www.eu-advance.eu
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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