European Mobility Week: “Sharing gets you further“

More than 2,000 towns and cities across Europe host activities from 16-22 September to promote change in mobility

a lot of colourful bicycles in a bicycle stand — **European Mobility Week is held every year from 16 to 22 September.**
Source: luciap / fotolia.com

Land take, air and noise pollution: these are just some of the major challenges which motorized transport brings to many cities in Germany. Cities and towns must find new ways to satisfy their mobility requirements while safeguarding protection of the environment and health. During European Mobility Week (EMW) from 16 - 22 September, many German cities and towns are demonstrating how public means of transport such as buses, trains or car sharing vehicles can help to solve the challenge. Their activities will be complemented by two events at the German Environment Agency (UBA): the “Reverse Innovation: Rethinking Urban Transport through Global Learning” workshop in Berlin, and the International Cycling Conference in Mannheim. Both events seek to trigger changes in mobility by moving away from reliance on private vehicles and making a switch to car sharing schemes, public transport, pedestrianisation and cycling in particular.

In addition to the big cities of Essen, Frankfurt and Dresden, many smaller and medium-sized cities are participating in EMW this year. The citizens of places like Lindau on Lake Constance will experience how parking areas becoming living spaces on car-free days. A broad spectrum of activities are taking place throughout the weak under the motto “Sharing gets you further“, including bus driving schools, cycling tours, e-carrier bike tests, mobility advisory services or bike yoga. Some cities, including Würzburg and Chemnitz, will be opening new bike paths and improving their bus and train services. All the cities and campaigns are listed here www.mobilitaetswoche.eu.

At the “Reverse Innovation" workshop in Berlin on 18 September 2017, UBA and Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) will be presenting ten select innovations from emerging and developing countries which might inspire ideas for sustainable mobility in Germany. The workshop focus is on what Germany can learn from experience gained outside Europe. The Mobike bicycle rental system from China is an example of how bike rental can be operated as a business on a large scale. The citizens of Sao Paolo (Brazil) are using parking space in a new and different way to make room for community living in the city – citizen participation was the key to success in this case. Some of the innovations have already been successfully trialled in Europe, for example during EMW.

The International Cycling Conference (ICC) in Mannheim on 19-21 September 2017 merges theory and practice and looks for ways in which cycling and pedestrianisation can improve urban mobility. International exchange is a major focus of this conference designed and organized by UBA. Participants from 50 countries are expected to give presentations at the ICC.

Further information:

European Mobility Week (EMW) is a chance for cities and towns across Europe to raise the public's awareness of the issue of sustainable mobility and to initiate measures which make local transport more sustainable. Activities will be launched in more than 2000 cities and towns across Europe. The German Environment Agency has been in charge of organising EMW in Germany since 2016.

European Mobility Week: “Sharing gets you further“ | Umweltbundesamt