EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK website among finalists for .eu Web Awards

The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK website has been nominated for the prestigious .eu Web Awards in the category "Better World". The Awards recognise the most impressive websites with the .eu domain in terms of both design and content. The Better World category focuses on websites that promote green initiatives and environmental protection.

www.mobilityweek.eu will compete against two other finalists for the prize, which includes a trophy and certificate, a promotional video, and a web award icon for the winner’s website and social media channels. A jury comprised of communication experts will select the final winner. The award ceremony will be held at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels (Belgium) on 16 November 2016.

For more information, visit webawards.eurid.eu.

Image: Eurid

The CIVITAS2020 initiative on cleaner and better transport in cities launched its new peer-to-peer exchange programme at the CIVITAS Forum in Gdynia (Poland). The programme consists of study visits and work placements on innovative transport measures, and is open to practitioners and city representatives who are interested in learning from, and sharing their knowledge and experience with, peers in other European cities.

Work placements offer transport professionals a hands-on, three day learning opportunity in another European city focused on a topic area which responds to their local needs. Study visits offer the opportunity for a group of up to 10 city representatives to travel to another European city facing similar challenges in sustainable urban mobility to learn about possible solutions and best practices.

Financial bursaries are available to cover travel and accommodation. Those interested in being either a host or visiting city should fill in the application form available online by 14 November.

For more information, visit the CIVITAS website or contact melanie.leroy@eurocities.eu

Image: CIVITAS

1. Spain consistently ranks among the nations with the most cities participating in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK. What has driven this success?

As far as we are concerned, the success in participation lays in the coordination and awareness-raising work that has been carried-out since 2000 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Since 2001, it has been mandatory in Spain for municipalities to install permanent measures to register their participation in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, thereby making the initiative more long lasting and ensuring that municipalities continue to benefit year after year. Over 2000 permanent measures were developed in Spain each year over the last 10 years.

Permanent measures involve political and budgetary oversight so the municipal plenary meetings are the ones to control EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK participation, which gives greater visibility among all political groups and to the citizens themselves.

It is fair to add the work of the Spanish Coordination to the reasons for success, which conducts annual reports recording all measures and activities conducted in the municipalities.

To read the full interview, visit the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK website.

Image: Pau Vilaplana Vilar

Participants from 25 countries convened for a lively discussion on the current and future role of cargo bikes at the 3rd International Cargo Bike Festival, which took place earlier this year in Nijmegen (The Netherlands).

Dozens of models of cargo bikes were on display in the Innovation Expo - from small, manoeuvrable vehicles to much larger varieties.

Participants noted that the event wasn't about selling products - it was about exchanging with their peers, sharing struggles and successes, and spreading the message about the potential for cargo bikes in city logistics. Studies show that up to 51 percent of trips related to transporting goods could be completed using cargo bikes. In the Netherlands alone, this means that up to 400,000 delivery vans could be replaced by cargo bikes.

To read the full article, visit the ACTION in the Spotlight page.

Image: Marjet van Veelen

Feedback? Questions? Let us know! Contact us at: mobilityweek@iclei.org.
EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK is the European campaign on sustainable urban mobility, organised with the political and financial support of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission. Learn more about the campaign: www.mobilityweek.eu