The Europe and the new possible mobility

by Silvia Musso

Also this year, from 16 to 22 September 2010, thousands of towns and cities across Europe will take part in European Mobility Week, the biggest global event dedicated to sustainable urban mobility, promoted by the European Union. Containing many events, it will conclude Wednesday, with the car-free day, known as “In town without my car” and include many other related initiatives.

Since 2002, when it was opened for the first time the Mobility Week, the number of participants is increasing. And the 2009 data confirms this: 2181 member cities and 4440 permanent measures were undertaken to promote sustainable mobility.

The ninth edition, this year, is accompanied by the slogan "Travel Smarter, Live Better," which seeks to make slightly unusual but smarter ways to travel more attractive.

The goal of the week is focused on its target to create new awareness of urban mobility, in order to highlight the major problems of a transport system based mainly on private motorized vehicles, the consequences of which can affect the health of citizens, as well the added dangers of traffic accidents, respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and social isolation.

«The aim of the European Mobility Week - said EU Environment Commissioner, Janez Potočnik - is to empower local authorities in the choice of policies on urban transport, in order to improve their impact on the environment and quality of life of citizens».

This year's events, at the moment promoted by 2027 cities, are coordinated by three nongovernmental organizations (Eurocities, Energie-Cités and Climate Alliance). The most active nation is Spain with 567 initiatives, followed by Austria (429), France (147) and Poland (113). 37 initiatives are taking place in Italy. In the city of Bologna, for example, an auction of second-hand and abandoned bicycles is planned, and in Turin free "antitheft punching" for bicycles is being offered.

For those who want to join but have little imagination, the site suggests actions to take (some symbolic), which can be easily achieved. To the administrators the following are suggested; to revise the “Plan of the city” to ensure that people no longer have to face long and recurrent journeys to reach services and go to work; to develop a plan for sustainable urban mobility, by limiting car access and parking in some areas or introducing low emission or low-speed zones; financing campaign information; and to share the best practices on sustainable mobility with other European cities.

For individuals, the EU suggests looking for housing close to transport links, or trying car sharing and car pooling routines.

The Mobility Week is proposing new lifestyles choices, however simply offering an alternative transportation to the car is not enough to get a lower impact mobility. It’s perhaps necessary in the long term to rethink the urban landscape and change the entire culture of travel. This is a real wake up call for public administration, the European Mobility Week is an opportunity to test their policies on transportation and to present them to the citizens, aided by the media coverage that this type of initiative will create.