Cities in motion – Volume IV: ‘Pathways for Progress’
04/07/2024

Cities in motion - Volume IV: 'Pathways for Progress'

The fourth volume of Cities in motion, titled ‘Pathways to Progress,’ explores the transformative power of holistic sustainable urban mobility solutions.

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Our articles spotlight the integration of climate adaptation, technological innovation, community involvement, and collaborative governance in transport planning, showcasing the collective efforts of stakeholders dedicated to creating safe, efficient, and sustainable journeys for everyone.


Insights from mega-events to micromobility

In exploring this theme, we cover a wide range of topics, from mega-events to micromobility. One such mega-event is the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, for which Île-de-France has prepared a fully integrated mobility approach. The region is ensuring seamless and inclusive travel for millions of spectators, setting the stage for long-term modernisation and connectivity, and providing a model for metropolises worldwide.

Moving on to Baden-Württemberg, host of the upcoming 2024 Annual POLIS Conference, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Transport Elke Zimmer emphasises the importance of strategic parking solutions. These solutions not only promote eco-friendly transport and enhance road safety but also influence mobility behaviour, reclaim public spaces, and help achieve broader climate goals.

This issue returns to the topic of shaping mobility habits and involving local communities in urban planning through gamification. Projects like Block by Block and WohnRegion utilize video games such as Minecraft to engage citizens in designing public spaces, while the SuperBARRIO game facilitates inclusive urban planning through the collaborative creation of mobility solutions.

Cycling, a key component of sustainable urban mobility that is only increasing in importance, takes centre stage in multiple articles. The Province of Overijssel shows how it is integrating cycling with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to improve safety, comfort and convenience. A stone's throw away in the west of the Netherlands, Amsterdam’s newly appointed Bicycle Mayor Romee Nicolai underscores the city's commitment to low-carbon travel and equitable mobility. Last, but not least, software tools such as Transoft's AutoTURN Pro demonstrate the effort to create safer and more inclusive cycling networks, essential for effectively integrating bicycles and e-vehicles into urban transport systems.


Innovations, safety, and sustainable plans

Other cutting-edge technologies, combined with collaborative governance, play a crucial role in the advancement of urban transportation. Projects like SOLUTIONSplus and the EIT Urban Mobility RAPTOR programme illustrate the creation of customized e-mobility solutions and smart city technologies, promoting sustainable urban mobility through innovative strategies and partnerships. Furthermore, innovative solutions manifest in diverse forms, from autonomous delivery vehicles navigating Helsinki's snowy streets to multimodal transport hubs blending rural and urban mobility in North Holland.

As in previous editions, safety plays an important role – particularly in micromobility and on rural roads. Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans likewise are at the forefront, with Czestochowa's demonstration of comprehensive urban planning's transformative impact through its SUMP. National Support Programmes for Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning also feature prominently, underscoring their crucial role in standardizing and advancing sustainable mobility practices across Europe.

This issue brings rarely spotlighted topics to the forefront, including studies on urban noise pollution, conversations about the link between climate adaptation and mobility justice, an exploration of Aarhus Municipality's carpooling initiative aimed at reducing CO2 emissions, and analyses of regional programmes and funding strategies in the Apulia Region.

Karen Vancluysen, POLIS Secretary General, said:

As we navigate the intricate pathways to progress for a more sustainable future, it becomes evident that the collective efforts of cities and regions across Europe and beyond are paving the way for a more connected and green world. Moreover, it is clear that the pursuit of sustainable urban mobility is not just about addressing present challenges but also about anticipating and adapting to future needs using a whole lot of empirical work and a pinch of bold creativity.

This edition shows that there are many pathways to progress that can complement each other and lead towards a more equitable and sustainable future for urban mobility. From innovative technologies to community-driven initiatives, each approach contributes uniquely to shaping a resilient and inclusive urban transport landscape.


Read Cities in motion Volume IV: ‘Pathways to Progress', HERE.

 

 

Games Wide Open

Games Wide Open

Discover how Île-de-France Mobilités is revolutionising transport for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With enhanced accessibility, innovative solutions, and strategic planning, getting...Read more
Read more 08/10/2024
Space, Safety, Climate Protection

Space, Safety, Climate Protection

Baden-Württemberg’s target is to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels and reach climate neutrality by 2040. To this end, parking management plays a centra...Read more
Read more 15/10/2024
Finding SOLUTIONS…plus

Finding SOLUTIONS…plus

As cities worldwide strive to meet climate goals, the SOLUTIONSplus project has emerged as a transformative force, paving the way for innovative electric mobility solutions. This initiative, funded un...Read more
Read more 16/10/2024
A Mayor for the Future

A Mayor for the Future

In March 2024, 25-year-old Romee Nicolai was appointed Bicycle Mayor for the City of Amsterdam. Over the next two to four years, she aims to bring the ‘slow city’ concept to the Dutch capital and...Read more
Read more 18/10/2024
Ready for EVs?

Ready for EVs?

The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) sets legally binding targets for the deployment of EV recharging stations. Cities and regions are key enablers of AFIR implementation, but they ne...Read more
Read more 21/10/2024
Safe, Shared, Sustainable

Safe, Shared, Sustainable

Bicycles have their own distinctive way of moving and turning, posing unique challenges for road design. To address this, Transoft Solutions collaborated with Sustrans on the development of an innovat...Read more
Read more 22/10/2024
Resilient Urban Futures

Resilient Urban Futures

POLIS member IUAV discusses integrating climate adaptation into transport infrastructure to ensure resilience against extreme weather and promote mobility justice, highlighting the roles of autonomous...Read more
Read more 24/10/2024
Cities of Sound

Cities of Sound

As the volume of transport noise surges in Europe’s cities, the race is on to curb noise pollution and protect public health. With partners in ten EU Member States, the LENS project is conducting re...Read more
Read more 24/10/2024
Leading the Way

Leading the Way

The 2024 POLIS Leadership Summit, hosted in Prague on 30 May, brought together mobility leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss pressing urban and regional transport issues. POLIS spo...Read more
Read more 25/10/2024
Sharing is Caring

Sharing is Caring

In 2023 and 2024, Aarhus Municipality embarked on a groundbreaking collaboration with a carpooling platform provider to investigate the thresholds of incentives necessary to make carpooling an attract...Read more
Read more 29/10/2024
Real solutions for real cities

Real solutions for real cities

European cities struggle with diverse challenges and barriers to innovative solutions. EIT Urban Mobility’s Rapid Applications for Transport (RAPTOR) programme facilitates connections between public...Read more
Read more 06/11/2024
The Helsinki solution

The Helsinki solution

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is leading the way in sustainable urban mobility and last-mile logistics. With a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, innovative solutions like autonomous d...Read more
Read more 06/11/2024
Funding sustainable mobility

Funding sustainable mobility

Discover how the Apulia Regional Programme ERDF-ESF 2021-2027 is driving sustainable urban mobility and inclusive economic growth through strategic investments in zero-emission transport, digital solu...Read more
Read more 06/11/2024