LISBON | European Green Capital 2020
A New Urban Approach For many decades, Lisbon had a car-centric approach, similar to other European capitals. This was all turned upside down, however, in 2012 with a seismic change in the urban paradigm which resulted in a new masterplan that revolutionised urban planning. The 2012 masterplan outlined a new approach to land use, including higher-density housing and planning re-zoning to curtail construction in sensitive ecological areas. This laid the groundwork for implementing the Green Corridor Strategy that sought to preserve and increase permeable areas and rehabilitate underground rivers and streams. Another objective of the masterplan was to change Lisbon from being a car-centric city to one based on public transport, with dynamic areas for living and working. The masterplan included for smallscale planning to prioritise and normalise public transport, walking and cycling. Lisbon also has a clear vision for sustainable urban mobility, with measures to restrict car use and prioritise cycling, public transport, and walking. At the start of the 21st century, use of individual cars in Lisbon increased by 10%, from 38% in 2001 to 48% in 2011, with only 34% of travel being undertaken on public transport. Lisbon’s urban strategy was deepened when the city reached an agreement with the national government to regain ownership of the public bus and tram company in 2017. This policy shift meant Lisbon began to reinvest in the tram network and improve the bus service. Today, with an historic tram line reopened, two new tram lines completed, ongoing expansions and transportation sharing schemes, Lisbon is already beginning to witness 10,000 fewer cars per day within the city, and this will improve further in the coming years. More people are benefiting from these policy shifts, with an increase in walking and cycling from 18% of all travel in 2011 to 32% in 2018. While fewer people used public transport during the financial crisis, this is also seeing a positive increase, with 20% more public transport journeys undertaken in the past year alone (since April 2019). In 2017, Lisbon launched a bike-sharing scheme, with electric bikes comprising two thirds of the fleet, to encourage cycling in the hillier parts of the city. While the city continues to invest heavily in the existing public transport infrastructure, 200 km of cycleways and bridges will also be constructed by 2021.
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