Activities within the week

Tallinn organises activities during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2014, taking into account the annual theme.

The main event of the European Mobility Week in Tallinn is the Car Free Day event on September 21. During the Car Free Day event Tallinn restricts traffic on Keskuse street which is located on the side of the park in the suburb of Mustamäe where the big family festival celebrating Car Free Day takes place. For the festival we have planned a lot of activities, which aim to bring residents’ attention to the fact that there are many different means of transport that one can use instead of driving a personal fossil-fueled car. A lot of attention is directed to public transport, cycling and walking. First there is the big annual orienteering race using public transport. This event is increasingly popular, with 700 participants in last year’s race. As public transport in Tallinn is free for all city’s residents, this race is an effective tool to further increase the use of public transport in Tallinn. In the Keskuse street there will be a session demonstrating bike stunts and tricks and a session with an introduction to roller skating (including rollerblade rental free of charge) and demonstrating freestyle slalom skating. There will also be different games and competitions for children e.g. on bikes and roller skates. With all these events we encourage families to bring their bicycles and kick scooters to the event and use cycling as an alternative to driving a car, since in many families bicycles are already hiding in the basement for the winter. Furthermore it is possible to test electrical solowheels, which offer a quick and convenient alternative to short travel transportation. During the festival residents can participate in a guided bicycle tour around the suburb of Mustamäe and a guided walking tour to different buildings in the nearby area. In the park there will be different activities, which aim to invite more residents to participate in the Car Free Day event. There will be a small fair introducing different eco-products and organic food. There is entertainment for children, such as a trampoline in the shape of a train and ponies. In addition, Snupsi, the mascott for the Environmentally Friendly Mobility Month, will entertain children, handing out wheel reflectors for bikes etc. Also Prügihunt, the mascott for waste sorting, will be at the event to educate children to sort waste. There will also be a small pavilion called Ecomess, where there will be seminars and workshops on ecofriendly renovation and building (e.g. how to make casein paints and natural plaster). There will also be an entertainment programme on the stage with different dance companies performing and an Estonian band N-Euro as the main act.
But there are many other actions that take place during the European Mobility Week in Tallinn that are relative to the theme Our Streets, Our Choice. First the city of Tallinn announced that during the international European Mobility Week, all driving license holders can use the city's public transport for free. The initiative is valid during the European Mobility Week, September 16-22. The right for the free ride is proven by showing one's driver's license. Secondly Snupsi, the mascott for the Environmentally Friendly Mobility Month, will visit all the kindergartens in the suburb of Mustamäe during the European Mobility Week to educate children on different modes of transport e.g. taking the bus/tram/trolley or riding a bike, but also teaching them about safety rules in traffic and delivering the message of this year’s EMW week to the children directly. Furthermore during the European Mobility Week residents can rent bicycles including a helmet and a lock in a shop called City Bike in the Old Town for a special price, which will encourage people to try cycling as an alternative means of transport. During EMW there are also several traffic related orienteering games organised in the suburb of Haabersti for kindergarten children. On September 18 there is an event called Mini SOS taking place in Mustamäe, which is an fun day for small children from kindergartens, educating them on safety in traffic, health and sports. On September 19 there will be an event called Friday Night Skate, where approximately hundred rollerskaters will skate on the streets of Tallinn.

Permanent measures

Tallinn implements one or more new permanent measure(s), which contribute(s) to modal transfer from private car to environmentally sound means of transport.

Car-free day

Tallinn carries out a Car-Free Day 2014 and closes off one or more streets to traffic, and opens it to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.