[5.3] European Mobility Week

EMW and Car Free Day in Almada
[Domain: Policy & Integration]

European Mobility Week (EMW) and Car Free Day (CFD) are campaigns coordinated by a partnership between a core consortium (EUROCITIES, Energie-Cités, Climate Alliance) and the national coordinators (representatives from national ministries and agencies, European and International Associations and Organisations) with the political support of the European Commission, DG Environment.

Almada organizes the CFD since 2001 and the EMW since 2002, promoting several initiatives about mobility issues at a local level and closing down to traffic an area in the council. These events are organized locally by the City Council and the Local Energy Management Agency of Almada, with the active participation and involvement of dozens of different entities such as the local Transport companies, shops, NGO’s, Schools, cultural, sportive and youth associations, etc. The European Commission recognized Almada’s commitment in this event in 2004, when Almada was distinguished as one of the three European nominee cities to receive the EMW Prize, award that laurels the cities involved in the event. Almada was rewarded by the European Commission for the “originality of their actions organized, the partnerships established and the quality and diversity of the activities implemented”.

In the first three years a big part of the initiatives organized took place in Almada’s city centre, including the Car Free Area (CFA) during the CFD. The CFA grew from year to year, occupying some of the main circulation roads in the city centre. From 2004 the CFD left the city centre and started taking place in other places of the council. That way, the initiative increased its notability and influence. This choice of places was also related to the project “Children’s Agenda 21” in which framework every year a school worked the theme “in movement” - about mobility issues. To reward their work in the project, and to amplify the effect of the children’s work in the project, the CFD took place near or around their schools.

Amongst the activities that took place in the EMW and CFD in Almada one could highlight: the “Trips for trash”, where recyclable materials are traded for public transport tickets; bicycle rental and free bicycle repair; pedestrian, boat and bicycle tours; the exhibition and sale of environmentally friendly vehicles; the Environmental Almada Regattas; the participation Forums, exhibitions and workshops about mobility issues; the Guided tours to the local public transports; the Eco-driving training sessions and Road Safety awareness raising; the production of the movie “Transports race”, which compares the commuting courses house-work, of two type-citizens - one preferring public transports and the other his private car; the “Ring Ring Operation”, where Municipal workers were invited to try to commute to work by bike - souvenirs were given to the participants.

In the framework of this initiative “permanent measures” were implemented – measures of a long lasting or definitive character that live on beyond the week. Amongst these is the installation of bicycle parking facilities, the implementation of traffic calming measures near schools, the implementation of traffic signs powered with solar energy, the elaboration of Travel Plans for the schools involved in the project, the construction and reorganization of new car parking facilities, the regeneration of green spaces and pavements and the placement of new waste containers, paper recycling containers and bag dispensers for dog’s waste in the areas where the CFD took place and where cycle lanes were inaugurated.

One of the several entry points in the Car Free Area in 2003

Bicycle Rental

In each edition several material are produced – here 2005’s main leaflet