In the city of Bologna, capital of the Emilia Romagna region in Italy, citizens are encouraged to sign a petition to reduce the speed limit to 30km/h across the city. The overall aim is to gather at least 10.000 signatures to promote sustainable, active mobility in Bologna. The citizens’ initiative aims to use the window of opportunity of a recent administrative change in the city. In case the effort will be successful, Bologna would follow in the footsteps of several cities around Europe, such as Paris or Brussels, to tackle air pollution and limit road deaths.
In order to achieve this goal, data and information were collected to create a social website with the aim of raising awareness about the subject. Furthermore, communication materials were drafted to convince the citizens about the benefits of a pedestrian friendly city.
The new speed limit could lead to greater road safety and fewer serious accidents. In addition, Bologna is also affected by bad air quality as the city is located close to the notoriously polluted Po Valley. Thus, a speed limit reduction would make citizens more inclined to use zero-emission means of transport such as bikes.
It is crucial that this measure is accompanied by a series of improvements to the urban infrastructure, including investments in public transport, enhancement of roads as well as the creation of safe zones for cyclists and pedestrians.
For more info, follow the initiative on Instagram and Facebook
Italy