QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF THE THE VOICE OF THE MEMBERSHIP NO. 285, 2012 ISSUE 1 Issn: 1367–3882 r 4VTUBJOBCMF5SBOTQPSUJO&VSPQFBO.FUSPQPMJUBO3FHJPOT r 'BSN%JWFSTJđDBUJPOBOE'BSN5PVSJTN r 34"&OHBHFNFOUXJUI1VCMJD1PMJDZ SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO TRANSPORT ISSUES IN METROPOLITAN REGIONS: INTRODUCTION Janez Nared, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia and Frank Segebade, Joint Spatial Planning Department of Berlin-Brandenburg, Potsdam, Germany Catch-MR project (see box), where part of the realisation of the future cooperation between Metropolises interactive and mobile region. In the and their surrounding functional case of the Casteli Romani area which regions is put to the fore in the case of is part of the Rome agglomeration, a Berlin-Brandenburg, Budapest-Central concrete plan is presented, aiming at Hungary, Gothenburg Region, Ljubljana inclusion of the area in the common Urban Region, Oslo-Akershus, Province transport system and providing the of Rome, and Vienna-Lower Austria. inhabitants with a possibility for sus- One of the most exciting tainable mobility. developments can be noted in Berlin- As cycling plays an important part Brandenburg. The fall of the wall opened the way to big structural Transport is a key factor in economic changes and to integration of the city development, as economic growth and its surroundings. Both federal requires ready access to resources and states (Berlin and Brandenburg) have market. This applies in particular for realized the need to tackle the plan- Metropolitan Regions as engines of ning issues together and the creation of economic growth and as regions with the Joint Spatial Planning Department a very diverse population. However, Berlin-Brandenburg, which started this need for mobility and economic work in 1996, proved to be the right growth has as side effects rising vol- decision to ensure integrative spatial Catch-MR is a project of 12 partner umes of traffic and levels of congestion planning. The situation is compara- institutions, representing seven with significant impacts on the envi- ble to that in Vienna-Lower Austria, European metropolitan regions: ronment. The ultimate goal is to have where an informal cooperation of the Berlin-Brandenburg (lead partner), Budapest-Central Hungary, metropolitan regions where transport, whole metropolitan area is a model Gothenburg Region, Ljubljana Urban and therefore economic growth, has a to overcome different spatial plan- Region, Oslo-Akershus, Province of minimal impact on the environment ning legislations at the regional level, Rome, and Vienna-Lower Austria. (environment-friendly modes of trans- and in Norway where the National portation), thus achieving a sustainable Government obliged both Oslo and The network of the metropolitan transport system, and considering its Akershus county to coordinate land regions cooperates on these topics: environmental, technical and socio- use and transport planning in order economic dimensions. These aspects to achieve shorter travel distances and t How can passenger transport cannot be addressed separately as they efficient, coordinated transport. The between metropolis and its are strongly interdependent and conse- practices have shown an immense pro- surrounding region be reduced quently require an integrated approach. gress in planning, but still urban sprawl without restricting mobility? Citizens will contribute to reducing the remains an important factor that should t How do alternatives to one’s own environmental impact of transport not be dealt with. car become attractive? only by using more efficient transport Growing centralisation in Slovenia t How can the portion of environ- modes powered by better fuels (tech- has caused agglomeration of services mentally-friendly technologies nical dimension) but in addition by and jobs in the capital Ljubljana be increased in the field of reducing their time behind the wheel although the number of its inhabitants transport? and living in communities designed for decreases due to suburbanisation. The increased walking and biking (socio- congestion caused by commuters has The project runs from January 2010 economic dimension) thus obtaining strengthened the aspirations towards to December 2012 and is funded sustainable mobility. Metropolitan an effective public transport system, by the EU-INTERREG IVC Regions in Europe have considerable but unfortunately transport and spatial Programme. differences in their historical develop- planning have not always gone hand in http://www.catch-mr.eu/ ment concerning transportation and hand. land use. They have also found a wide To release the cities from conges- range of ways to adapt their organiza- tion, integrative planning solutions are tions to expanding urban areas and sought and new forms of mobility are complex territorial structures. constantly offered. In Gothenburg a The above-mentioned problems are big emphasis is put on transport inter- comprehensively tackled within the changes which represent an important 6 in the modal split of Budapest, they are Dr Janez Nared is a research fel- Frank Segebade is Head of trying to extend the cycling paths also low at the Anton Melik Geographical Division in the Joint Spatial Planning outside the city and thus integrate the Institute, Scientific Research Centre Department Berlin-Brandenburg metropolis with its hinterland and create of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences in Germany. His work focuses on the circumstances for more sustainable and Arts in Ljubljana. His key research regional development and structural commuting. interests include economic geography policy in the Capital Region Berlin- As space is limited only several, hope- and regional development. He also acts Brandenburg. He is the project fully important and interesting examples as a RSA Ambassador in Slovenia. coordinator of Catch-MR. are presented. [email protected] [email protected] REDUCING CARBON-BASED TRAFFIC BY REGULATING SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN A BINDING PLAN AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFICIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM Corinna Elsing and Christina Schlawe, Joint Spatial Planning Department of Berlin-Brandenburg, Potsdam, Germany only federal state authority in Germany adaptation and mitigation measures which is responsible for two federal states require strong political decisions. in the area of regional development. The Against this background, a revision JSPD acts as an authority for two gov- and realignment of planning guidelines ernments and has employees from both had become necessary. Therefore, the federal states. Capital Region Berlin-Brandenburg decided in 2006 to adjust the existing Reducing transport instruments of spatial planning: the necessities by regulating State Development Programme (LEPro) and the State Development Plan (LEP settlement development Introduction B-B). The Capital Region Berlin-Brandenburg Soon after the fall of the wall, Berlin In order to adapt to the changed with its population of approximately 6 and Brandenburg started to tackle spa- framework conditions, the Capital million inhabitants has a very diverse tial development issues together. The Region agreed to move from a ‘bal- structure: a metropolis surrounded by manifold and increasing interdepend- ance of interest system’, which offered clustered structures in a predominantly encies between metropolis and region all development opportunities to all sparsely populated territorial state. This called for joint approaches to prevent subspaces, to a system which concen- settlement pattern alone is a challenge unsustainable development. Berlin and trates on already existing and efficient when it comes to setting up a sustainable Brandenburg started to adjust their plan- structures. By applying the concept of transport organisation. Additionally, ning and to work together on a common ‘strengthening strengths’, the limited the challenge has been intensified by spatial vision. The main challenges were resources are to be bundled and used changes in the economic, demographic the prevention of uncontrolled urban for sustainable growth and development and ecological framework in the last two sprawl and major retail projects at non- of the region. A system of (middle- and decades. integrated places. high-order) central places forms the In comparison with other German backbone, with a functional transport federal states, Berlin and Brandenburg system as a linkage. Foundation of a common are characterised by a difficult eco- The State Development Programme authority nomic situation, marked by a high (LEPro), which came into force in Soon it became evident that new formal unemployment rate, which in turn has February 2009, converts these ideas into and joint structures were necessary if major impacts on demographic develop- general principles. It includes a generous effective communication and decision ment. These include a broad decline in scope for development in centres that are processes were to be established and population, primarily in the outlying easily accessible, economically dynamic recurring discussions on competences parts of Brandenburg, shrinking cities and have a population concentration. avoided. Finally, Berlin and Brandenburg and high numbers of empty dwellings, The new State Development agreed on the foundation of a common especially in the former municipal hous- Plan Berlin-Brandenburg (Landes- authority, the Joint Spatial Planning ing complexes erected during German entwicklungsplan Berlin-Brandenburg/ Department Berlin-Brandenburg