A series of sustainable urban transport studies will take place as part of the latest phase of the EU co-funded CIVITAS initiative.
CIVITAS – which takes its name from city, vitality and sustainability – was launched in 2002 to help shape transport measures and policies and create cleaner, more efficient transport in cities.
It has helped introduce measures to make urban transport more eco-friendly in more than 60 European metropolitan areas, dubbed ‘demonstration cities’.
Examples include a new traffic control system in Bologna, Italy and a waterborne goods operation in Bremen, Germany.
The EC has now called on CIVITAS to carry out projects in three key areas: transforming the use of conventionally fuelled vehicles in urban areas; reducing the impacts and costs of urban freight; and tackling city congestion.
Around 40 million euros in co-funding has now been granted for 10 chosen projects, with four focusing directly on the urban freight sector. They are:
- CITYLAB: will support cities and private companies developing new services and business models for improved sustainability and profitability of their logistic activities.
- NOVELOG: will enable city logistics policy formulation and decision-making as part of the city’s sustainable urban mobility planning, and support implementation and adoption of appropriate measures.
- SUCCESS: will improve knowledge and understanding of freight distribution and service trips for the construction sector and demonstrate impacts in terms of transport and environmental efficiency.
- U-TURN: will identify opportunities for collaboration and innovative logistics sharing strategies and showcase their impact and results.
Further details about each scheme are expected to be announced shortly.
The latest phase of the CIVITAS initiative is scheduled to run until 2016, and more cities are encouraged to collaborate with their European counterparts by taking part in the scheme.
Birmingham City is the latest UK member to sign-up, joining 17 other UK local authorities and organisations already on-board with the scheme.
For more information about the projects or how to join the UK network, contact civinet-uk-ireland@civitas.eu or call 01543 416416.
