Overview
Transport is a key enabler of economic activity and social connectedness. While providing essential services to society and economy, transport is also an important part of the economy and it is at the core of a number of major sustainability challenges, in particular climate change, air quality, safety, energy security and efficiency in the use of resources (EC 2011: Transport White Paper).
The overall mission of this project is to support the uptake of innovative sustainable urban mobility solutions in Europe and other regions in the world, in particular in Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean.
The call text identified several regions in the world, policy areas and previous and on-going projects relevant for addressing the topic: Implementing innovative and green urban transport solutions in Europe and beyond (SST.2013.3-2). SOLUTIONS will address all regions and policy areas, and will link into all projects mentioned in the call text. We believe that this approach generates the greatest synergies, which will be for the benefit of participating cities and the projects SOLUTIONS will link to and build upon.
While SOLUTIONS will build strongly on previous and on-going projects and initiatives, as is the nature of a coordinating action, it also aims to provide added value that goes beyond summarising and facilitating knowledge sharing and research and technology transfer. SOLUTIONS aims to bridge the 'implementation gap' between the potential of innovative sustainable mobility and transport solutions and packages of solutions and the actual level of up-take and quality of the deployment mechanisms.
Funding
Results
Testing the transferability of sustainable urban mobility solutions
An international team assesses the transferability of sustainable urban mobility solutions and tested the applicability of public transport, planning, infrastructure, clean vehicle technology, ITS and freight measures in cities in Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean and Latin America.
Transportation is key enabler to economic activity and social connectedness, but also contributes climate change, air pollutions and road safety issues. A sustainable urban mobility policy-approach can help addressing these issues in an integrated and coherent manner,
The EU-funded http://www.urban-mobility-solutions.eu (SOLUTIONS) (SOLUTIONS: Sharing opportunities for low carbon urban transportation) project is supporting the uptake of sustainable urban mobility measures through feasibility studies, knowledge sharing and training. The 23-member consortium focuses on opportunities to transfer successfully implemented sustainable urban mobility solutions and tests their applicability to cities in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean partner countries. The group offer advice to city officials, while also facilitating knowledge exchange and networking. Work started in mid-2013 and will conclude in April 2016.
Team members identified potential solutions, based on previous projects, in the areas of public transportation, infrastructure, city logistics, integrated planning, network and mobility management, and clean vehicles. The project held workshops to prioritise and document the solutions, selecting around 60, which created the basis for trainings and feasibility studies in selected cities.
SOLUTIONS published calls for interest from three types of city: leading cities, take-up cities and training cities. Suitable candidates from each category were selected. The project hosted an engagement event, which established five teams of leading and take-up cities who work together on testing the take-up of solutions selected by each take-up city. The consortium supports the cooperation via the establishment of communication channels, mutual site visits, trainings, the preparation of guidance documents and pol and policy papers.
Other key results include a stocktake report on urban mobility solutions for the respective regions, plus feasibility studies for cities in Brazil, China, India and Mexico. The project has made recommendations to the European Commission regarding future research and collaboration opportunities. An important element of the projects is the organisation of various knowledge-sharing and training activities in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean, addressing measures in all areas of sustainable transport. An E-learning platform has been established and a series of online courses have been provided.
Expected results of the SOLUTIONS project include four take-up cities in Asia and Latin America having validated individual transportation solutions. The outcome should lead to significant environmental benefits and improved transportation effectiveness.