CitiZEN

Objectives of the project

Efficient and effective urban mobility can significantly contribute to achieving sustainable economic growth and employment opportunities in our cities. It is of huge importance to achieving the EU 2020 objectives as 70% of the EU population live in cities and account for over 80% of the EU’s GDP. Moreover, in many urban areas, the increasing demand for urban mobility has created a non-sustainable environment with severe congestion, poor air quality and high levels of CO2 emissions.

The purpose of the project is to create a permanent thematic working group focused on sustainable mobility in the framework of Energy Cities. The project has tackled the development and update of the local Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans by the local authorities as well as implementation of specific actions, such as: promotion of cycling, car sharing, sustainable mobility in schools (walking buses, awareness campaigns), family contests, public events (e.g. energy days/fairs, European mobility week) allowing citizens to learn about local, national and European experiences in terms of products and services related to sustainable mobility.

Implementation

The consortium is coordinated by Energy Cities and 6 member cities of Energy Cities are involved as project partners: Bistrița (Romania), Čačak (Serbia), Milton-Keynes (United Kingdom), Modena (Italy), Växjö (Sweden) and Zadar (Croatia).

CitiZEN partners at the kick-off meeting in Växjö – September 2015

Please download here a concise project factsheet.

The CitiZEN project was funded with the support of the European Union under the Europe for Citizens Programme.

4 European workshops and site visits have been organised within this project as well as 6 public fairs.

• Workshops and sites visits:
  The workshops involved 20 city representatives from the municipalities of Bistrița, Čačak, Milton Keynes, Modena, Växjö, Zadar and from Energy Cities. They have been organised in Växjö on 17-18.09.2015, in Milton Keynes on 19-20.05.2016, in Modena on 26-27.09.2016 and in Zadar on 4-5.04.2017
  These events enabled cities to share the development and update of the local Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans as well as implementation of specific actions, such as: citizen involvement in sustainable urban mobility challenges, promotion of cycling, car sharing, sustainable mobility in schools (walking buses, awareness campaigns), family contests, public events (e.g. energy days/fairs, European mobility week) allowing citizens to learn about local, national and European experiences in terms of products and services related to sustainable mobility.
• Public fairs:
  • In Växjö (Sweden) on 19 September 2015
    Organised during the European Mobility Week, this event called the “Traffic and Climate Day” gathered 2,500 participants. The main focus was multimodality, with the objective to involve citizens and offer opportunities to discuss the current traffic situation, bicycle lanes, infrastructure, pollution, traffic noise etc. with leading politicians and officials. Participants could try different bikes and a special bicycle driving school has been organised for children.
  • In Milton Keynes (United Kingdom) on 21 May 2016
    Milton Keynes Council with a local independent cinema (ICMK), the Gallery in Central Milton Keynes and a company that provided bicycles that power a cinema organised the “Cycle Cinema Fun Day”. This event gathered 350 participants who were challenged to cycle to watch several films promoting sustainable transport for all the family to enjoy.
  • In Bistrița (Romania) from 16 to 22 September 2016
    During the event that gathered more than 400 participants, traffic has been completely stopped in the city centre of Bistrița. Citizens experienced the effort to produce the necessary energy to charge their phones by using two bicycles that generate electricity. Several other activities were offered: awareness raising on traffic safety and importance of biking at the green school, CitiZEN bike tour.
  • In Čačak (Serbia) from 20 to 24 September 2016
    Several events to stimulate cycling as a means of transport have been organised, gathering 320 participants: a round table discussion and sharing best practice experience on sustainable mobility in Serbia, distribution of bike lights as a common action organised by the municipality and the local police department as well as two cycling races.
  • In Modena (Italy) on 25 September 2016
    2,000 people participated in “Sunday without cars” in Modena. During the day, the traffic was reduced in the whole city and it was stopped totally in a wide area around the city centre. Several activities were offered to the citizens to raise awareness on sustainable mobility: markets, city visits, children educational labs, workshops in collaboration with the urban multi-centre for health and environment, bike trips with different groups from different areas of the city, a bicycle public auction.
  • In Zadar (Croatia) on 8 April 2017
    The event not only promoted healthy lifestyle and the use of bicycles and electric vehicles, but it also raised awareness on the importance of using the alternative ways of transportation in the city. 300 citizens participated in the activities: information for children about road safety and bicycle use, presentation of solar and electric vehicles by students, workshops for children and adults, one of which was “Pimp my bike”.
• Webinars:
  • Living Streets – When citizens take back the streets – 10 May 2016 – Recording
  • Mobility and public space in Vitoria-Gasteiz: Transitioning from private car to people – 15 November 2016 – Recording
  • “Streets for children, streets for all”, a collective project to share and design public space in La Rochelle – 23 March 2017 – Recording
• Case studies
  • Milton Keynes – Beat the street
  • Modena – Metrominuto
  • Växjö – Bicycle friendly workplaces 
  • Zadar – “Biciklom na špicu” event (“Instead coffee, cycle to go”)