The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK
will celebrate its 20th edition this year. Celebrating on the week starting
16th September and ending on the 22nd of September, which is World Car Free
Day, this EU wide campaign seeks to promote behavioural change in favour of
active mobility, public transport and other clean, intelligent transport
solutions.
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has fostered an interest in
more sustainable modes of transport and brought a new perspective on our public
space. Last year gave us a momentary relief from busy traffic, allowing people
to enjoy streets and public spaces. Since then, not a week goes by without a
new article or survey being published on this topic. First was the announcement
of the pioneering Slow Streets initiative by the Local Councils Association,
which aims to offer an opportunity to experience our neighbourhoods in a new
way. Their goal is to make streets more people-friendly by limiting through-traffic
in residential streets. Last April, Hamrun’s mayor, Christian Sammut, floated
the idea of making the town’s main street pedestrianised. His proposal was
positively welcomed by the public. Then, in June, Zejtun council announced it
will be among the first local councils to introduce car-free zones in their
locality.
When we know that the average car commuting journey is only 5.5km
and 20 minutes long, there is great potential to encourage walking, cycling and
other micro-mobility solutions as faster and cleaner alternative means of
transport. According to Transport Malta, many destinations are only a 10-minute
walk away from the town centre. The more we create safe and aesthetically
pleasing streets, the more we will encourage people to use alternative modes of
transport to move from A to B. Furthermore, it is being increasingly recognised
that good quality public spaces are important for people’s wellbeing and
health, both mental and physical. Pascal Smet, Secretary of State for the
Brussels-Capital Region considers public space as the living room of a city:
“Just like in your house, the living room is the most important room in the
house”.
forms of physical activity in our urban areas? How can we reduce the impact of
pollution and advocate for more greenery and open public spaces, promoting
physical exercise, opportunity for social interaction and better mental health
and well-being?
Foundation (PAF), on behalf of the EIT Urban Mobility RIS hub Malta, is
organising an online seminar themed “Safe and Healthy with Sustainable Mobility
in Malta” in collaboration with Transport Malta on September 16th, from 15:30-18:00
(via Zoom and Facebook Live). Addressing policy makers, government
representatives, educators and school staff, architects and urban planners, and
students and professionals in the health and transport sectors, and the general
public, the event includes 3 panel discussions with experts and practitioners
in the field, on the following topics:
• How is transport impacting health in
Malta
• As a place of work or education, what can
you do to promote healthier travel habits?
• What can cities do to promote active
mobility to boost residents’ physical and mental health?
The momentum
towards sustainable mobility is growing and the time to act is now! Learn how to
encourage healthier travel habits during our online seminar here or visit PAF website or PAF on Facebook.
