ADVANCE newsletter no1 2011

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NEWSLETTER No. 01 | January 2012

ADVANCE: better planning, better cities ADVANCE aims to improve the urban transport systems in European cities. It supports cities and municipalities on their way towards a more sustainable urban mobility by helping them implement and improve the quality of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and policies. To reach these goals ADVANCE will develop, test and apply an audit scheme to assess the quality of mobility planning on a municipal level.

Picture: www.eltis.org

What you need to know about SUMPs

FACING URBAN MOBILITY CHALLENGES

Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans

Cities and regions in Europe are con-

Planning is central to gathering all

(SUMPs) define a set of interrela-

fronted with a growing number of mo-

these different expectations, require-

ted measures designed to satisfy

bility challenges like increased traffic

ments and challenges into one com-

the mobility needs of people and

flows, accidents and negative environ-

mon structure. An integrated urban

businesses, today and tomorrow.

mental effects. Sustainable urban mo-

mobility strategy takes different policy

They are the result of an integrated

bility and a high quality of life in their

agendas into consideration (e.g. public

planning approach and address all

cities are of highest priority for local

health, land use and housing) and is

modes and forms of transport in

authorities to ensure that European ci-

therefore important for tackling gro-

cities and their surrounding area.

ties remain places worth living in.

wing mobility challenges.

The objectives of a SUMP are to

This is not only defined by environmen-

A very effective urban planning tool

make the transport system ac-

tal preservation, ideal living conditions

is a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan

cessible to all, improve safety and

and high economic benefits but also

(SUMP). The European Commission

security, reduce pollution, improve

by providing attractive alternatives for

identifies SUMPs as an important tool

the cost efficiency of urban trans-

individual mobility. Local authorities

to face urban mobility problems and

port and to make the urban envi-

play a key role in guaranteeing acces-

mentioned SUMPs in the EU Action

ronment generally more attractive.

sibility of public transportation to all,

Plan for urban mobility. It can be assu-

Source: www.mobilityplans.eu

managing cost-efficient transport sys-

med that SUMPs will play an important

tems and integrating physical activity

role in the funding of future transport

in everyday life.

projects approved by the EU.

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NEWSLETTER No. 01 | January 2012

ADVANCE – AUDIT AND CERTIFICATION SCHEME To contribute to the adoption of Sus-

After a validation and improvement

tainable Urban Mobility Plans in Euro-

phase, partner cities of ADVANCE con-

pe and especially in the new member

duct the audit and provide valuable

states of the European Community,

feedback to design the audit according

ADVANCE helps cities to easily asses

to the special needs of cities.

their urban mobility planning by de-

This phase results in local action plans

veloping an audit scheme designed

which define concrete measures and

by an interdisciplinary team of mobi-

actions that are recommended to be

lity experts. ADVANCE focuses on sup-

carried out in the future. Cities, which

porting cities without a mobility plan or

went through the audit successfully

with a SUMP that has significant scope

and commit to implementing the ac-

for improvement.

tion plan, will receive an ADVANCE certificate.

What you need to know about audits

ADVANCE CONSORTIUM

An audit and certification scheme

The ADVANCE consortium consists of

In addition, the interdisciplinary team

is a method to assess the quality of

11 partners from 10 countries. Eight

of ADVANCE is composed of urban

a certain product. Audits and certi-

cities and municipalities are involved

planners, mobility experts, transport

fications are very common in some

in the project. Szczecin (PL) and Mal-

consultants and scientists, who will

fields of businesses, like the hotel

mö (SE) are directly involved in deve-

furthermore train at least 50 external

business (e.g. classification sche-

loping the ADVANCE Audit. Six further

auditors.

mes for hotels, ranging from * to

cities, Agioi-Anargyroi (GR), Alba Iulia

***** hotels). The ADVANCE Audit

(RO), Maribor (SI), Salzburg (AT), Ter-

is a process in which the quality of

rassa (ES) and Zilina (SK) will test and

a cities’ mobility plan is assessed

apply the audit and contribute to its

and strategies to improve the plan

further improvement.

are developed. Together with an external auditor, local governments critically review their mobility plans, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and develop an action plan to further improve their mobi-

ADVANCE Partners ADVANCE Advisory Committee

lity services.

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NEWSLETTER No. 01 | January 2012

GET INVOLVED!

Contact ADVANCE

Are you a representative of a local

As a mobility expert, transport consul-

Stay updated and informed about the

government and working for the urban

tant, energy agent or scientist working

progress of ADVANCE! Visit the project

planning department, the transport and

in the field of sustainable urban mobi-

website and register at:

mobility department or a similar office?

lity, you might be interested in conduc-

Are you interested in improving local

ting the ADVANCE Audit. The project

www.eu-advance.eu

conditions? Now you have the chance to

offers free training opportunities for

help your city become one of the first

future auditors.

to apply for the ADVANCE Audit! Get in-

or contact ADVANCE directly.

Coordination

volved and improve your urban mobility policies! You can benefit from recent

Jörg KASTELIC

experience within the project and join a

Austrian Mobility Research,

network of other cities from all over Eu-

FGM-AMOR

rope that are presently improving their

Email: info@eu-advance.eu

Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans.

Tel.: +43 316 810 451 36

PARTNER PROJECT: QUEST The QUEST project (Quality Manage-

• To issue QUEST Certificates to cities

ment Tool for Urban Energy-efficient

in recognition of achievements and/

Sustainable Transport) commenced in

or progress towards sustainable

May 2011 and runs in parallel to AD-

transport.

VANCE to October 2013. QUEST has three primary objectives:

For more information contact the project coordinator Maja van der Voet

• To develop an auditing and certi-

(maja@ligpart.nl).

fication tool based on total quality management for the evaluation and improvement of sustainable urban

Picture: www.eltis.org

mobility in 50 medium-sized cities in Europe (population 50,000 to

Legal Disclaimer: The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

300,000 people); • To produce tailored action plans for participating cities, offering detailed recommendations to improve policy-making processes and mediumto long-term mobility strategies;

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