Transport, mobility planning seminar

A workshop for various European organisations involved in transport and mobility planning was successfully held in Valletta earlier this month. The workshop was the sixth of a series of eight, being held as part of an EU co-financed project.

The project, entitled CIT-U-M, consists of a thematic network focused on transport and the environment, particularly on improving accessibility of deprived areas and public transport systems (links to different parts of cities) and enhancing adequate public transport and alternative transport modes (walking and cycling).

The CIT-U-M network is co-financed by the EU through the URBACT Programme. Valletta Local Council joined this network in July 2005, at a time when Valletta was at a crossroad in paving and was deciding a concrete mobility strategy designed to improve accessibility and to provide a better quality of life for the residents, the business community and the visitors to the city.

Backed up by the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads, the Valletta Alive Foundation, the Malta Transport Authority and Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd, the Valletta Local Council joined the CIT-U-M network, working alongside other city and town transport/urban planners.

The CIT-U-M network provides space for benchmarking of urban transport systems, which allows the participating cities to evaluate and compare between various processes and best practices in the context of urban mobility.

The project, as part of the greater EU-funded URBACT programme, also aims to elaborate and disseminate a common framework for planning, financing and managing urban mobility measures and the implementation of policies.

A pan-European Handbook for Citizen-Friendly Mobility Planning and Management will be published at the end of the project in 2007.

The workshop was attended by 16 representatives from various cities within the EU, who discussed urban planning approaches as well as transport project evaluation methods adopted in the various member states.

Presentations during the workshop were also made by Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett, Valletta Mayor Paul Borg Olivier, Malcolm Borg from the Ministry for Urban Development and Therese Ciantar from the Malta Transport Authority.

The presentations related to the Park-and-Ride scheme, which was recently introduced, the newly launched Vertical Connection project, and the Transit-Oriented-Development strategy, which the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads is pursuing.

Architect John Ebejer made a presentation on a survey which Valletta Local Council and the local CIT-U-M partners carried out on urban mobility and accessibility issues affecting commuters and residents in Valletta and the greater harbour area.

The workshop elaborated on the foundations of the CIT-U-M project, and engaging a number of local actors and stakeholders in discussions on sustainable mobility solutions for Valletta and similar EU cities.

Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd is providing ongoing project management and financial consultancy to the Valletta Local Council and local CITUM partners. It also liaises with the other CITUM city partners and ASDA (Greece), the lead partner of the project.