European Mobility Week 2008: 200 million people expected

This year, from 16 to 22 September, the European Mobility Week (EMW) - an event which permits to test many ideas - should include the participation of 200 million people.

This week, citizens can try alternative transports and the cities that have joined to this initiative, can also test new services and new infrastructures. The only requirement is launching at least one permanent measure that will help to cut the harmful emissions from the transport sector.

The local authorities participating in this initiative are also encouraged to organise awareness-raising activities around the theme - link between mobility and air quality (“Clean Air for All !A dream or a real possibility?”). For example, on 21 September, in Reykjavik (Iceland), it will be realized a city fair based around the themes of sustainable transport and clean air.

More to the south, also the Lisbon municipality intends to improve the air quality of the city through the EMW programme. Thus, the municipality announced that each day will be devoted to environmental issues and mobility, such as air quality, parking in residential areas, prevention and road safety, public transportation and energy efficiency. The European Car Free day will culminate the initiative, being some streets closed to traffic.

The vice president of the municipality referred to the riverside bike path project, as well as to the bike network of shared use. The municipality and the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (CCDR-LVT) signed a protocol to make a public commitment to improving the Lisbon air quality.

Even more to the south, in the Alentejo region, the Évora municipality is encouraging its workers to start a system of car-sharing ( "carpooling") between the residence and the workplace. For the implementation of this system, this municipality will launch one Intranet - a site where the users could identify residence areas and workplaces.

Last year, 2000 cities in 36 countries participated in the European Mobility Week. The initiative is coordinated by the non-governmental organizations Eurocities, Energie-Cités and Climate Alliance.

According to the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), 65 localities are participating in the 2008 European Mobility Week and European Day Without Cars.