Overview
The project outlined a bold package of integrated measures in all the cities of the consortium, and covered all the areas required by the CIVITAS PLUS programme. The project showed ambitious goals which will have a substantial impact on the state of the mobility in the cities and a good visibility at the European level, mixing measures with large scale application actions based in existing and commercially available technologies, and measures with more advanced trials and methodologies.
The project had common main targets:
- To increase the quality and the effectiveness of the public transport system (from the environmental and from the service point of view), increasing the number of users;
- To limit the waste of energy and to support the diffusion of the use of clean fuels among the citizens;
- To support the effort of improvement of public transport through a series of measure capable of limiting the circulation of private cars;
- To give value at alternative sweet mobility modes improving safety and liveability for their users;
- To lower the number of accidents on the roads;
- To increase the technological endowment of the cities as a support to more and more intelligent mobility management policies and as a service to citizens;
- To diffuse as much as possible the culture of an environmental sustainable mobility among citizens and to increase the social awareness of the vital importance of these themes.
The project had 49 different measures within 5 middle-size cities: Craiova (Romania - Project Coordinator), Brescia (Italy), Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain), Coimbra (Portugal), and Ostrava (Czech Republic) and 25 partners with all the Municipalities and all the local PT companies. Another crucial target was to assess a wide communication and debate among the cities at the level of political decision makers and important stakeholders, and a strong cooperation among scientists and technicians of the European team to circulate experiences and best practice.
Funding
Results
The project implemented 49 different measures within 5 middle-size cities. Craiova (Romania), Brescia (Italy), Vitoria Gasteiz (Spain), Coimbra (Portugal), and Ostrava (Czech Republic).
Craiova (Romania)
In this city 11 measures were implemented:
- Alternative fuels: To improve the quality of life of its citizens,Craiova is replaced fossil fuels with biodiesel. A fuel mixture with up to 20 percent biodiesel is introduced in 10 buses of the city.
- Transition towards clean fleets: A clean public transport system is needed to reduce pollution levels in Craiova and new technologies for buses offer a viable solution. A realistic funding scheme for purchasing new clean buses has been defined to renew the public transport fleet.
- Energy saving on tramlines: In order to decrease the electrical consumption of nine old trams by 40 percent the old tram were provided with an innovative electronic chopper system.
- Policy option for freight distribution schemes: In order to solve its increasing traffic problems, partly due to goods transportation and delivery in urban areas, Craiova aimed at creating a pollution-free centre and developed a plan for goods distribution. The developed plan initiate an incentive system for using non-polluting cars for freight distribution in the central low-emissions zone.
- Integrated e-ticketing system: By using e-ticketing technology, passengers in Craiova can plan their trips according to their needs, without incurring additional costs. The bus and tram systems are now integrated under one e-ticketing system and coordinated by one management centre.
- Access restriction policies: The traffic volume in Craiova has increased in recent years and the trend is still growing. Craiova is regulating access to the city in order to provide better mobility and comfort for people.
- Software tools for mobility management actions in industrial areas: Commuters comprise a major part of traffic in urban areas. Craiova introduced a special public transportation service for work-bound travellers as an alternative to private cars.
- Public transport security programme: To increase the safety of citizens in buses and at stations,Craiova installed surveillance cameras in 10 stations and on 15 buses used for crowded routes.
- Encouraging car-pooling to and from industrial areas: Carpooling is introduced in the West industrial area ofCraiova. This measu
Strategy targets
An efficient and integrated mobility system: Service quality and reliability
Innovating for the future (technology and behaviour): A European Transport Research and Innovation Policy