On foot, by bike or by public transport:it is the European week of sustainable mobility

A week to experiment with innovative measures and promote behavioral change in favor of active mobility (moving on foot or by bike) or with public transport

ROME – Encourage as many people as possible to opt for public transport and to move on foot or by bicycle, raising awareness of the benefits of active or greener transport options.This is the aim of the European Sustainable Mobility Week, the main event of the European Commission awareness campaign on sustainable urban mobility, scheduled from 16 to 22 September.

The campaign encourages local authorities to use the week for experiment with innovative planning measures, promote new infrastructures and technologies, measure air quality and get feedback from the public.The intent is precisely that of promote behavioral change in favor of active mobility, public transport and other clean and smart travel solutions.

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Safety has joined the European Week and coordinates and supports the initiatives and events organized by Italian Municipalities and associations, with the aim of confirming Italy among the countries with the highest number of participants in European level.
The theme chosen for this year's campaign is "Sharing public spaces” and is based on four main thematic intervention guidelines:experience public space differently;redevelop urban space together;school streets:create a safe space for active travel;plan and design safer streets.

"Today 70% of victims of fatal road accidents in urban areas are vulnerable users– recalls the Ministry of the Environment – ​​it is therefore essential to give priority to this group when dividing public space.To encourage people to walk or cycle more often, more high-quality dedicated infrastructure and a highway code that puts the safety of pedestrians and cyclists first would be needed."
Furthermore, “given that over 70% of Europeans live in urban areas, it is even more obvious that public space is in short supply in many cities.An environment in which people, transport and activities have their own space promotes social equity, increases road safety, reduces air pollution and improves the quality of life."

The theme chosen for this year is 'Sharing public spaces' and contributes to pursuing the objectives of the European Mobility Week: improve the quality of urban life and promote the creation of people-centered infrastructure;integrate other EU initiatives, for example REPowerEU and the European Green Deal;facilitate the use of less polluting means of transport and promote behavioral change by providing adequate infrastructure, networks, conditions and destinations for active mobility and public transport.
“Shared public space brings many benefits to society - explain the organizers of the Week - A place where people, means of transport and activities all have their own space is a place with more social equity, more road safety, less noise and air pollution and a better quality of life.European Mobility Week invites us to collectively decide how to share public space and to ensure that everyone can move safely and comfortably in a pleasant environment, especially pedestrians and cyclists“.

Climate Action Commissioner and Transport Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said:“Europe's urban population is growing and with it our need to travel safely and sustainably.European Mobility Week is an opportunity to engage people and businesses, urban planners and politicians to help improve the way we all benefit from public spaces in our cities. Events across Europe promote safer school streets, better and more welcoming public places, adequate parking for alternative modes of transport and much more.Let us continue to lead by example and, for all of us who can, choose those modes of transport that can not only improve urban air quality, but also help make our cities more pleasant to live in.Cities can reduce air and noise pollution and increase road safety, social equity and quality of life by introducing high-quality dedicated infrastructure (such as safe cycle paths and pedestrian areas).Traffic rules that prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and public transport, while encouraging the use of more sustainable transport options, can also help create a more enjoyable shared space."
To date There are 2,086 cities registered for the European Sustainable Mobility Week, in 44 different countries for 688 mobility actions.