harmful vehicle emissions, particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and excessive noise levels must be found. Possible solutions include the development of clean and energy efficient technologies, the implementation of traffic restrictions in town and city centres, such as the setting up of Green Zones to include pedestrianised areas, lower speed limits and charging for vehicle access.
Thirdly, to facilitate smarter urban transport, solutions must be found to cope with the increase in both freight and passenger transport in our towns and cities. With space increasingly in short supply and environmental constraints at the forefront of modern urban development, possible solutions include the development of Intelligent Transport Systems and urban management control applications such as better travel information for drivers and public transport passengers.
Fourthly, to facilitate more accessible urban transport, solutions must be found towards the adequate provision of public transport and safe infrastructure for walking, cycling and driving. Particular attention must be paid to members of our society, including the elderly and those with disabilities, for whom mobility is often the key to their independence. Possible solutions include the development of quality, frequent, reliable collective transport, good links between suburban and urban transport facilities, good connections to airports, railway stations and ports, and good parking facilities on the outskirts of towns and cities.
Finally, to facilitate safe and secure urban transport, vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists must be better protected. With over 40 000 people killed on EU roads each year, a range of solutions covering behavioural, vehicle and infrastructure measures must be found to reduce fatalities and complement the strict enforcement of traffic regulations. Possible solutions include road safety campaigns to encourage conscious, responsible behaviour from both drivers and pedestrians, the promotion of safe behaviour among cyclists to include the use of helmets, and the development of technologies to make driving safer, such as collision avoidance, brake assistance and sleep warning systems.
Stepping out with the new Green Paper
In preparation for the launch of this Green Paper, the EU Commission organised an intensive consultation process between January and June 2007. This included two stakeholder conferences, four technical workshops and an Internet consultation which all helped to better understand the expectations of Europe’s citizens. The Green Paper takes on the board the results of this consultation and heralds the beginning of a new consultation phase, with stakeholders encouraged to share their views with the Commission until 15 March 2008 in preparation for the publication of an Action Plan in early autumn 2008 which will outline tasks and a timeframe, in order to make concrete progress on key issues affecting urban mobility in Europe.
Achieving excellence: EU Success Stories
Many initiatives to improve the mobility of people, the efficiency and safety of transport, as well as to reduce the environmental impact of transport have already been launched over the past few years, with Europeans increasingly aware that good urban mobility helps to bring about growth and employment, strongly impacting the sustainable development of their towns and cities. Initiatives,
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 3/38 such as the Civitas, EU demonstration and research programme, have helped numerous cities to achieve a more sustainable, clean and energy efficient urban transport system by implementing, demonstrating and evaluating an integrated mix of technology and policy based measures.
Hundreds of EU cities are currently undertaking measures which aim to improve mobility and quality of life, and to reduce air pollution, noise, traffic congestion and accidents. With people across the EU sharing many similar problems caused by transport and traffic, the Green Paper will focus attention on these key areas, while also highlighting innovations and measures from across Europe. With this in mind, a selection of projects examples from each of the EU’s 27 Member States is detailed in the following pages. These case studies1 illustrate the future potential benefits of the Green Paper in practice. More specifically they also represent solutions to the five challenges outlined earlier, namely towards free flowing towns and cities, towards greener towns and cities, towards smarter urban transport, towards accessible urban transport, and towards safe and secure urban transport. Above all, it is hoped that examples of successful measures such as these, that have clearly made a difference to quality of life and the environment, can act as an inspiration to citizens in other EU towns and cities in thinking about the development of a new, sustainable urban mobility culture.
1 Sources : - http://www.eltis.org - http://www.civitas-initiative.org - http://www.steer-snowball.info - http://www.start-project.org/riga.html
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 4/38
· Case studies
AUSTRIA Project : Awareness for speed reduction and less car use
City Graz Further info Thomas Fischer, Department for Traffic Planning, City of Graz, +43 316 8723510, [email protected] Rita Pfeiffer, FGM-AMOR, +43 316 810451/39, rita.pfeiffer@fgm- amor.at Theme Towards safe and secure urban transport
Setting a trend by cutting speed - With 240 000 inhabitants, Graz is the second largest city in Austria and has a city centre with many pedestrian precincts and large volume of bicycle traffic. Graz was the first city in Europe to implement a speed limit of 30 km/h across 80% of roads in the city centre. Lowering speed limits and utilising roadside safety technology, such as signs that show motorists their current speed, have led to an average 10% reduction in speed, better conditions for cyclists and pedestrians, a sizeable fall in traffic accidents, and lower noise levels in the city. Some speed safety campaigns have also involved children, who have used radar pistols provided by the police to measure the speed of cars and then given apples to motorists driving within the speed limits, or lemons to those above the speed limit. Other activities include campaigns against the conversion of front gardens to parking spaces, a yearly car free day, organised cycling tours and publications to promote citizen awareness in cycling and walking as an alternative form of getting around the city.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org/
AUSTRIA Project : “Bicycle Appointments” - promoting the use of bicycles to travel to out- of-office appointments
City Linz Further info Manfred Comoli, Transport Department, Linz Municipal Authority, +43 70 7070 3285
Theme Towards free-flowing towns and cities
Pedal Power: Employees keep the wheels turning - Over 500 employees and field based staff at the Building Authority of the city of Linz have been encouraged to ‘get on their bikes’ to cycle to work appointments within 1.5km, rather than using their cars.
In the pilot phase of the project, employees of the Planning Office, the Civil Engineering Office, the Technical Office and the Regional Administration Office were encouraged to use a bicycle to travel to appointments out of the office, including site inspections, and meetings with project partners. Three bicycles were made available per office, along with shower facilities and lockers. Bicycles are stored in an enclosed section of the underground parking garage in the city hall, a facility which can also be used by private cyclists. It is hoped that all 2 500 employees of the city administration should soon be able to use this facility, with additional conversion of underground car parking spaces into bicycle parking spots foreseen and supported by the local authority.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
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BELGIUM Project : Awareness campaign for cycling
City Ghent Further info Yves Debaets, [email protected] Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Accepting responsibility, prompting action: Pedal Power in Ghent - Ghent is the capital city of the East Flanders province, with a population of approximately 233 000. The city has been dedicated to finding sustainable methods of travel since the early 1990s, initially focusing on journeys between home and school. In recent years, however, more specific attention has been paid to improving the commute between home and work. Under the auspices of the Step-by-Step project, the city authorities aimed to stimulate the use of bicycles and public transportation for those commuting from home to work.
A two pronged strategy was developed, with the campaign aiming to first, increase awareness of the problem and secondly, to bring about a culture of accepting responsibility. The campaign hoped to show companies and their employees that car use was responsible for significant traffic, pollution and noise levels in the city. The first action taken by the campaign was to declare an annual European Car Free Day which has proved very successful, with approximately two-thirds of car drivers choosing to get out of their cars and onto a bicycle for the day.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
BELGIUM Project : Traffic safety campaign - "What is your excuse?"
Province Flanders Further info Raf Canters, Mobiel 21, +32 (0)16 317701, www.watisuwexcuus.be [email protected] Theme Towards safe and secure urban transport
No excuses: Safety first in Flanders - In 2006, in an effort to stimulate responsible driving, the Flemish government introduced a traffic safety campaign under the moniker “What is your excuse?”. The campaign aimed at improving driver behaviour by showing the general public that there were no good excuses for ignoring traffic safety rules. People were encouraged to submit their excuses for not obeying traffic laws, misusing the hard shoulder on the motorway, and underutilising collective transport, via the project website. The best entries and slogans were then selected by readers and displayed at various points along the motorway system. Various Flemish celebrities were drafted into the campaign and were seen driving around in slogan-emblazoned cars, drawing both media and public attention to the campaign and the project website. With the ultimate aim of encouraging drivers to change their driving behaviour, the campaign proved to be very successful and was the winner of the Crystal Award at the French Festival de la Publicité de Méribel, where it was awarded best in category for Charities/General Interest.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 6/38
BULGARIA Project : STREAM - Bulgarian Black Sea resort villages
City Tourist destinations along the Black Sea coast Further info UBBSLA SECRETARIAT, +359 52 600 266, [email protected], www.ubbsla.org Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Rowing for home: Integrated measures along the Black Sea coast - The Black Sea Coast is Bulgaria’s most popular tourist destination. According to the World Tourist Organisation, Bulgarian tourism has been on the rise and has become one of the most important tourist destinations in the Balkan region. Recent estimates claim that the tourist industry will grow by 7% by 2010, and a further 5.5% between 2010 and 2020, which would make Bulgaria the fastest growing tourist destination in the region.
Begun in October 2006, the STREAM project promotes the move towards energy efficient transport in the tourist and recreation industries, specifically geared towards use during recreational activities. The project itself has two broad objectives. First, to promote sustainable mobility practices to, from and within recreational areas. Secondly, to use the practices adopted within recreational areas as a platform to promote green mobility in everyday life. In Bulgaria, the STREAM project is targeted towards Black Sea resort villages. In partnership with the Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA), the project targets both international and domestic tourists who are visiting the Bulgarian seaside and surrounding communities. The promotion and discussion of the project has been extended to all 21 municipalities within the UBBSLA network. Among these 21 areas, 3 pilot municipalities were chosen to test the project’s initiatives. In these municipalities, alternative “green transport” routes are being created for citizens and visitors. In addition, sustainable transport packages are being implemented for tourists wishing to undertake trips at Black Sea resorts and along the Black Sea coast, including transport, clean vehicles, dedicated bus services and newly created cycle lanes and walking routes. Solar powered vehicles are also being tested at local Black Sea resorts. In an effort to alleviate transit issues along the coast, UBBSLA is also setting up an interactive transport information system on their website, which will cover the entirety of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal region.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
BULGARIA Project : Pilot project for the transportation of disabled persons
City Countrywide Further info Dimitar Savov, Ministry of Transport, Transport Policy Department, +359 2 800 237 Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Tailor made transport for Bulgaria’s disable - Bulgaria was one of the first Eastern European countries to undertake a study of accessible transport. On 1 September 1995, a pilot project was launched with the aim of providing disabled persons in Bulgaria with door-to-door transport services in six of Bulgaria’s most populated cities, namely Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas, Stara Zagora, and Kurdjali. The study which preceded the implementation of the transportation services projects was divided into two phases.
Phase 1 included updating a list of physical disabilities for which public road and rail transport would be provided, updating a list of disabled persons in the project cities, studying the transport needs of this target group, developing specialised transport provisions, evaluating technical and economic issues and analysing best practices from other countries.
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 7/38 Phase 2 included the implementation of specific transport and management systems, the identification of existing facilities for the provision, maintenance and repair of specialised vehicles, the preparation of tender documents for the supply of vehicles, a review of wheelchair mobility issues, a draft regulatory document detailing all planned activities and associated financing requirements, and a full check of collective transport terminals and stops.
Upon finishing the study, a focused project approach was developed to service the six pilot cities, with specially adapted vehicles built, delivered, and put into service. A similar study of the public transportation infrastructure revealed the requirements for making intercity rail services disability accessible and led to the coordination between local services and intercity rail services. Although the project faced significant political and financial difficulties during the implementation phase, it was agreed that the humane essence of the project, namely providing equitable public transport for the population, was enough to overcome the difficulties presented. More importantly, the efforts undertaken in Bulgaria eventually served as a model for replicating similar projects across Eastern Europe.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
CYPRUS Project : Nicosia Public Transport Enhancement
City Nicosia Further info Michael Lambrinos, Department of Town Planning, Ministry of Communications and Works, +357 22806583, [email protected] Theme Towards accessible urban transport
On the buses: Increasing public transport use - Nicosia Public Transport Enhancement will be co- financed from structural funds and forms a pilot of a wider country-wide project to enhance Public Transport in Cyprus. The goals of this project are ambitious. Most strikingly, it aims to increase use of public transport from 2% to 10% and reduce the average level of emissions from buses by at least 40%. A wide variety of measures are being implemented in order to reach these objectives: Buses will be quicker, more frequent and better adapted to people with disabilities. There will be more bus lanes and bus stops. Buses will also be given priority at intersections and traffic lights. Moreover, information about bus timetables will be more readily available and a new ticketing system and new central bus station in Nicosia has been planned.
The road network and traffic management measures are also set to be improved and transport should become more affordable as road user charges are restructured to reflect the real cost of travel. The project also looks to the future and is funding research into the possibility of a tramway system and a link between Larnaka airport and urban centres. If this pilot project is successful in Nicosia then it will expand to enhance public transport across Cyprus.
Source: Ministry of Communications and Works of Cyprus
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 8/38 CZECH Project : Widening the Environmental Zone for Vehicles over 6 tonnes REPUBLIC City Prague Further info Vladimír Kadlec, The Institute Transportation Engineering of the City of Prague, + 420 2 2421 1919, [email protected]
Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Lightening the load: HGV initiative in Prague - The city of Prague, with a population of almost 1.2 million and an increasing number of visits each year relating to tourism, business and education, requires a concerted effort regarding the management of its traffic and the provision of adequate collective transport. One of the biggest problems facing the city is the increasing number of private cars, which has more than doubled since 1990. Current traffic policy developments are based around public transport services, the development of traffic infrastructure and the regulation of motor traffic, particularly in the city centre. Standards and competitiveness of collective transport have been improved, in order to encourage citizens to make a switch to public transport and to raise awareness about the negative effects of cars on the city’s environment.
Introducing and improving bus lines, along with the restricted access for heavy vehicles is at the heart of the of the city’s urban development initiative. The city has introduced restricted lorry access to the inner city and there are now two environmental zones, one in the centre of the city where access to vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes is restricted, and another outside this inner zone where access restriction applies to vehicles weighing 6 tonnes and above. By limiting the numbers of heavy haulage vehicles travelling through densely populated areas of the city centre, their negative impact on the flow of traffic is reduced, as well as a reduction in emissions, particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more general reduction in noise levels. Moreover, it also contributes to the wider effort to increase the number of clean vehicles on the streets of Prague by encouraging transport companies to renew their fleet, replacing old HGVs for modern, light and medium goods vehicles which produce less hazardous emissions and less noise and generally help to create a more attractive city centre.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
CZECH Project : Cyclobus - Bicycles on Buses REPUBLIC City Jablonec nad Nisou Further info
Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Gearing up for success - Jablonec nad Nisou, a town in the northern region of Liberec has a population of approximately 50 000 inhabitants. The town borders a renowned mountain resort area, serving the neighbouring Jizera Mountain range famous for its hiking and mountain biking. With an influx of holiday adventure seekers, transport operators began to receive a constant stream of requests for better transportation to accommodate cyclists wishing to reach the nearby mountain locations.
The idea of providing transporation specifically catering to the needs of cyclists was originally brought to the attention of the Jablonec municipality in 1998. The municipality responded positively to the idea because of its ability to both help cyclists and protect the environment, by reducing the number of cars in mountain parking spaces and the associated impact of vehicles in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Later that year, the town authorities and a number of private tour
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 9/38 operators cooperated to introduce and implement the Cyclobus measure. The Cyclobuses, subsidised by the town municipality, are divided into two parts, with one section for passengers and the other a space fitted with bicycle racks accommodating up to 23 bikes per trip. Following in the footsteps of Jablonec and using their model as an example of best practice, neighbouring cities Teplice, Dìèín, Chomutov, Litvínov and Brno have also introduced Cyclobuses within their own municipalities.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
DENMARK Project : Car Sharing Aalborg
City Aalborg Further info Kurt Markworth, Site Manager Aalborg, khm- [email protected]
Theme Towards free-flowing towns and cities
Sharing is caring: Catching a ride in Aalborg - The City of Aalborg is located in Northern Jutland County and has a population of 161 000 inhabitants, making it the fourth largest city in Denmark. Aalborg has many cultural and leisure attractions which serve its citizens and visitors to the city, and has become more pedestrian friendly in recent years through a number of measures to the satisfaction of both the users of city facilities and the retail industry. Although Aalborg is a city in a state of rapid growth, with a thriving harbour, an established university, an international airport, a major European motorway link and a coach and rail station, the environment and sustainability remain key factors in its development.
City authorities have successfully implemented a number of measures, radically increasing the attractiveness of its public transport system through the extensive integration of services. These include the introduction of a new car-sharing scheme. Car sharing gives citizens an opportunity to rent a car at preferential rates, with commercial car sharing having been introduced in 2004 using a public-private partnership model. An experienced car sharing company oversees the running of the scheme, which is steadily growing and now boasts 200 new members and 11 new vehicles. Pick up sites are located 500 to 1 000 metres apart in areas with high population density, near bicycle rental centres and public transport interchanges, including the city’s new bus terminal and the train station.
The scheme paves the way for car sharing as an alternative to buying a second or even first car, as long as it continues to meet the requirements of its users. Although car-sharing has had some difficulties gaining market in Denmark, user satisfaction with the Aalborg scheme is high and the measure is expected to expand further after the results of a dedicated marketing and information campaign are known.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 10/38 DENMARK Project : Implementation of Environmental Zones
City Odense Further info Mette Fynbo, Measure Leader, Park and Roads Administration, +4565512765, [email protected], www.odense.dk, http://www.levendeveje.dk/ Theme Towards safe and secure urban transport
With 185 000 inhabitants, Odense is the third largest city in Denmark. Odense is the capital city of the Island and County of Funen and houses the County Headquarters. Odense is located centrally in the middle of Denmark, with some 26 000 daily commuters and a major intersection for road, rail and bus traffic. To increase the health and the quality of life for both residents, workers and visitors in Odense it was decided to draw up a strategy for an alternative environmental zone for all housing areas, the city centre and surrounding public roads.
Behind these measures is Odense City Council’s commitment to road safety, safe routes to school (some 80% of school children either walk or cycle to school), cycling strategy and the resulting improvement of the city’s environment. For residential areas a plan has been established on how to implement the environmental zones. The working groups held several meetings the plans were presented to the residents in both areas to comment on. The results of the measures implemented include a 10% increase of cyclists and pedestrians along selected routes, a reduction in car speeds of 25%, a reduction in the number and severity of road traffic accidens, a reduction in transit traffic through housing estates, and a general feeling of better security and environmental quality for the city’s citizens.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
ESTONIA Project : Automatic Stop Calls and Information Signs in Vehicles
City Tallinn Further info Tiit Laiksoo, Site and Local Dissemination Manager, Tallinn City Government, + 372 640 4680 Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Curtain call for Tallinn’s transport information - With over 400 000 residents, the capital city of Tallinn is not only the largest city in Estonia but also considered the country’s centre for cultural, economic and higher education activities. Although Estonia only received independence in 1991, the capital city has witnessed significant changes in recent years. As result of its volatile economy, specifically an economic downturn followed by rapid economic growth, the city and its transport system have undergone significant structural changes. Most significant have been the rise of private cars being used in the city, along with a lack of development for collective transport networks. As a result, the quality of public transport has been in decline, and the rising shift to private car use has been damaging for the city’s environment, specifically the historical centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In order to attract more passengers to the public transportation system, a measure was initiated to improve passenger information systems throughout the collective transport fleet, mainly by adding electronic displays onboard vehicles and at stops and adding equipment for automatic bus stop- calls. The new information systems aim to provide real-time information for the passenger through the use of on-board displays, showing route numbers, destination, stop names and connection information. Other features include exterior displays showing line number and route information, and an automatic bus stop-call system which provides audible information concerning the name of
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 11/38 the upcoming stop and what connections are available for an onward journey. To date, 20 Tallinn Bus Company buses and 10 trolleybuses have been fully equipped with the information systems. With the new changes, the city hopes to increase the number of collective transport passengers to 6 million per year by 2008. The information systems are also expected to increase the number of disabled people who use public transport by 100% and increase user satisfaction by between 35-60%.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
ESTONIA Project : Public transport priority system in Tallinn
City Tallinn Further info Tiit Laiksoo, Site and Local Dissemination Manager, Tallinn City Government, + 372 640 4680 Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Making transport a priority in Tallinn - A number of measures have been implemented which give priority to public transport on Tallinn’s roads. These measures have made public transport a more attractive, efficient proposition for citizens and city visitors, reducing congestion in the city centre which has, in turn, reduced the levels of vehicle emissions and particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe), improving air quality in the city.
The most problematic roads and junctions, along with the duration of peak time delays were identified. This allowed project coordinators to define the key areas for trials and to propose detailed, tailor-made solutions. Following on from this, a strategy for the public transport priority system was prepared and it was decided that it should be an open, centrally managed priority system that can be further developed into a real time management and control system for public transport. Various solutions were tested, such as designated public transport lanes, a signaling system to prioritise collective transport, adjusted traffic controls to allow two-way public transport traffic while restricting other traffic to travel in one direction, and the removal of car traffic from tram tracks. Priority and information system equipment has been installed, with 20 buses and 10 trolleybuses now fully functional in the city. Also recently completed is the installation of 26 intersections as well as depot-servers and antenna-receivers for collecting data from vehicles. The overall aims of the measures remain on track to reduce peak travel times for 20% of passengers by 2008, to increase the number of public transport passengers by 8% on selected routes by 2008, to increase levels of customer satisfaction by 15% in the same period, and to increase the reliability of public transport to 85% of vehicles running on schedule.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
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FINLAND Project : TELEPAY - Telepayment System for Multimodal Transport Services using Mobile Phones
City Turku Further info Vincent Blervaque (ERTICO), + 32 2 400 07 24, [email protected] Theme Towards smarter urban transport- smart charging systems
Pay As You Go for transport in Turku - The TELEPAY project developed and assessed an innovative payment system for transport services such as public transport ticketing using mobile phone technology. Public transport related services were based on SMS and WAP technologies for ticketing, and short range communication including Bluetooth technology for ticket validation and access to closed networks.
The project started with investigating the needs and requests from a user’s point of view (end user, service provider, transport operator) and all actors involved. The technical, legal and commercial feasibility of a purchase and payment system for virtual e-tickets via mobile phones was then established, test sites set up in Berlin, Rome, Turku and Paris Ile, and tests conducted to measure the success of the technology in practice by developing potential scenarios and trialing solutions.
TELEPAY was a very successful project with promising results for the use of mobile phones as a means of innovative payment and ticketing for public transport. Concrete outputs of the project were the technological feasibility of the concept, the high user acceptance from end-users and also the decision of Turku Public Transport Authorities to continue TELEPAY as a commercial service.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
FINLAND Project : YTV - traveller information services as a tool for promoting public transport and reducing car use in the Helsinki region
City Helsinki Further info Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en Theme Towards smarter urban transport/Towards free flowing towns and cities
Keeping Helsinki up to speed - Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV), owned by the municipal authorities, is responsible for managing regional public transport. YTV organises public transport in the Helsinki region, running the competitive tendering process for public transport services. In order to ensure co-ordinated information, YTV collates transport data and disseminates information through other organisations and their own services. YTV’s public policy goals include promoting public transport and reducing car use. These, rather than commercial goals, have driven the development of its public transport information and real-time information services. The timetable database information is generally available free of charge to users and contracted services providers.
YTV have found that traveller information services can be used to improve the quality of collective transport services. In Finland there is a large amount of development in mobile technology, but the demand for traveller information services remains low, even though there is widespread use of mobile technology. An investigation of customer ‘willingness’ to pay for mobile services has been carried out, with a large survey among users of the information service. YTV currently operates a website, which includes a public transport journey planner - http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/reittiopas/en -
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 13/38 which is available free of charge, in addition to printed information, call centres and displays at stops.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
FRANCE Project : Biogas Bus Fleets
City Lille Further info Yves Baesen, Public Transport Department (LMCU), + 33 3 20 21 29 01, [email protected]
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
From ‘well-to-wheel’: harnessing the potential of biogas - With 200 000 inhabitants, Lille (Rijsel in Dutch or Ryssel in Flemmish) is the main city in France's fourth largest metropolitan area. This metropolitan area consisting of Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Mouscron and their suburbs constitutes some 1.2 million citizens across 87 municipalities. Citizens are encouraged to use public transport through a combination of measures, including improved service integration, integrated ticketing, and 12 new dedicated bus lanes. Public transport security has been significantly improved, with more security staff now on duty. A new regulatory body SMIRT (Syndicat Mixte Intermodal Régional de Transports) has been set up, which will implement the new integrated network and ticketing scheme with the overall implementation of the city’s ‘Urban Mobility Plan’ widely seen as an example of best practice and a benchmark for future projects of this type in other cities in France and across the EU.
The main focus of the initiative in Lille is the large scale introduction of biogas and the increased use of public transport. Working in conjunction with their Belgian counterparts, the Lille Metropolitan authorities have developed strong public transport networks and have, since 1990, been committed to developing and utilising biogas (methane) for a sustainable, emission free transportation system. Under the auspices of Lille’s innovative clean ‘well-to-wheel’ approach, biogas from household waste, locally produced in at a sewage treatment plant in nearby Marguette, is used to power 128 of the city’s bus fleet and could eventually fuel the entire fleet of some 400+ buses. Using biogas radically reduces CO² (Carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide) emissions, as well as particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more general reduction in noise levels. In 2004, work began on one of Europe’s biggest biogas production plants, which will go some way to fuelling the city’s buses and those municipal fleet vehicles currently powered by CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Due to the large number of CNG- biogas buses in Lille, this trial project is by far the most important currently being conducted in France, along with another two trials currently underway in Nantes and Lyon.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
FRANCE Project : New Nantes-Vertou railway link
City Nantes Further info Lamia Rouleau-Tiraoui, Nantes Métropole - Mission des Mobilités, +33 2 40 995222 Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Getting connected: Public transport priority - The conurbation of Nantes, with its 24 municipalities and 550 000 inhabitants, is the largest urban centre in western France. Over the last ten years,
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 14/38 despite its high growth rate, the Urban Council of Nantes has operated a voluntary policy for urban development and the environment. Thanks in particular to the development of its public transport system (over 83 million journeys each year), the city has witnessed a significant reduction in the use of cars for journeys.
The use of public transport is a priority in Nantes, promoted through a combination of management and infrastructure measures that have substantially improved the image of public transport. From an infrastructure standpoint a new Nantes-Vertou rail link has been introduced, using the existing national railway infrastructure between Nantes-Bordeaux. Served by a park-and-ride facility, the creation of this link between the communities of Vertou, St Sebastien and Nantes improves and promotes new public transport facilities, provides an alternative to car use and lessens the dependency on car use. Target users are particularly commuters from southern suburban areas and Nantes residents from the south-east sector of the city.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
GERMANY Project : BOB-ticket - Innovative pricing strategy for non-frequent Public Transport Passengers
City Bremen Further info Michael Glotz-Richter, Measure Leader, +49 421 361 6703, [email protected] www.bob-ticket.de
Theme Towards smarter urban transport
A smart choice for Bremen - Bremen is a renowned port and trade centre on the banks of the river Weser close to the North Sea, with a population of almost 550 000 citizens making it the tenth largest city in Germany. Aside from its thriving port and seaside industries, its automotive, electronic, steel and aircraft industries are significant contributors to the city’s economy. Levels of private car ownership are high, with statistics revealing that just 30% of Bremen’s citizens use public transport regularly, with the vast majority of citizens rarely using the city’s buses, trams or trains.
Many citizens are unfamiliar with public transport networks, schedules and ticket systems. To overcome this obstacle and to get more people using sustainable and environmentally sound forms of transport, innovative ticketing measures have been implemented to ease the access to public transport for new or returning customers. Special offers and incentives can be integrated into smart-card based e-tickets such as the BOB-ticket, a special chip-card targeting non-frequent public transport passengers. The BOB-ticket’s smartcard-technology allows the customer easy access to public transport without prepaid tickets, credit cards or cash, instead allowing the passenger to “ride now, pay later”.
Passengers only have to register once at a public transport operator for a BOB-ticket. Thereafter, when entering the bus, tram or train, the customer electronically books in the destination and number of passengers using a touch screen onboard. This information is stored on the registered smartcard, transferred to a main database, and then charged to the customer’s bank account at the end of the month. The smartcard recognises those passengers who have undertaken several journeys per day and only bills them for the cheaper one day-ticket. The measure has been a huge success, with more than 8 000 citizens registering as BOB-ticket holders within the first three months alone.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 15/38
GERMANY Project : Dynamic real-time passenger information for trams (and buses)
City Berlin Further info Christian Scheiter, Berlin Site Manager, Forschungs- und Anwendungsverbund Verkehrssystemtechnik, + 49 30 4303 3582, http://www.fav.de/
Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Keeping Berliners in the know - Situated at the heart of the enlarging European Union, Berlin is an important node in the Trans-European Network. Covering an area of some 891 km², Berlin unites a large number of urban districts, centres and boroughs, providing public transportation for the 4.4 million inhabitants of the city and its surrounding region who make over 1.2 billion journeys each year. Largely due to its excellent public transport network, Berlin has the lowest car ownership rates in Germany, with less than 350 cars per 1000 inhabitants although the city is not without it’s traffic control problems, particularly with regards to commercial vehicle issues.
To further improve the attractiveness of collective transport in the city, a prototype of an interface between the Public Transport Operation Control Centre and a dynamic passenger information system has been established in Berlin. The measure aims to accelerate the eventual full-scale implementation of dynamic information for passengers at tram stops across the city, giving passengers accurate, real time information about the departure time of trams on electronic LED- display boards. Tram line 6, with a total length of 21.6 km, was selected for demonstration because other tram lines run partly on the same track. On stretches of common track these other tram lines were included in the system and also displayed on the electronic information panels. In total, 100 information panels were installed at 40 tram stops and 4 intersecting bus stops along the route. Information displayed to passengers on the display panels included the line number, destination, and constantly re-assessed departure time.
The measure has proven successful in keeping passenger more aware and increasing the attractiveness and accessibility of Public Transport in Berlin. In the future, the provision of real time passenger information will be greatly expanded in scope from the current information displayed at stops, through the placement of real-time information displays at a potentially wide range of locations, even utilising SMS technology to increase the range and coverage of real-time information for Public Transport users.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
GREECE Project : Athens Tram
City Athens Further info Themistoklis Kasampalis www.tramsa.gr Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Championing new networks in Athens - In September 1997, Athens was awarded the 2004 Summer Olympics, providing a new and pressing stimulus to address public transport in a metropolitan area with a population over 3.5 million. Athens Tram was one of three urban transport projects specially constructed in relation to the Olympics, the others being the suburban railway and extension of the already enlarged Metro to the new International Airport. Construction work for the EUR 340m project began in March 2002, with the official start of services in July 2004. The current network
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 16/38 connects the city centre of Athens, including Syndagma Square adjacent to the Greek Parliament and main commercial centre, to Paleo Faliro. From there it branches out along the coast in two directions, to Alimos, Helliniko and Glyfada at one end, and to the Faliriko Delta, Neo Faliro and the Peace and Friendship Stadium at the other.
A 700 metre extension from Kolimvitirio to Voula at the system’s southern end is scheduled for operation by the end of 2008. Phase Two, scheduled for 2008-2020, includes expansion from the current city centre and for the eastern suburbs. It is anticipated that passenger numbers will rise substantially with extension to Piraeus, an urban centre in its own right and generator of passenger traffic as the focal point of Greece’s extensive ferry operations.
There are numerous advantages to the establishment of a tram network for Athens. The system is environmentally-friendly, relying exclusively on cheaper electrical power and does not emit pollutants. It is reliable and punctual, thanks to a dedicated tramway unhindered by vehicle traffic in the city and provides enhanced passenger capacity compared to cars and buses. It provides passenger transport to routes previously inadequately served by buses and due to stops being at ground level better access for wheelchair users and vulnerable citizens is facilitated. Source: http://www.eltis.org
GREECE Project : Air Quality in Thessaloniki
City Thessaloniki Further info Dr Evangelos Bekiaris, CERTH, +30-2310-498265, [email protected]
www.hit.certh.gr and http://immaculate.ece.ntua.gr Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Breathing new life into Thessaloniki’s streets - According to the 2001 TERM report (The Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism), Greece is the fourth most polluted country in the EU in terms of CO² emissions. With a population of approximately one million, Thessaloniki is the main metropolitan centre of northern Greece. As an economic, transport and tourism centre, it is heavily populated and congested. As a result, air pollution levels are high, particularly in the city centre, with Thessaloniki having witnessed a huge growth in the number of vehicles on its roads over the past 20 years or so.
Noise levels and air pollution in the city are high, including particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe). To deal with this problem the city council is promoting the use of clean vehicles for both bus fleets and private users. The primary objective of the measures were to improve the quality of air and to reduce the noise levels in Thessaloniki by combining clean vehicle technologies (electric power assisted bikes, electric scooters, hybrid passenger cars and a natural gas minibus) with other innovations in urban transport such as enhanced transport information, the use of management systems, smartcard technology and mobility management schemes. The measures were largely successful, meeting their key objectives and providing valuable lessons for other urban areas in the application of clean transport technologies.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 17/38 HUNGARY Project : Zone Model Parking
City Pécs Further info László Soó, Municipal Operations and Property Management Company of Pécs, +36 72 227 055, [email protected] Peter Merza, Municipality of the City of Pécs - European Development Office, + 36 72 515 937, [email protected]
Theme Towards free-flowing towns and cities
Preserving heritage: Prompting action in Pécs - Pécs is a middle-sized city with 170 000 inhabitants, located 40km from the Croatian border. A cultural, educational, commercial and health centre, Pécs was awarded UNESCO World Heritage site status in November 2000. The increasing number of private cars, visiting tourists and students has resulted in a huge demand for private car parking spaces and provision of public transportation. The city’s sensitive cultural heritage prompted action to counter environmental threats posed by the sharp increases in city traffic. Pécs’ main priority has therefore been to reduce the unnecessary use of private cars. To achieve this, the city has introduced a mixture of parking restrictions, car-free zones, increased parking fees and new clean public transport vehicles.
Pécs has turned large parts of its city centre, including the unique World Heritage site, into car-free zones and a zone-based parking system (red, blue, yellow and green zones) has been introduced. This limits the permitted parking time and charges much higher tariffs than before in the city centre (red zones), but provides alternative moderately priced parking (blue zones), low-cost parking on the outskirts of the city centre (yellow zones) and even free parking (green zones) outside the city centre. The expected outcomes of such measures are to increase the number of people using public transport, to reduce environmental pollution such as CO² (Carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide) emissions, to reduce particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and noise levels, and to generally improve living and working conditions in the city.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
HUNGARY Project : Tramway public transport priority scheme and real-time passenger information system
City Debrecen Further info László Sz•cs, Site Manager, Debrecen City Council, +36 52 511 551, [email protected] Tramway scheme: László Erdey, Local Dissemination Manager, University of Debrecen, +36 52 416 580, [email protected]
Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Keeping Debrecen on track: Public priority tramways - Some 220 km from Budapest, Debrecen is situated at the largest railway and road junction in the eastern part of the Great Plain. The Debrecen–Hajdúszoboszló–Hortobágy triangle is one of the most popular tourist locations in Hungary, offering quality services for health tourism, including spa baths, conference and business venues and the city of Debrecen boasts an annual flower carnival which is one of the most visited events in Hungary. Debrecen is the second largest city in Hungary, with 207 000 inhabitants, and has a
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 18/38 centralised urban structure. The main goals of the project partners are therefore to maintain the current modal shift and to create a well-organised, sustainable mobility framework to improve the quality of life for both citizens and visitors by raising the overall standards of urban mobility.
A number of initiatives have been undertaken including a car-pooling service for students which increases the level of vehicle occupancy for home to work trips, an accessibility scheme for the city’s conference centre and pedestrian zone to protect the city centre from traffic, and an integrated and extended cycling network to increase the number of people choosing cycling as a safe, environmentally friendly alternative form of city transport. The project with the largest expected effect on city centre traffic, however, is the tramway public priority scheme and real- time passenger information system. The tram serves as the north-south axis of the city’s public transport grid and to achieve a sustainable, clean urban transport system it was essential to make using it as appealing as possible for both Debrecen’s citizens and city visitors. Quality of service, adequate information systems onboard and at stops, and tramway priority were all measures introduced to ensure that the number of people choosing trams as their preferred mode of public transport has risen significantly.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
IRELAND Project : Paying for Parking by Phone
City Cork Further info Ian Winning, Site Manager, Cork City Council – Traffic Division, + 353 21 492 43 97, [email protected] Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Making the call: Innovative strategies for city centre parking - The city of Cork is the second largest in the Republic of Ireland, located at the heart of Munster, Ireland’s biggest county. There is a burgeoning electronics industry in the city and a well-established pharmaceutical industry in the surrounding area, with the main businesses with the city being banks insurance companies, legal firms, retail outlets, consultancies and service industries.
Traffic congestion is becoming increasingly problematic in the city, particularly in the early morning peak hours. Much of this traffic consists of cars with a single occupant travelling from home to work and back, or congestion in and around educational establishments in the early morning rush hour, with many parents taking children to one of the city’s 90 schools. With this in mind, the promotion of initiatives such as car-sharing have helped - in part - to reduce this source of congestion, which in turn leads to less pollution, reduced stress levels, shortened journey times and more accessible parking, which is currently at a premium.
Cork‘s ‘pay-by-phone’ scheme is an innovative parking management system that can be accessed via mobile phone technology. Members of the public can easily subscribe to the pay-by-phone system by post or internet, and then pay for street parking using their phones. The system administrator can also send a selection of pre-programmed messages to the subscriber. For example, users are reminded when their parking time is nearly up or of particular traffic restrictions which may affect the choice of their intended parking location. The scheme can also be adapted to incorporate a matrix of user types so that the parking charges levied are able to discriminate in favour of cleaner vehicles. Additional features are also planned for the service, including a real-time link to a Cork City Council Travel Information System and making information available concerning the availability of Multi-Storey Car Park spaces available to service users. So far, results have been very positive, with 77% of system users satisfied with the pay-by-phone scheme, and 99% reporting the intention to continue using the service on an ongoing basis.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 19/38
IRELAND Project : Rural Transport Initiative (Programme)
City Countrywide – 34 participating projects Further info Erin Cotter, Pobal, www.pobal.ie, +353 (0)66-7143960, [email protected]
Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Meeting needs in rural areas - Transport is a serious unmet need for many people living in rural Ireland and a key factor exacerbating exclusion in rural areas. Certain key target groups are especially vulnerable to a lack of transport, including older people, young people, people on low incomes, and people with disabilities. The 2002 National Rural Transport Survey suggested that as many as 380 000 people in rural areas perceived themselves as having unmet transport needs. The Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) was launched in 2002 to meet these needs, following an intensive consultation process and a public information campaign, with a provision for up to EUR 4.4 million earmarked to support the development of pilot public transport initiatives in rural areas.
Conventional bus-based scheduled services typically link rural areas to important urban centres, operating on fixed routes with fixed departure and pick-up points, which can often be inaccessible for people who have difficulty getting to these points. Non-conventional services, on the other hand, generally provide more demand-responsive or semi-scheduled alternatives, using smaller vehicles, which can collect rural residents directly from their homes, bring them to local service centres or transport hubs, and return them home afterwards. Unlike conventional services, these services are also more easily accessible to a wider range of user groups because of their ability to facilitate door-to-door service, or passenger assistance.
Thirty-four projects across Ireland are part of the Rural Transport Initiative (renamed the Rural Transport Programme as of 19 February 2007). Projects include provision of non-conventional services, community buses operating demand responsive schedules, car sharing schemes, and volunteer assisted transport, in order to best meet user-needs. The overall aim of the RTI has been “to encourage innovative community-based initiatives to provide transport services in rural areas, with a view to addressing the issue of social exclusion in rural Ireland, which is caused by lack of access to transport”. This has led to the introduction of a wide range of semi-scheduled and fully demand-responsive services. In 2005, RTI services generated more than 650 000 passenger journeys, which provided transport for an estimated 35 000 users. The initiative has been regarded as a success, providing a valuable transport alternative for vulnerable people in rural parts of Ireland, markedly improving their quality of life.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
ITALY Project : Clean Public Transport Fleet in Rome: Electric Buses
City Rome Further info Fabio Nussio, ATAC SpA, City of Rome, +39 06 4695 9469, [email protected]
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Working MIRACLES in Rome - Rome serves as the administrative, political, service, transport and tourist centre of Italy, with the wider Metropolitan Area home to some 4 million residents over an area of 5300 km². Rapid urban growth, witnessed since the end of the Second World War, has not
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 20/38 been matched by the development of adequate transport structures nor a viable public transportation system capable of handling the city’s growing population. As a result, the city has witnessed an imbalance between transport supply and demand, with the split leaning towards the use of private vehicles.
With this in mind, the city now boasts the largest Access Restriction Area in Europe. Under the guidance of the MIRACLES access restriction policy, the city has set up a Limited Traffic Zone (LTZ) in the historic city centre. Supported by an Automatic Control System (ACS), 22 electronic gates have been set up around the city centre to monitor the city traffic. Using Automatic Plate Number Recognition (APNR) the gates are able to recognise whether a car is allowed to enter the restricted area, automatically sanctioning those cars committing an offence. This information is exchanged via radio between the gate Road Side Unit (RSU) and the vehicle’s On Board Unit (OBU). The LTZ in the city centre currently prohibits cars from entering during working days from Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in order to protect pedestrian traffic. The impact of the LTZ has been noticeable with a 10% decrease in traffic during the day, a 20% decrease in traffic during restricted hours, a 7% increase in the use of public transport, an 18% reduction of private car use and a 12% increase in pedestrian traffic.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
ITALY Project : Agency for flexible transport services in Genoa - DRINBUS
City Genoa Further info Alexio Picco, Local Coordinator, http://www.amt.genova.it, + 39 010 55 82 289, [email protected]
Theme Towards accessible urban transport
Taking the High Road: Buses ‘on demand’ in Genoa - Located in the North West region of Italy, Genoa is the capital city of the Liguria region, with a population of approximately 630 000 inhabitants. At the heart of the Italian Riviera, the city’s large historic centre was designated as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2006. The city’s port is considered to be amongst the most important in Italy because of its traffic flows, and is recognised as the third most important in the entire Mediterranean Sea. The city lies between the sea and mountains, giving the urban center a long and narrow coastline. The unique topography, with the coastal area sloping down towards the city, has presented significant urban development and problems for conventional public transport in the city.
With this in mind, a flexible Demand Responsive Transport Service called the DRINBUS was set up in two hilly, highly populated urban areas of the city which have traditionally had little or no public transport provision. The service essentially provides dial-a-ride public transport, with both the dedicated call centre and the DRINBUS itself in operation every day except Sundays and holidays, from 7.00 a.m. until 8.00 p.m.
The service is flexible and built to meet user needs, acting almost as a door-to-door public service since a high number of bus stops are spread throughout the two participating areas. In addition, the distance between stops is generally no more than 200 metres. Users can choose where to begin their journey and where to end it and can also choose when to travel by simply making a free reservation with a call centre operative at least 30 minutes before departure. The system in place then calculates availability on the basis of requests received, available vehicles, optimised itineraries and timetables. DRINBUS is an added value service, with special low-cost fares and a variety of options for the duration of a pass or season ticket. With over 250 passengers using the DRINBUS service on a daily basis, it was decided to extend the scheme to other neighbouring areas of the
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 21/38 city. Results have been very encouraging, with the new service enjoyed by a wide range of citizens, including students, workers and the elderly.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
LATVIA Project : START – Access Restrictions for Freight Transport
City Riga Further info Olita Sproge, RCC Traffic Department, [email protected]
Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
A new START for Riga’s deliveries - Riga, with a population of approximately 730 000, is the capital of Latvia and largest city in the Baltic States. It lies between Western Europe, eastern Europe and Scandinavia, with all major roads and railways leading to, or passing through the city. Like cities in other Baltic States, Riga has seen a dramatic increase in traffic and levels of private car ownership, with negative associated impacts on the environment. Private car ownership, for example, has grown from 130 to 330 cars per thousand inhabitants in the last decade alone.
The historical centre of Riga is a multifunctional area where most of the city’s developments are based. There is a high concentration of both public and private sector activities here, including retail, offices and businesses, cultural activities and entertainment, hotels and restaurants, and state and municipal administration buildings. Back in 1992, Riga implemented access restrictions on day-time freight transport through the city’s historical centre. Unfortunately these restrictions were either not enforced, or proved impractical to implement. With this previous experience in mind, the START project is expected to find new solutions to change or adapt the current access restrictions for freight transport in the city’s historical centre, such as establishing hundreds of special “drop- off” delivery points to improve traffic flow, restrictions for various vehicle types (with preference given to environmentally friendly vehicles), and special zones restricting access to large vehicles in areas of historical importance. The new access restrictions aim to improve environmental quality and increase the efficiency of transporting goods into and around the city. The measures will be based on an analysis of goods deliveries and refuse collection in the historical centre and are expected to improve functionality by using the latest information technologies.
Source: http://www.start-project.org
LITHUANIA Project : PIKAS Software System - optimising public transport schedules
City Kaunas Further info Mindaugas Kucinovas, Director of Bussiness Development, Kaunas Trolleybus Company AUTROLIS, + 370 37 38 71 11
Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Planning ahead for traffic control - With 381 000 residents, Kaunas is the second biggest city in Lithuania and is densely populated. The city’s public transport system is comprised of a mixture of buses, trolley-buses and micro-buses that covers 46 routes and is operated by three independent service providers. In order to better coordinate among the service providers and optimise the route schedules, the city implemented the PIKAS system. This system, which is integrated with the databases of the city digital map, allows for timetables to be designed based on the time intervals between vehicles, the number of passengers on the transport lines, and the various inter-connecting services between the operators. The software provides a graphical representation of the routes upon which animated simulations can be played, making it easier to plan traffic based on existing
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 22/38 and new timetables. Furthermore, the system is versatile enough that new timetables can be created, or existing ones can be modified, in the case of traffic interruptions such as street repairs or accidents.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
LITHUANIA Project : “Bio-transport” - Awareness for clean urban transport
City Vilnius Further info Danguol• Vaitkien•, Healthy City Office, +370 5 2112589, [email protected] Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Making strides towards a greener city - With a population of approximately 550 000, Vilnius, the country’s capital, is by far Lithuania’s largest city. There are a large number of cars in Vilnius, with some 450 cars per thousand inhabitants, an increase of almost 50% on 1997 levels. The number of privately owned cars is ever increasing which exacerbates the problems of emissions such as CO² and NOx, particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and noise levels, which often exceed the maximum acceptable level of 55 dB (decibels) in the city centre. While the levels of privately owned vehicles is dramatically increasing, the numbers of non- motorised journeys is decreasing, with the number of trips made on foot decreasing from 41.8% in 1979 to just 29% in 2004, and by bicycle from 4.8% in 1979 to a mere 0.7% in 2004.
A number of measures have been implemented including a questionnaire to gauge the popularity of clean urban transport such as bicycles in the city’s Lazdynai district, and a “School by Bike” initiative to change the attitudes of the target group, children from 5 secondary schools in the city, and to encourage them to use bicycles and live a more healthy, mobile lifestyle. Lazdynai was selected because of the planned new cycle routes and cycle parking sites to be built near schools in this district. Bicycle-related events were organised both before and after the survey, including the “My Family, My Bike and Me” event which took place across Vilnius. This measure was designed to promote non-motorised transport and generally to encourage a more healthy way of life for cyclists, school pupils and members of various city clubs.
After the successful implementation of various mobility campaigns and events, children’s journeys to school have been changed for the better. According to 2004 data, the proportion of home - school - home trips made on foot increased from 54.8% to 60.2%, the proportion of home - school - home trips made by bicycle increased from 0.3% to 0.8%, more families now make trips using a bicycle in their free time and in just one year the number of school-aged children owning a bicycle increased by over 10%, to 79.2%.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 23/38 LUXEMBOURG Project : Parking Policy in Luxembourg
City Luxembourg Further info Mr. Streitz Head of Staff of the Urban Traffic Office of the City of Luxembourg, + 352 47 96 23 13, www.leda.org Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Driving through change: a parking policy for Luxembourg - The city of Luxembourg has 80 000 inhabitants and offers work to a further 80 000 employees. Luxembourg has one of the highest rates of car ownership in the EU and private cars consequently constitute a large part of the city’s daily traffic. Since the volume and pressure of car traffic has increased significantly over the past decades, the city decided to look for integrated solutions to a growing problem with a formal parking policy one of the main measures used to calm city centre traffic. The parking policy includes measures such as parking privileges for residents through residential parking licenses, and park and ride facilities at several locations around the city, together with frequent public transport connections to the city centre. The measures have discouraged commuter traffic and long term parking in the city centre, reduced commuter parking in residential areas, and has introduced efficient parking management through a clear system of parking zones.
The city has seen a drop in car traffic, as well as a corresponding increase in the use of public transport, with the overall use of buses having increased by some 80% since the implementation of the parking policy. The city centre is now more easily accessible and the fact that the policy has struck a balance between parking restrictions and park and ride measures has ensured that there has been no negative impact on the city’s economic activity.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
LUXEMBOURG Project : Hybrid bus (Luxbus)
City Luxembourg Further info G. Feltz, Autobus de la Ville de Luxembourg, + 352 4796 2983 Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Going Live with hybrid buses - Due to a large decline in the number of bus passengers in the 1980s and increasingly acute traffic problems in the city centre, city authorities implemented a series of measures to make public transport more attractive and to encourage citizens to make better use of the improved services. Measures undertaken included the creation of high performance Park and Ride routes, the provision of quicker, reliable and more regular services, and the implementation of a transparent, countrywide, integrated fares system.
Together with a coherent parking policy and other measures, the development of electric-hybrid buses (Luxbus) and buses running solely on rape seed oil exceeded expectations and contributed towards a 100% increase in the number of passengers using public transport in the city. Passenger comfort on these buses was found to be much better than their predecessors, mainly due to the integral ultra-low floor which has made them ideally suited to elderly passengers and wheelchair users. The environmental benefit of hybrid buses is also significant, radically reducing emissions and particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 24/38 general reduction in noise levels which improves the quality of life for the city’s residents and visitors.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
MALTA Project : Controlled Vehicular Access (CVA)
City Valetta Further info Peter Paul Barbara, Malta Transport Authority, Transport Strategy/European Unit, [email protected] Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Keeping up appearances: a new charging method - The Controlled Vehicular Access (CVA) system in Valletta, which was launched on the 1 May 2007, forms an integral part of the Maltese Government’s commitment to increase accessibility in Malta’s capital city. This sophisticated camera system, which has been set up across the city centre, charges vehicles according to how long they are within the CVA boundary.
The requirement for a CVA system stems from the wide consensus, ranging from residents to non residents and from business owners based in Valletta to their potential customers, that the city is a highly congested zone – a fact that has negative repercussions for the general public, the environment and business activity. The CVA measure therefore aims to improve the quality of residents’ lives, boost commercial activity and give Valletta, a World Heritage site, the environment and appearance it deserves.
Source: The Ministry of Urban Development and Roads of Malta
MALTA Project : Park and Ride facility
City Valetta – Blata l-Bajda Further info The Ministry of Urban Development and Roads Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Ticket to ride for shuttle service - Valletta, the Capital City of Malta serves as a residential area but it is mostly used as an administrative and retail hub. Approximately 30 000 people enter Valletta on a daily basis of which 75% of people who work in Valletta use their private car.
The Park and Ride (P+R) in Crown Works Horn Works Ditch, Blata l-Bajda (on the outskirts of the Valletta peninsula) began operating as a free of charge service in November 2006. The project involved the rehabilitation, up-grading and re-use of a derelict area which is part of the outer Valletta Fortifications. The Malta Transport Authority is currently operating a convenient, high frequency, free-of-charge mini bus shuttle service between the P+R facility and the centre of Valletta. The P+R site currently accommodates around 900 vehicles, though there are plans to extend this facility to accommodate more vehicles since the parking area reaches full capacity during the early hours of the morning during the working week. Free bicycles are being provided for those who wish to cycle from the P+R to the city centre, a distance of 2km. The Malta Transport Authority is also currently assessing the replacement of conventional mini buses used in the service with clean/zero emission buses.
Source: The Ministry of Urban Development and Roads of Malta
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THE NETHERLANDS Project : Public Transport Over Water
City Rotterdam Further info Henk Kamphuis, Measure Leader, Municipality of Rotterdam, +31 10 489 31 57, [email protected] Water Taxi website: www.watertaxirotterdam.nl/
Theme Towards accessible urban transport
All aboard: Water Taxi in Rotterdam - Rotterdam is the economic, social and cultural centre of the Rijnmond region and the industrial heart of the Netherlands. As the world's largest port Rotterdam generates a huge amount of private and freight traffic, making it necessary to continually update and develop its traffic and transport provisions. The problem of accessibility demands innovative approaches and solutions, which ensure that citizens and city visitors can enjoy a healthy, safe and pleasant environment whilst ensuring the city’s economic competitiveness. The need to reduce congestion, boost the number of people using public transport and alternative forms of transport, limit CO² (Carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide) emissions as well as particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and more generally to reduce noise levels is therefore a high priority for the city authorities.
A key aspect of Rotterdam’s policy is to stimulate new forms of vehicle use and ownership, including bicycle use and expanding water-borne passenger transport. One such measure is a water taxi system on the River Nieuwe Maas. Operated in close cooperation between a private company (Maastaxi) and the city of Rotterdam, who were primarily responsible for the construction of 30 landing stages, the water taxi has been in operation since December 2002 and has so far surpassed all expectations. The water taxi is similar to a motor vehicle taxi, in that there is no fixed route with passengers able to choose which landing stage to embark and which landing stage they want to be taken to. The water taxi works on a meter system, rather than having fixed tariffs for journeys, and can accommodate up to 8 passengers per trip. The landing stages are spread over an 8 km stretch of river, alongside the river banks and harbours in between Schiedam and Feyenoord, offering a direct and fast connection (with speeds of up to 50 km/h or 26 knots) between destinations on the both sides of the river.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
THE Project : Park and Bike in Amsterdam NETHERLANDS City Amsterdam Further info www.q-park.nl and www.fiets.amsterdam.nl Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Pedal Power: Providing choice in Amsterdam - Amsterdam is a city renowned for its cyclists, with its citizens cycling to work, to school and to the shops. The 17th-century city centre’s narrow streets and canals often do not allow for the smooth flow of road traffic, with heavy congestion and parking spaces at a premium. From couriers to police, from tourists to pizza delivery staff, cycling is an everyday and efficient form of transport around the city, with nearly 40% of all journeys within this flat, compact city nowadays made by bike.
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 26/38 With Park and Bike, users can park their car and hire a bike in the same location. In this way, car traffic in the city is reduced and an alternative to the car or to public transport is offered. At the heart of the Park and Bike policy in Amsterdam is the aim of reducing car traffic in the city and promoting a healthier, more environmentally friendly alternative form of transport. The city has implemented various forms of the Park and Bike measure, including the Q-Park (where users can park their cars and rent a bicycle without the need for a deposit), and the facilities at the Amsterdam Olympic stadium and the Sloterdijk station (which both provide a combination of Park and Ride and Park and Bike services, offering users multiple options for their trip into the city centre).
Source: http://www.eltis.org
POLAND Project : Transformation of a city centre area into a clean urban transport area
City Gdynia Further info Maciej Warszakowski, Site Manager - Gdynia, City of Gdynia,+ 48 58 668 84 38, [email protected] Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Cleaning up in Gdynia - Gdynia is a port city with 255 000 residents in the northern region of Poland. Famous for its maritime culture, the city’s development has always been linked to the maritime economy. In order to ensure that the city’s development is sustainable, significant efforts have been made to modernise the organisation of the public transportation system and the city’s road network. The city struggled with residents choosing to use private cars over public transport, leading to an overloaded city centre, and increased noise and air pollution.
Under the auspices of the TELLUS project, a significant effort has been made to transform the city centre into a clean urban transport area. The objective of the project is to encourage citizens to choose alternative modes of transportation over private car use. In addition, the city has undertaken a modernisation programme for the Main City Street. The implementation of this modernisation programme has been divided into 3 parts, all of which have been completed as of the 2nd quarter of 2006. Close to 2 km of the main central street have been remodeled, which included the reconstruction of the trolley bus overhead wires. Originally, in the 1960’s, the trolley bus wires was attached to the walls of the street, leading to significant noise and vibrations in houses and on the street. Now, however, wires are attached to new pillars. The city has also cut back on the number of parking spaces available in the city centre and launched public campaigns encouraging the use of collective transport, resulting in a 25% increase in accessibility for public transport, cycling and walking.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
POLAND Project : Enforcement of access restrictions in Krakow
City Krakow Further info Tomasz Zwolinski, Measure Leader, Municipality of Krakow, +48 12 616 87 48, [email protected] Theme Towards smarter urban transport
A gateway to the future for Krakow traffic scheme - With almost 800 000 inhabitants, Krakow is one of the biggest cities in Poland. The historic centre is unique and the city itself is a prominent centre of culture, tourism, science, and higher education. City authorities aim to reinforce the city's
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 27/38 standing as a metropolitan centre by implementing measures that improve the quality of life for its citizens.
One such initiative concerns the issue of vehicle access to certain areas of the city centre. The aim is to decrease the amount of cars in the old centre in order to improve environmental conditions for visitors and residents. On-street enforcement, by city guards and police officers, has proved insufficient in preventing private car users entering restricted zones illegally. Authorities hope that this project, which involves the use of an innovative electronic vehicle identification system, will provide a solution to the problem.
At present, the restricted zone limits traffic access mainly to residents and goods deliverers. Citizens are issued with a special ticket, which is displayed behind the windscreen, granting them access to certain parts of the city. However, this solution has been ineffective as well as labour intensive to control on the ground.
The aim of the measure will be to demonstrate the viability of an electronic access control which is being tested at one of the main gateways to the city centre. The expected result is a 70% reduction of transit traffic through the gate along with a 20% decrease in the overall levels of traffic passing through the old city centre. It is also expected to improve traffic conditions for public transport vehicles. Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
PORTUGAL Project : The Lisbon Smart Card system
City Lisbon Further info Pedro Santos, [email protected], http://www.metrolisboa.pt/ Theme Towards smarter urban transport
A smart choice for Lisbon - At the end of 2001, city authorities installed a new ticketing and access control system across Lisbon’s metro network. The change was from an open access system to a closed one, featuring control lines and access channels equipped with doors which read and validate data stored in tickets. This new access system required a major change in the ticketing system, involving the introduction of magnetic tickets and a contactless smart card, called “Lisboa Viva”.
This smart card utilises an embedded chip and antenna system, which works by holding the card over a validator located at station entrances. The validator reads and validates the data loaded in the chip and, provided the card is valid, enables quick and easy access to the networks - presently the Metro, Carris (tram) and Transtejo (ferry) networks. The procedure used for entering into the system is used again when “checking out” at the end of a journey and leaving the transport network. The card allows the user to load fares exclusive to each associated operator, along with multi-modal and combined fares, such as using a combination of metro and bus.
Results have included faster ticketing, better knowledge of origin-destination flows within the network, and integrated ticketing between bus, ferry and metro for non-frequent users. The overall result is that the general levels of service and efficiency have improved, meeting user needs and encouraging citizens and tourists alike to use Lisbon’s public transport system, which improves accessibility to the city centre, cuts traffic volume on the city’s roads and cuts emissions and noise levels associated with the use of private cars.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
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PORTUGAL Project : ECO bus line
City Funchal Further info
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Zero Emissions for Funchal bus service - Funchal, with a population of 100 526, is the capital of the Madeira Islands of Portugal. A 'zero emission' bus line, under the moniker ECO-bus, has been introduced to the central historical area of the city, in order to improve accessibility and to reduce pollution emissions in the most visited and congested parts of the city centre. The main objective was to develop a sustainable central bus line, which mirrored user needs and travel habits, in order to reduce urban traffic, improve urban centre accessibility, and to improve environmental quality through the use of zero emission vehicles. The ECO-bus line serves key destinations within the city, including commercial areas, municipality offices, main squares, and other tourist destinations. The provision of this central line bus service revitalises and integrates into the wider local public transport network, meeting the needs of both local residents and city visitors.
The ECO-bus is fully accessible for disabled and vulnerable elderly passengers, with the measure representing an environmentally sustainable way to travel through the city centre that dramatically cuts CO² (Carbon Dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide) levels as well as particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more general reduction in noise levels. Results from user questionnaires and passenger data reveal that the measure has been a success, with evidence of a significant shift towards public transport and lower levels of car use in the city centre, a greater integration between the cities core services and central car parks, improved accessibility to the urban centre and lower levels of pollution.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
ROMANIA Project : Clean & Silent Public Transport Fleet
City Bucharest Further info Florin Dragomir, Site Manager in Bucharest, Regia Autonoma de Transport Bucuresti. Tel.: + 40 21 307 41 90, http://www.ratb.ro/
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Bringing the fleet up to speed - Located in the southeast of Romania, Bucharest is the capital city with 2.3 million inhabitants. Considered Romania’s industrial and commercial centre, the city is also one of Eastern Europe’s main industrial centres and transportation hubs. The city is currently facing problems in population growth, and a dispersion of the population from the city centre to more suburban areas of Bucharest. Interestingly, because of the population growth, the rates of privately owned cars are increasing, but the number of passenger trips on collective transport has not been decreasing. With a bigger part of the population moving outside the city, Bucharest is confronted with significant traffic problems which are causing high energy consumption, excessive emission levels of CO² (Carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide), as well as particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more general problem of increased noise levels.
In order to combat many of the problems associated with the traffic issues in the city, efforts have been made to create a clean and silent public transportation fleet. The modernisation of the public
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 29/38 transport fleet with new technologies helps to reduce noise and pollutant emission levels. Since the project’s inception, the RATB (Regia Autonom• de Transport Bucure•ti) has introduced 60 new energy saving trolley buses and 8 trams manufactured for lower energy consumption. Approximately 73 km of tram tracks have been refurbished in order to increase the trams’ operational efficiency. As a result of the improvements in the trams and buses, there has been 10% decrease in the total energy consumption for electric transport traction.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
ROMANIA Project : Improving public transport information
City Suceava Further info Dan Dura, Measure Leader, Suceava Municipality, + 40 7226 20020 Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Regeneration to boost economy, promote investment - Suceava City is in the north-eastern part of Romania, 450 km from Bucharest. There are 118 500 inhabitants in Suceava and outlying areas, with the city located at an important interchange of European, national and county road networks. The historical centre of Suceava includes many monuments and orthodox churches and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 1999, the northern part of Romania has been involved in a government regeneration scheme to boost the local economy and promote foreign investment. One important aspect of this regeneration is the improvement of the transport network. Suceava began implementing clean vehicles and quality public transport services in early 2000, aiming to get more people to use public transport and to reduce the impact of traffic, emissions and noise on the city. However, it was essential that the technical modernisation of Public Transport went hand in hand with proper design and the management of accurate, good quality real-time information for citizens. Moreover, it was also important to circulate information through a range of appropriate channels such as monitors, timetables, posters, websites, visual presentations and the media.
Suceava aimed to reduce the number of journeys made by private vehicles and to increase the number of public transport passengers by 2008. People who have Internet access will easily find information to make their journey easier on the web, while tourists were primarily informed by posters, panels, timetables and a Mobility Centre. These measures will bring about an improvement in the information system which plays a significant role in the modernisation of collective transport. It is expected that there will continue to be a significant increase in the number of public transport passengers (up by around 4-8% before 2008) and thereby a considerable reduction in private car usage. It is expected that passengers’ needs will be better met if they are fully aware of the new public transport plan. Moreover, if the concept of “park and ride” or “park and walk” is properly understood and made feasible, then the quality of life in the city will be improved for all concerned and is the city’s next programme step.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org Slovakia
SLOVAKIA Project : Drive Slow Go Faster
City Martin Further info SNOWBALL: [email protected], Goudappel Coffeng BV Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
More efficient, safer roads for Martin - Recent experiences have shown that integrated urban planning leads energy savings and a better city environment. The SNOWBALL initiative introduces
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 30/38 two types of integrated urban planning methods. First, Local Transport Performance, which is an area-based approach that reduces the demand for energy intensive transport and secondly, the “Drive Slow Go Faster” measure, which improves energy efficiency of traffic by establishing corridors where speed is constantly reduced. Within SNOWBALL, 6 cities (Verona, San Sebastian- Donostia, San Fernando, Zvolen, Martin and Ludwigsburg) are implementing measures in line with these concepts. The cities are supported by a further 3 cities (Hilversum, Stockholm, Trnava) that have already implemented similar plans at an earlier date. Project staff in the implementation cities are trained in order to support other cities later on, thus facilitating a “snowball” effect for integrated planning.
Martin’s population is approximately 60 000, making it the eighth largest city or town in Slovakia. The city’s authorities estimate that Martin will soon grow by another 10 000 inhabitants, due to significant expansion in the east of the city. Their aim is to propose technical solutions to facilitate this expansion and accommodate extra traffic, whilst keeping the roads safe and free-flowing. In Martin, local measures focus on the application of the Drive Slow Go Faster approach in the city’s inner ring-road. The scheme has spearheaded a new urban mobility model which other cities in Slovakia and across the EU can utilise in the future. Martin’s transport planners have designed streets and junctions which aim to slow down traffic, making it safer for cyclists and pedestrians and less noisy for the city’s residents. At the same time, traffic now moves more freely and motorists and freight drivers can more easily get from A to B within the city.
Source: http://www.steer-snowball.info
SLOVAKIA Project : Streets for People
City Trnava Further info SNOWBALL: [email protected], Goudappel Coffeng BV Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Mobility matters: smart urban design in Trnava - Other good examples of smart urban design for energy intelligent transport and “streets for people” are to be found in Trnava, along with the Swedish capital, Stockholm, where smart urban planning has helped to boost the use of public transport and even to reduce demand for transport altogether by locating essential facilities closer to each other.
It has been found that the key to the success of measures lies in creating better links between those responsible for transport planning and urban planning. With successful coordination, urban design can be achieved without sacrificing effective mobility for citizens. As a direct outcome of the SNOWBALL initiative to implement clever urban planning and design strategies, Trnava’s public transport uses less energy, levels of vehicle emissions and particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) have been reduced, mobility – particularly for more vulnerable members of society – has been increased, and the city is generally a healthier, more attractive place to live and visit.
Source: http://www.steer-snowball.info
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SLOVENIA Project : Implementation and large-scale deployment of bio-diesel and CNG fleets
City Ljubljana Further info Andrej Kmeti•, Measure Leader, Javno Podjetje Ljubljanski Potniski Promet D.O.O., + 386 1 5822480, http://www.jh- lj.si/lpp
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Fuelling a change in Ljubljana - Ljubljana is an important political, cultural, and economic centre, with more than 265 000 inhabitants and situated at a major European crossroads of transportation links and influences. Although considered to be among the smaller European cities, Ljubljana is facing steady traffic growth and increasing number of daily commuters.
To better preserve the environment and beauty of the city, and to better serve Ljubljana’s citizens, visitors and 55 000 university students, a measure was initiated to develop sustainable regional production, supply and distribution structures for alternative fuels, with an emphasis on biodiesel. Through testing, demonstration and evaluation of the impacts of a large scale implementation of various clean vehicle technologies in public transport, the measure aims to attract other urban services, such as freight distributors and taxi services, towards converting to biofuel or CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fleets.
This measure consists of several tasks, including comparative analysis of market and regulatory conditions for bio-diesel supply and usage, a market study on the provision of raw materials for production of biodiesel, testing of different types of oil rape including hybrids in order to define the most suitable sort according to local climate conditions, and testing of biodiesel usage and its effects on engine performance. With continued co-operation between interest groups, local authorities and the public administration the measure is expected to identify the most suitable sort of oil rape for use in Slovenia, to initiate biodiesel production, to identify optimal fuel mixtures to limit the need for expensive engine modifications, and to develop technical specifications for optimised bio-diesel engine performance.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
SLOVENIA Project : Electricity Utility Vehicles
City Piran Further info Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Charging ahead in Piran - Piran is a town of just 4 576 inhabitants on the Adriatic coast. A medieval town, Piran is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Slovenia. However, the large volume of people visiting every year, along with the difficulty in negotiating the town’s narrow streets, forced a rethink in the way that Piran’s waste was collected.
In 2000 the town piloted a measure to use electric powered trucks as refuse collection vehicles. Noise and mobility were the major problems overcome by using electric trucks, which were quieter and more practical to maneuver. No differences were noted by the drivers between diesel and electrical vehicles in terms of acceleration, top speed, gearbox or filter changes. The lifespan and average time of service repair were roughly equal for both kinds of vehicles, as were running costs, although electric vehicles were more expensive to buy initially. The costs of alternative fuels, taxes
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 32/38 and the insurance of the electric vehicles are equal to the cost of conventionally fuelled vehicles. Even though batteries are very expensive and have to be replaced every 2 years, the overall cost of the electricity for charging and the battery replacement is still the same compared to conventional fuel. In the future the city will expand their environmentally friendly fleet of utility vehicles, but probably using vehicles that run on biogas.
Source: http://www.eltis.org
SWEDEN Project : Increasing clean fleets – Biogas production
City Stockholm Further info Nina Ekelund, Environment and Health Administration, + 46 8 508 28 913, [email protected] www.miljobilar.stockholm.se
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
From toilet to tank: blazing a trail with biogas technology - Stockholm, with a surface area of 187 km² and over 740 000 inhabitants, has an advanced, disability-friendly, safe and widely used public transport system. The city has replaced large parts of its vehicle fleet with clean vehicles powered by electricity, biogas, and ethanol, acting as an example of best practice in the field of low- emission fuels and vehicles in Europe. Stockholm has established a pilot infrastructure for alternative fuels, with biogas production facilities delivering locally produced fuel. Large parts of the city centre are designated pedestrian zones, with access to the centre restricted for heavy vehicles and park and ride schemes encouraged to minimise city centre parking and to alleviate congestion, emissions such as CO² (Carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxide), particulate matter (harmful mixtures of particles suspended in the air we breathe) and the more general reduction in noise levels. Since 1996, Stockholm has been using biogas from sewage to fuel clean vehicles, which in turn helps companies, organisations and citizens to more easily utilise sustainable transport alternatives. In 2005, the city opened a second biogas/water treatment plant, which currently supplies 130 buses, 9 waste-collection trucks, and about 1 000 cars and vans. Results include a 1 900 tonnes/year reduction in CO² (Carbon dioxide) emissions, significant noise reduction and unparalleled driver satisfaction – some 90% were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’. Bioethanol is also increasingly used in Stockholm as a blend in diesel engine buses. More than 200 cars have now been replaced by new clean vehicles, with a further 123 ethanol buses now being added to the city’s fleet. Introducing clean vehicles and fuels, providing more effective and attractive methods of public transport, implementing intelligent traffic information technologies and gathering, processing and presenting transport data remain key to the city’s initiatives.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
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SWEDEN Project : Incentives for improving load rates in inner-city freight distribution
City Gothenburg Further info Magnus Blinge, Measure Leader, TFK – Institutet för transportforskning, + 46 31 772 51 65
Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
Optimising freight ‘by the truck load’ in Gothenburg - Gothenburg is Sweden’s second largest city with 470 000 inhabitants and some 800 000 in the greater Gothenburg region. As the biggest port in the Nordic region, Gothenburg is a centre for trade, transport and industry. To further develop as an attractive regional centre, Gothenburg requires a well-functioning traffic environment that fulfils high demands on accessibility, safety and environmental sustainability. As a bustling port city, various traffic and transportation solutions must complement one another with the aim of creating a competitive yet pleasant atmosphere to visit, live and work in.
As part of an initiative in the field of freight distribution, 8 trucks participated in a pilot project aimed at increasing the load factor for goods distributed in Gothenburg city centre. The trucks were equipped with GPS systems and positive incentives were offered to those hauliers who optimised their load factor. In parallel, five office suppliers and fifteen companies ordering goods in the Lundby city district joined a project to optimise their ordering routines. This translates as a two- fold gain, with suppliers now co-ordinating their deliveries and reducing the number of trips by some 41%, while purchasers co-ordinate their orders, therefore requiring fewer deliveries.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
SPAIN Project : Increasing bicycle use in Burgos
City Burgos Further info Eduardo Escudero, Site Manager , Asociación Plan Estratégico Ciudad de Burgos + 34 947257905, http://www.burgosciudad21.org Cipriano Santidrián, Burgos Council Youth Department Manager Director, Ayuntamiento de Burgos
Theme Towards greener towns and cities
Extending cycle lanes: Smart choice for Burgos - Dating back to the 10th century, Burgos is a medium-sized city of 248 000 inhabitants, located in the region of Castilla-León and famous for its cultural, monumental and artistic heritage. Halfway between Madrid and the French border, Burgos boasts a strategic geographical location giving it an immediate link with nearby cities such as Bilbao, Santander, Logroño and Valladolid, while its industries benefit from the influence of major European companies. Demographic growth in the city can be attributed to the significant increase in population from rural areas and, more recently, due to a marked increase in people living in nearby villages and commuting to work in the city.
In order to manage the significant rise in commuter traffic, the city launched a campaign to promote the use of bicycles as an alternative method of transportation. A 23 km bike lane extension is underway and an additional 15 km is to be added before the end of the project, with the goal of connecting the city centre with its peripheral neighborhoods. To encourage residents to take
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 34/38 advantage of these newly linked cycle lanes, a smart card based bike rental scheme has been introduced which has resulted in a 15% increase of regular city cyclists.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
SPAIN Project : New concepts for the Distribution of Goods in Barcelona
City Barcelona Further info Simon Hayes, Site Manager, Design and Systems Developments S.A., + 34 93 272 4620, [email protected] Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Working MIRACLES in Barcelona - Barcelona, dating back over 2000 years and the capital of the autonomous Catalonia region, is a densely populated city with 1.5 million inhabitants. The wider Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (MRB) totals some 4.2 million inhabitants. Although the city’s population is actually decreasing, the city’s importance is very much on the increase, largely due to its economic growth in the areas of tourism and industry. This has brought with it a significant problem: traffic. Recent increases in traffic volume has put a strain on the public transportation system, affected the pedestrian experience in this highly touristic city, raised concerns about the environmental impact of increased commuters between the city centre and peripheral neighborhoods and severely impacted those industries dependent on goods and freight delivery.
A number of measures have been put in place to alleviate many of the difficulties presented resulting from an increase in traffic. In order to streamline the commuting process between the city centre and outlying metropolitan areas, the metropolitan transit authority has introduced the first modern tramway in Barcelona. The individual commuter’s experience has been improved through the introduction of a multiple-operator Automatic Vehicle Monitoring (AVM) system that provides passengers with real-time information about the arrivals of trams and buses. To protect the Rambla, and subsequently the pedestrian’s experience, the Barcelona Municipality controls the speed and type of vehicles allowed to pass through this world-famous promenade.
The increase of city traffic has also impacted the delivery of goods across the city. Goods delivery drivers are finding their time for deliveries has increased due to congestion, with the availability of delivery spaces having declined due to limited parking spots. The MIRACLES project has been working on providing innovative solutions to manage the traffic of goods in the city whilst minimising congestion. Some of the project’s provisions include the extension of multi-use lanes, and the implementation of a new web-based information service called “Active guide”. With the implementation of the multi-use lanes, the total length of lanes has been increased to 3.3 km, with 44 on-street parking spaces effectively used as loading spaces during non-peak hours.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
UK Project : Integrated pricing strategies in Winchester
City Winchester Further info Andy Wren, Intelligent Transport System Group, Environment Department Hampshire County Council, +44 19 62 84 7500, [email protected]
Theme Towards smarter urban transport
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 35/38 The price is right for clean vehicles in Winchester - The population of the County of Hampshire is over 1.65 million of which 105 000 are in the district of Winchester and just under 32 000 are in the city of Winchester itself. With its many historic buildings and narrow street layout, Winchester is Hampshire’s county town and the ancient capital of England. The city itself is a major tourist attraction, having to cope with heavy traffic on a daily basis. In addition, car ownership in Hampshire is growing at a rate faster than the national average, with an increasing number of journeys being made by car placing an even greater burden on the road network. National forecasts predict that traffic levels in the county could rise 50% on current levels by 2020, unless new and sustainable policies are adopted and supported by a robust investment programme.
The number of public transport users in Winchester has remained almost unchanged over the past 15 years, with the proportion of trips made annually by adults using public transport as low as 9%. Hampshire’s integrated transport strategies emphasise the need to develop public transport, walking and cycling. The effects of these strategies will be to reduce the level of car dependence, in favour of more sustainable and environmentally friendly modes of transport. The city has also implemented an important variable parking pricing scheme in its main city centre car parks. The main objective was to promote and support the use of energy efficient vehicles by providing car park season ticket holder discounts of 75% or 50% for vehicles with the lowest CO² (carbon dioxide) emissions and free parking for electric or hybrid vehicles. Some 11% of season ticket holders took up a discount during the project, and there was a significant rise in the proportion of clean vehicles in the city. The scheme has since been extended to include residents parking permits. Another aim was to discourage long stay parking in the city centre and instead encourage use of Park and Ride provisions. To achieve this, costs were significantly increased for all-day parking at selected city centre car parks, while costs remained low at Park and Ride. As a result ticket sales at the seven busiest city centre car parks decreased by 16% (although revenue increased by 11% due to general price increases), whilst at Park and Ride sales increased by 43%, confirming that the charging policy has been effective.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
UK Project : Residential Traffic Management (Home Zone) in Bristol
City Bristol Further info Tim Hapgood, Bristol City Council, + 44 117 903 6553, [email protected] Home Zone: Neil Stacey, Measure Leader, Sustrans, + 44 117 9268893, [email protected]
Theme Towards free flowing towns and cities
‘No place like home’: restricting vehicle access - Bristol is the largest urban area in the South West region with a population of some 400 000 and a centre of industry, commerce, education and culture. The city has a much higher level of in-commuting than other neighbouring areas and the region is predominately car-based, with levels of car ownership and use amongst the highest in the UK. Buses provide the bulk of public transport in Bristol and a network of bus Park and Ride sites with routes serving the city centre have been established on the outskirts of the city.
To gain support for specific project measures such as the Home Zone in the Dings area of the city, Community Travel Workers (CTWs) have involved residents in the development and design process of the initiatives through a series of door-to-door surveys, public meetings, and street events. In conjunction with local residents and community representatives, designers and the City Council’s Home Zone team developed a plan for restricting vehicle access and through traffic in the Dings area, reducing noise and emissions pollution in residential zones, showcasing artwork, improving road design and developing adjacent land. These interventions resulted in a 10% traffic reduction,
Country sheets Urban Mobility EU-27_EN Page 36/38 with community support for and involvement with the Home Zone project remaining high. Perhaps more importantly, though less measurable, is the relatively high degree of confidence the residents have in the project as a result of the CTW involvement with the community. As a result, Sustrans, Bristol City Council and Community at Heart are in ongoing discussions to extend CTW working methods to other regeneration projects throughout the area.
Source: http://www.civitas-initiative.org
Pan-European Media information: Monika Wcislo, Weber Shandwick at +32-2-286.12.65 or email [email protected] Jeanette Drielsma, Weber Shandwick at +32-2-282.16.29 or email [email protected]
European Commission information: Michele Cercone, the European Commission’s Spokesperson for Transport at [email protected] or +32 2 298 09 63.
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