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Imagine you have a wide river, which flows through your city and allows you to stroll around its river banks during the summer. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Szeged (Hungary) could not enjoy their river to the fullest, as cars and motorised vehicles created noise disturbances.
Thus, the city of Szeged decided to close the Tisza river quay for all motorised vehicles on weekends in the months of July and August in 2020. This way we open up the quay for active modes of transport and leisure time activities along with cultural and sporting events. Since the quay became a major passageway for car drivers through the city, it became impossible for the citizens to spend their free time on the downtown parts of the river quay. This temporary measure is an experiment to see how many citizens would choose to spend a summer evening jogging and cycling, or enjoying cultural programs such as concerts and movies next to the Tisza.
The functional change of the quay is a very conscious decision in order to allow and encourage people to profit from the outstanding natural environment and possibilities that the river provides. By giving this space to citizens, we hope that people will spend more time close to nature and they will appreciate more their natural surroundings. In order to emphasize the importance of environmental protection, all single-use plastics are prohibited during events.
Learn more about the initiative on the dedicated Facebook page.
Hungary