21 September 2011 | General, TUD
World Carfree Day
22 September 2011 is World Carfree Day – a day where people all over the world decide to leave their cars at home and to go about their daily lives by bike, on foot or by public transport.
Organised by the World Carfree Network (WCN), the aim is to show just how our cities might look, feel, and sound without cars. The network’s ultimate goal is urban sustainability; with a strong focus on generating a new approach to urban planning and policies – an approach which aims to obviate our dependence on the car as a method of transport.
The global carfree movement recognises that only a combined effort between individuals and our city and government leaders, will lead to any permanent change towards a more pedestrian-friendly society.
COST Action C8 ‘Best practice in sustainable urban infrastructure’ which ended in September 2004, had similar goals: The Action brought together local authorities and all forms of urban practitioners from each European country, to reach a common understanding on sustainability and related criteria for decision-making in urban planning and design dealing with infrastructure. The final scientific report was published as a handbook giving an overview of the best practices concerning sustainable urban infrastructure with specific recommendations.
COST Action 355 ‘Changing behaviour towards a more sustainable transport system’ took a more global approach to the world’s unsustainable transport demands and its adverse effects on society with a specific look at changing the behaviour of travellers, shippers and carriers. Having ended in May 2008, the Action published its final report which has had a long-term impact on research activities and policy formulation in all 23 participating countries.
COST is trying to address the problem of urban sustainability from both ends of the spectrum; the aforementioned Actions are concerned with global and national policy-making on transport systems and its impact.
COST Action 358 'Pedestrians' Quality Needs' which ended in June 2009 established exactly what our citizens need in order to choose to walk rather than use any alternate form of transport. Its final report highlighted pedestrian’s both perceived and functional needs and thus developed an essential tool for the stakeholders (such as decision makers, politicians, planners as well as NGOs) that can implement better conditions for walking and pedestrians’ quality of life.
Actions looking towards improving public transport systems across the globe are also prevalent.
COST Action TU0603 ‘Buses with a high level of service’ ending this year, has one particular goal: to enhance sustainable mobility by developing new bus services within public transport networks to be able to fight or to compete with car use within Europe. While recently-launched COST Action TU1103 ‘Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space’ deals with a similar problem: the sharing or re-sharing of public space with the car. Both these Actions are concerned with safety of these alternate forms of transport and also with reducing the impact of and the conflicts with, other public space users.
The WCN’s ultimate goal is to get people out of their cars 365 days a year, rather than just one. COST is contributing towards that goal by helping governments and relevant stakeholders create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.
