Description
As of today, Prague is witnessing a major change in urban planning and conceptualization of its own growth. For the past two years, Prague has started to work on a series of vital documents that include the basic principles of sustainable development. While we wow for such a progress, there are several major risks to the ongoing process. First, the current strategy has ignored a coherent concept of sustainable transportation. Secondly, Prague had just witnessed a change in its political leadership and it is vital to safeguard that the new leadership will not step aside from this process. The aim of the project is to provide support, constructive dialogue and education to all active stakeholders. Apart from the political leadership and experts we want to also provide basic information about the topic to the public which is often left out of the discussion.
Summary of project results
Prior to the start of our project, the awareness of what sustainable mobility is and what principles it is based on, was among the Prague politicians and officials minimal or not existing. The transport development in Prague is planned according to fifty-year-old guidelines which are based on massive investments into individual automobile transport and the consequences of such actions are overlooked or downplayed. The interrest in an integrated approach to urban planning has been on the increase in professional circles since 2011. Documents are being outlined that take into account the urban space limitations, the changing needs of citizens as well as the pressure to increase the effectiveness of the transportation system. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis has been placed on creating a document that is typical for western cities – The Strategic Plan of Sustainable Mobility. The goal of our project was to explain the principles of sustainable mobility to relevant politicians and officials, to ignite a professional discussion about the topic and to push these principles forward into strategic documentation for the development of the city. For this purpose, we have prepared a set of materials that explain, in simple terms, the basic concepts of sustainable mobility. We show that the sustainable mobility is a direction, that a modern capital must pursue if it wants to become a place for good life and that it must integrate this vision into its strategic documents such as the Strategic Plan and the Zoning Plan. Apart from one expert transportation study, three infographics, popularization postcards and an anthology of articles, we have also organized five larger meetings, two exhibitions, and we have also initiated multiple personal meetings with officials and politicians where we presented the principle of sustainable mobility, including our materials. In our meetings, we emphasised – and will continue to do so – conceptual approaches to the city development that is focused on sustainability. The project has increased the awareness about sustainable mobility among politicians and officials. In partnership with them, we are in the process of preparing some transport measures based on the principles of sustainable mobility. We also cooperate on the creation of strategic documents and our goal has been and will be to ensure that sustainable mobility becomes an integral part of such materials.
Summary of bilateral results