On 24 May 2019, the European Commission adopted EU rules on operating drones. Among a list of measures, Member States will be able to establish "no-fly zones" over city centres and other areas, such as airports. The new rules also address registration of operators and identification of drones and are designed to ensure drone traffic across Europe is safe and secure for people on the ground and in the air.
Transport for London (TfL) has ordered the ‘world’s first’ 20 hydrogen double-decker buses to be introduced on three London bus routes in 2020. These vehicles will emit no pollution and are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery pack.
From the start of June 2019, Slovenia boasts an improved public transport offering. This follows the national government’s decision of April 2019 to introduce a new integrated system of public transport for passengers. This decree introduced significant improvements in terms of ticketing and public transport provision.
Bilbao tops the ranking of the main Spanish cities for its commitment to sustainable mobility thanks to an increase in the cities pedestrian zones, according to a study conducted by Greenpeace.
MobiliseYourCity has organised a cycling trip from Amsterdam to Groningen (The Netherlands), the host city of the 6th European SUMP conference (17-18 June).
From 15-16 June, the 2-day cycling trip will involve 10 hours of cycling across 192km from Amsterdam and Groningen, and is aimed at you, your colleagues and the MobiliseYourCity Secretariat Team (bikes, food and accommodation are not provided).
Why?
The Scottish government is about to introduce an amendment to the Scottish Transport Bill that will give local councils in the country the option of introducing a workplace parking levy. By doing this, it is taking up a pledge of the Scottish Greens and hopes to reduce congestion in Scottish municipalities. The respective amendments to the bill will be introduced before the summer.
In 2016, an innovative pilot that collected depersonalised Wi-Fi data from customers on London Underground demonstrated how technology could be used to reduce overcrowding and prioritise transport investment. The trial was undertaken by Transport for London (TfL), which is responsible for transport in the UK capital.
On 3 June the UN celebrates World Bicycle Day to promote sustainable transportation and road safety. We report from Turkey, where Tepebaşı, a district of Istanbul, aims to revive a once very vibrant biking culture which was largely replaced by motorised transportation
Cities, particularly the largest agglomerations in Europe, are struggling to reduce traffic congestion and transport-related emissions, as they try to improve mobility and air quality for residents and tourists. Each day, a significant proportion of trips in urban areas is made using diesel-powered trucks, which deliver different kinds of goods to private sector customers throughout the day. However, it is not only the goods delivered to private businesses that contribute to increased traffic flows, as the public sector is one of the main customers for the products that trucks deliver.
Municipal staff in Valladolid, Spain, are going electric in their daily work. With a fleet of 13 e-cars, the municipality is leading by example in adopting a more ecological behaviour thanks to EU-funded project REMOURBAN.
The call has been launched for applications for this year's CIVITAS Awards. Towns and cities are invited to apply by 19 July 2019 to be in with a chance of winning Europe's most prestigious prize for clean urban transport.
The Awards provide a unique platform for towns and cities to demonstrate their pioneering sustainable urban mobility activities. Winning towns and cities enjoy Europe-wide exposure of their work and become role models that inspire others to go for greener mobility.
Towns and cities all across Europe experience unique local challenges when developing their Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP). Geographical and cultural contexts play a major role and mean that a diversified approach to SUMP development is necessary.
But what are these differences? How do they impact on and differentiate SUMP development?
A new podcast from three CIVITAS SUMP projects (PROSPERITY, SUITS, and SUMPs-Up) sheds light on the challenges that towns and cities in Eastern and Central Europe face when developing and implementing their SUMPs.
The UK Government has announced that it is supporting Monmouthshire County Council in Wales and a local manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to establish a fleet of 20 hydrogen cars.
Brussels and London are amongst the European cities that have recently further developed their respective urban vehicle access regulation schemes. Both have introduced stricter rules for older, more polluting vehicles that want to access defined areas within each city. In both cases, the first evaluation results indicate positive impacts in terms of emissions and compliance with the new regulations.
Brussels and London are amongst the European cities that have recently further developed their respective urban vehicle access regulation schemes. Both have introduced stricter rules for older, more polluting vehicles that want to access defined areas within each city. In both cases, the first evaluation results indicate positive impacts in terms of emissions and compliance with the new regulations.
Prague City Hall is exploring the idea of introducing water trams to transport people up and down the Vtlava, the river running through the Czech capital.
The City Council approved calls for a study to show how the project could be implemented. The proposed water tram routes would become an integral part of Prague’s transport system and complement the current ferries that connect the two banks of the river.
Prague City Hall is exploring the idea of introducing water trams to transport people up and down the Vtlava, the river running through the Czech capital.
The City Council approved calls for a study to show how the project could be implemented. The proposed water tram routes would become an integral part of Prague’s transport system and complement the current ferries that connect the two banks of the river.
The calls for contributions, exhibitors and sponsors are currently open for this year's CIVITAS Forum closing 31 May 2019. For more information about the event, including the draft programme and full details on travel and accommodation, visit the event page here.
