Six finalists are in the running for the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK and MOBILITYACTION awards. The awards seek to raise awareness on sustainable urban mobility and mobility management plans. Both awards celebrate activities implemented in 2024. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony hosted by the European Commission in Brussels on 27 March.
The nominees for the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2024 are:
Bologna (Italy) for making sustainable mobility concepts and activities more accessible to the public. During EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, the city hosted a variety of information stands and educational activities related to sustainable urban mobility plans and the transformation of public space. Many local private and citizen-led organisations were involved in the planning of events, which helped foster a sense of community ownership. Of particular note is also the Bologna 30 initiative, whereby 70% of roads in the municipality have been permanently transformed to 30 km/h zones. The week’s events ended with a car-free day in the city’s historical and commercial centre.
Braga (Portugal) for hosting a diverse range of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK activities, many of which were co-created with local residents. This year a strong emphasis was placed on increasing the capacity of politicians and urban mobility technicians to implement change. Other notable activities included the expansion of urban cycle paths, multiple school mobility projects and the transformation of Dom Pedro V Street into a shared public space. Two kiosks provided information on mobility projects to 14,500 residents throughout the main week. Braga, Portugal’s third largest city, won the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK award in 2022.
Leipzig (Germany) for a particularly impressive car-free day, closing off the inner-city ring road for 12 hours to hold activities involving the participation of around 25,000 people. The city hosted a full programme of activities during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, including public workshops, lectures and discussions, all with a clear focus on sustainable mobility. The ‘shared public space’ theme was reflected strongly, in the pedestrianisation of parts of the city and traffic-calming measures. Partnerships with DHL, Nextbike, Tink and ADFC resulted in the establishment of cargo bike rentals and other bicycle-related activities, raising awareness of this particular active mobility mode.
The nominees for the MOBILITYACTION Award 2024 are:
Associació Amics de Ca la Cileta del Palau d'Anglesola (El Palau d’Anglesola, Spain) for promoting an inclusive approach to street space during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, showcasing the coexistence between people of different ages and abilities. The project involved meetings between primary-school students and the elderly, creating an inter-generational bond linked to an exchange of knowledge on sustainable mobility. The activity, which also extends to other towns in the Pla d’Urgell region, encourages a vision of public space which is not dominated by cars but instead promotes mobility options that are sustainable and accessible to all, such as walking and cycling.
Bucharest-Ilfov Public Transport Intercommunity Development Association (Bucharest, Romania) for transforming Gheorghe Duca Boulevard into a temporary exhibition area, turning a regular city thoroughfare into an interactive cultural space, blending historical and modern mobility themes. The initiative is a key component of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK celebrations in Bucharest. By exhibiting vintage vehicles, the event highlights the evolution of public transport and mobility in the city. New public transport routes were introduced to link the city’s main transport hubs with major landmarks and to ensure better access to the exhibition.
Pěšky městem (Czech Republic) for its promotion of active mobility, with a nationwide campaign involving 501 schools across 338 Czech cities, encouraging children and parents to walk to school during EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK. The campaign highlights the benefits of walking for children’s health and for the environment. Emphasis is placed on learning safe, healthy and sustainable transport habits from an early age. Leaning into the 2024 theme ‘shared public space’, the campaign also fosters safer and more inclusive communities, particularly by reducing the volume of car traffic in the vicinity of schools.
The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award acknowledges excellence by municipalities in promoting sustainable urban mobility during the campaign’s main week of 16-22 September.
The MOBILITYACTION Award acknowledges excellence in mobility management planning solutions submitted by businesses, institutions, civil society organisations, citizen initiatives or municipalities.
The annual theme in 2024 for both awards was ‘shared public space’.
The shortlisted candidates were selected by an independent panel of mobility and transport experts. The two winners will be announced during an award ceremony at Plein Publiek in Brussels on 27 March.