Vienna, Igoumenitsa and Turda take home European sustainable mobility awards

The European Commission announced the winners of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 and 6th Award for Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) at a ceremony on 22 March in Brussels (Belgium). 

Vienna was named the winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 for larger municipalities, while Igoumenitsa in Greece is the first ever winner of the newly added category for smaller municipalities. The 6th Award for Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) was presented to Turda (Romania). 

Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said: "...these cities are not only creating a more sustainable Europe, but are helping their residents to move around in a cleaner, healthier and more enjoyable way. It is my hope that by selecting these cities, their actions will inspire others to embrace the core message of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK – sustainable mobility is the right choice for everyone."

The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award showcases local authorities that demonstrate significant efforts in promoting sustainable urban mobility, while the SUMP Award recognises outstanding sustainable urban mobility planning, this year focusing on shared mobility in the planning process.

Vienna, Austria received the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 for larger municipalities.  The Austrian capital, impressed the jury with its outstanding programme of activities during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, which reflected a firm understanding of the theme of the 2017 campaign - Clean, shared, and intelligent mobility. Among other activities, residents of Vienna were able to rent cargo bikes free of charge, take guided walks through different city neighbourhoods, and join an urban picnic on a street previously reserved for vehicles. One initiative saw crowds positioned at busy bicycle intersections, providing cyclists with a round of applause for choosing a sustainable transport method. The city also worked with kindergartens to educate children on sustainable modes of transport.

Igoumenitsa in Greece received the first ever EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2017 for smaller municipalities.  The city took home the honour for exemplary work in communicating the benefits of sustainable mobility to residents, including those who live in nearby small towns. 

Turda in Romania received the 6th Award for Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning for its clear planning vision, robust financing strategy, and measurable targets. The jury noted the replicability of the strategy and its potential to inspire other similarly-sized cities (Turda has a population of around 50,000 inhabitants). The jury also found that the level of ambition within the plan was high given the relatively small size of the city, particularly in the field of shared mobility.

Greater Manchester (United Kingdom) and Milan (Italy) were fellow finalists for the 6th edition of the SUMP Award.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.mobilityweek.eu