13-14 September

Development of an Urban Active Environment Plan: a case study of , , from the EU SPACE PROJECT

Pantoleon Skayannis[presenter]; Kahlmeier, Sonja; Crone, Diane; Cavill, Nick; Onatsu, Tanya; Goudas, Marios; M i t s i a d i , Va s i l e n a ; Ciaperoni, Silvia; Colt, Radu; Dace, Liepina - Zusane; Foster, Charlie; Ganea, Sorin; G a r c í a , Aurora Sánchez; González, Juan Manuel M u r u a ; Gutierrez, Jose Antonio; Korola, Zane; Lain, Susana Aznar; Moreno, David Sánchez - Mora; Ndukwe, Rosina; Silina, Zane; Theodorakis , Y i a n n i s ; Zalavra, Ourania. Introduction and Contents

• University of Gloucestershire (UK – Coordinator), • The Trikala action plan • University of Oxford (UK), • The proposed interventions in Trikala • University of , DPRD • Realization (Greece), • University of Zurich • Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) Trikala: Assessment (Switzerland), of the economic impact of current cycling at the city of Environments Active Action for • Fit for Life Program (Finland), Trikala • Castilla La Mancha Regional Government • Conclusions of Education (Spain), • Tukums Municipality (Latvia), • Brasov Metropolitan Agency (Romania) • CESIE (Italy)

Supporting Policy & Supporting Policy • The Municipality of Trikala (Greece).

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project The Trikala Action Plan

City of about 75,000 inhabitants belonging to a prefecture of about 140,000

Ageing population Mainly agricultural background

National educational and sports successes Host of the Department of Physical Education & Sports Science of the University of Thessaly

85,000 move thought the city daily

Flat city/ cycling history (15%)

Target of action plan: adults and older adults The Trikala Action Plan Capitalization on the long-term vision of the Municipality to eliminate all car-use from the extended city centre, to develop an Active Urban Environment for cycling and walking The general objectives are complementary to the already planned transport policy of the city, and comprise:

a) The connection of the 5 radially located main leisure and recreation settings to the city centre by cycle lanes and pedestrian roads, b) the improvement of the connectivity of pedestrian routes and cycle lanes and c) the promotion of walking and cycling.

The plan proposes specific actions and is materialized in a step by step approach a) the conversion of the ‘bus without a driver’ lane (a previous decision reinforced by the SPACE project); b) the construction of the school path (a product of the SPACE project); c) the plans to extend the footpaths and the cycle lanes (also developed in the context of SPACE). d) takes advantage of the city’s digital advancement by the introduction of Beacons + general national measures (electronic) e) a whole series of ‘soft measures’ (city maps, events, inteventions, public discussions, etc) f) other interventions Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project The Trikala Action Plan Procedural steps- 1

1. Working group by the University of Thessaly and the Trikala Municipality (Mayor, Vice Mayors, Dept of Transport, etc.), to decide what to include in the plan (taking into account the city plans so far);

2. Meetings with local stakeholders (cyclists, pedestrians, primary and secondary education representatives, etc);

3. Taking advantage of the European Mobility Week to circulate questionnaires to the general public;

4. Study of relevant international and national documents related to relevant experience;

5. Usage of the SPAcE Action Plan guidelines, and studying the international experience from the case studies.

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project The Trikala Action Plan Procedural steps- 2

1. Making a detailed plan Technical study by consultants, after a public competition including a tendering process, which must follow the terms of reference given by the municipality. Funding: Green Fund of the Ministry of the Environment. For the approval of the study open public consultation takes place including all stakeholders and interested parties often leading to a review/ improvement of the study.

2. Implementation/construction (of bicycle lanes, etc.) The contractor will again be selected after an open competition through a tendering procedure. Funding: The construction (of the whole project or of parts of it) will be funded by the public budget through funds provided by the Greek state and the European Union in the context of the Strategic Agreement (previously Community Support Framework) 2014-2020, allocated to the municipality via the regional authorities. Funds from sponsors will also be attempted, though in Greece this is not very common.

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project The Trikala Action Plan The five main leisure and recreation settings located radially to the city centre

Source: authors

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project The Trikala Action Plan

A safe walking path leading to the schools

Yellow Polygons: schools in this area, Blue Polygons: Athletic centre and Park, Orange line marks the walking path which is going to be constructed

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project Proposed Interventions in Trikala

Plan for the cycling lane network.

Planning rationale:

• Network expansion • Better cycle lanes connectivity (missing links) • Linking important parts of the city to the centre and between themselves

➢ Enhancement of cycle lanes, increasing total length from 5.2km today to 9.3km by 2021 ➢ Introduction of a 2.3km ring cycle lane in the city centre replacing the driverless bus’s lane Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project Proposed Interventions in Trikala

Plan for the pedestrian street network.

Planning rationale:

Making the pedestrian network denser in the centre Linking the network with the cycle lanes network Making the centre a more friendly and active environment

➢ Enhancement of the pedestrian streets network, with the goal is to increase total length from 2.5 km today to 3.3 km by 2021

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project • Pink: current pedestrian roads • Dark red: planned pedestrian roads Realization: Cycle Lanes Action Step Time Frame: When should this step Evaluation What needs to be done? be completed? How will we measure the success?

1. Survey on cyclists to include HEAT related data Done Sept. 2016 No of answers (520 achieved) Launch of the ring cycle lane in the city center Done Sept. 2016 Evaluation /Survey on use of current cycle lanes (no of 2. cyclists/per week), Sept. 2017 Recording on use of current cycle lanes (no of cyclists/per Done Sept. 2016 na 3. week) Promo Video clip on safe cycling Launched Sept. 2016 No evaluation planned 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXEFtjwhZJg&t=10s Production and distribution of a City Map marking Cycling Launched Sept. 2016 Evaluation /Survey on use of current cycle lanes (no of 5. and Walking Paths cyclists/per week), Sept. 2017 Digital Application for Cycling and Walking (Beacons) Launched Sept. 2016 Evaluation /Survey on use of current cycle lanes (no of 6. cyclists/per week), Sept. 2017 Promotional Campaign for cycling targeting women June 2017 Evaluation /Survey on use of current cycle lanes (no of 7. cyclists/per week), Sept. 2017 Study on cyclists’ perceptions and recording a cycling Sept. 2017 (Retest of the Sept. Number of answers 8. lanes use 2016 HEAT case study) Launch event of the Action Plan & Results of 2 HEAT Oct. 2017 Number of related news coverage in print and electronic 9. studies in the context of SPACE media Technical Study for the improvement and extension of Dec. 2017 Approval by the City Council 10. current cycling lanes based on current SPACE document 11. Public consultation and review of the technical study Spring 2018 Number of contributions to the consultancy Implementation: the improvement and extension of Late 2018 Acceptance of the measure to be evaluated with a further in- 12. current cycling lanes house study Realization: Pedestrian Paths

Action Step Time Frame Evaluation: How will we measure the success? What needs to be done? When should this step be completed?

Technical study for the development of a school footpath Done June 2016 No of students using the path/day 1. for students’ walking

Promo video clip to reinforce drivers’ stopping at Launched June 2016 No evaluation planned crosswalks 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT4I4AbdLA0

Technical Study for the improvement and extension of Dec. 2017 Approval from city council 3. current pedestrian streets based on current SPACE document

Public consultation and review of the technical study Spring 2018 Number of contributions to the consultancy 4.

Projects’ implementation Sept. 2021 Acceptance of the measure to be evaluated with a further 5. in-house study Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) Trikala: Assessment of the economic impact of current cycling at the city of Trikala HEAT allows an estimation of the societal value, using Value of Statistical Life (VSL) of the reduced premature mortality from physical activity of regular cycling or walking, It is not health care costs • SPACE project took advantage of the European Mobility Week 2016 in order to assess the economic impact of the current level of cycling • Questionnaire based survey and calculation of the economic impact of cycling using the HEAT tool (World Health Organization/) • A HEAT training workshop (Municipality and UTH staff) in the context SPACE project • Data collection and handling (for those 20-64 y.o. who have a bike and use it more than once per month) – 360 printed questionnaires and 198 electronic questionnaires (255 retained) – A range of themes (Perceptions of current state of cycle paths, preferences for expansion, perceived easiness to move by bicycle, perceived usefulness of more pedestrian roads etc) – Data will be used for supporting the Municipality intended policy to enhance active commuting Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project HEAT Application for Trikala

Mean Distance/ 10 years Economic Cyclists n Days per w/y Day Benefit

Current Cycling 5000 5/200 1830m 7.475.000€ Projection: Increase cyclists 6000 5/200 1830m 8.970.000€ from 15% to 18%

Projection: Increase mean 5000 5/200 2300 9.395.000€ daily distance to 2300 m Projection: Increase cyclists to 18% and mean 6000 5/200 2300 11.274.000€ daily distance to 2300 m Source: SPACE Project (2017)

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project Conclusions - 1

• Planners, need to develop a new culture in urban mobility; • Transport users need to adapt their attitudes and behaviour & must play a role in transport planning; • Challenge to adopt more sustainable mobility practices; • Use of human body important; • The impact of certain infrastructure interventions on public health needs to be estimated, The Health and Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) developed by the World Health Organization can be utilized towards this aim; • Policies needed to integrate non-motorised transport in the context of SUM and physical exercise.

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project Conclusions - 2

• Future interventions: ✓there is a need to promote UAE and SUM primarily for the benefit of the population but of the economy as well; ✓planners should become aware that todays quest is to devise integrated approaches to incorporate the creation of UAE in city restructuring and regeneration projects.

Erasmus+ /SPAcE Project Thank you for your attention !!!