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Mobility and Transport
News article18 May 2020Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport

Krusevac, Karditsa, Brussels and Pontevedra win European sustainable mobility awards

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The European Commission has announced the winners of four sustainable mobility awards.

Kruševac (Serbia) was revealed as the winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2019, with Karditsa (Greece) taking home the award for smaller municipalities. The 8th SUMP Award was won by Brussels Capital Region (Belgium), and the 1st EU Urban Road Safety Award went to Pontevedra (Spain).

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean said: “I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the winning cities – your actions are powerful examples illustrating the leading role local leaders can play in making our cities cleaner, safer, and more sustainable. I hope this can serve as inspiration for towns and cities who are rethinking their mobility strategies, not least in the wake of the current pandemic.”

Krusevac, Serbia – winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2019 for larger municipalities

The Serbian city of Kruševac impressed the jury with its wide range of activities, underpinned by strong citizen participation and political support from the local government. Even the mayor was ‘walking the walk’, coming to work by foot to help spread this year’s mobility message. During EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2019, the city streets enjoyed a new burst of life without cars, not only in the centre – which was taken over by pedestrians – but also in the suburbs, where people organised a variety of activities. The face of the city was also transformed, with the installation of new cycle paths, walkways, public squares, urban parks, benches and even swings.

The other finalists are Rethymno (Greece) and Wrocław (Poland).

Karditsa, Greece – winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2019 for smaller municipalities

Karditsa impressed the jury with its use of promotional materials and partnerships to support sustainable mobility. During EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2019, the city partnered with dozens of organisations including schools, music academies, government departments, police, fire brigade, civil society organisations and businesses, all of which were invited to participate in a festive week of mobility celebrations. Other initiatives included financial benefits for companies introducing sustainable mobility measures, and days off work for employees who commuted by bicycle or on foot – to show that safe walking and cycling are appealing for reasons beyond health and wellbeing.

The other finalists are Alfândega da Fé (Portugal) and Paide (Estonia).

Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium – winner of the 8th Award for Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP)

Brussels-Capital Region has set itself clear and ambitious sustainable mobility goals, which include having zero road traffic deaths by 2030, restricting car usage, reducing the speed limit to 30 kilometres per hour by 2021, and increasing the number of pedestrianised zones. The jury was particularly impressed by its approach to reaching these goals, which sees the city as an ‘ecosystem’. The city’s achievements are underpinned by strong stakeholder outreach, impressive citizen participation, and the implementation of “superblocks”, an innovative urban planning concept.

The other finalists are Kaunas (Lithuania) and Wrocław (Poland).

Pontevedra, Spain – winner of the first EU Urban Road Safety Award

Pontevedra has reduced road fatalities consistently since 1999, impressively achieving zero road deaths recorded by the local police between 2011 and 2018. A host of measures ensure that safety and sustainability go hand-in-hand. The city used a clear and careful monitoring strategy to identify which policies are effective and which need to be updated, resulting in increased active mobility, such as walking and cycling: In Pontevedra, 80% of children aged 6-12 walk to school by themselves. The jury was impressed by Pontevedra’s use of a broad array of measures, including reducing speed limits to 10-30 km/h and creating more public spaces that are attractive for pedestrians.

The other finalists are Jaworzno (Poland) and Ordu (Turkey).

Background

The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK campaign runs from 16-22 September each year, providing towns and cities with an opportunity to test out sustainable transport alternatives. In 2019, over 3 100 towns and cities registered to participate in the campaign, marking it as the most successful year to date.

The awards all recognise remarkable activities carried out in 2019 under the theme Safe walking and cycling. The winning cities were selected by an independent panel of mobility and transport experts.

Details

Publication date
18 May 2020 (Last updated on: 20 April 2021)
Author
Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport