Education and awareness-raising around sustainable mobility are central to creating a generational change in Lithuania, according to Kęstutis Vanagas, National Coordinator for Lithuania. In this interview he shares his insights, experiences and hopes for EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK in Lithuania.
What activities are you most proud of from the Lithuanian EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2023?
We are particularly pleased by the Sustainable Mobility Fair we organised in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. More than 30 different organisations, both from the private and public sectors participated. During the event, organisations showcased their products and innovations to the public and promoted alternative ways of travelling. We also held seven panel discussions on various sustainable mobility topics, ranging from utopian notions of whether cities can exist without cars to the inevitable future mode of transport - autonomous transport. The event attracted considerable interest from the public and was broadcast on the internet.
Surprisingly, many of the good practices shared on sustainable mobility during the campaign week, came from private companies. For example, some of the main banks in the country encouraged their employees to travel sustainably to work by providing incentives such as points for public transport tickets or swimming pool passes. In Lithuania we don’t often hear about such promotional activities from private companies, so it was nice to see how they also contribute to sustainable mobility.
The campaign was complemented by the celebration of our National Cycling Conference, and the Lithuanian Sustainable Urban Mobility Conference. Both events, held either during or around the campaign week, helped bring visibility to the campaign and highlighted the importance of these themes.
What challenges did you face in preparing for EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK?
In some cities we have observed a lack of political will to address issues related to sustainability. In other municipalities, there is motivation, but a lack of the necessary resources (staff availability as well as finances) to successfully push the campaign forward. It has therefore sometimes been challenging to convince local authorities to register for the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK; those with limited means do not prioritise it. An example of this could be the lack of success with a car-free day within the municipalities, since it is often highly unpopular and requires clear communication with residents highlighting the benefits of such an initiative. However, we, on behalf of the Ministry, are, continuing to push for a car-free day for this year.
The promotion of sustainable mobility beyond the campaign is also challenging. We believe it should be a part of every-day practice, and not just promoted during a single week; that’s why we have planned other events around the topic throughout the year. This year, for example, we have already managed to organise the second National Cycling Conference.
Let’s focus on ‘Shared Public Space’ – the 2024 theme. What does this mean for Lithuania?
Public spaces are the reflection of a city’s mentality; they portray the awareness of both its inhabitants and authorities. We understand Shared Public Space as the area that begins outside of our homes. This does not only concern spaces like parks and squares, but connecting elements such as streets, pavements, pedestrian boulevards. These ‘mobility spaces’ are the spaces used daily by citizens to get from one point to another, connecting them with mobility and the shared space they live in. It is highly important that this concept comes hand in hand with the capacity of citizens to move safely and efficiently from point A to point B.
We would like to focus on the idea of sharing mobility for the 2024 campaign; this means, sharing mobility vehicles (bicycles, scooters, cars etc.) to navigate these shared spaces. Car-sharing is already quite popular in Lithuania, especially in larger cities. However, we are aware that we are still heavily car-centred, so the aim is to try and shift the focus to more sustainable ways of travelling.
Despite improvements being made to infrastructure (investment in public transport, electrification, implementation of subsidies for the purchase of electrical cars and the construction of new cycle paths), we have still seen an increase in private car ownership. An added challenge is, therefore, about convincing car owners to change to more sustainable modes or vehicles. People who already use sustainable mobility options are more likely to switch to shared bikes, scooters, etc.; but this change is less observed among citizens that already own a private vehicle and use it regularly.
What potential is there for spreading awareness?
We see a lot of potential for awareness-raising; particularly with the ‘sharing mobility’ perspective for Lithuania. It could also allow businesses to participate in their own ways. This would be a positive means to going beyond promoting sustainable mobility and focusing on a more sustainable and circular economy too.
It seems that the main challenge in Lithuania is not related so much to improving infrastructure, but to finding the right incentives for change in citizens’ mobility habits. Education plays a crucial role here in ensuring a generational change; awareness-raising of sustainable mobility needs to start in kindergarten or elementary school. We have seen good examples/initiatives of education in cycling in countries such as the Netherlands, UK and Belgium, where children are taught how to use bicycles safely from a young age.
Kęstutis Vanagas works as Future Mobility Policy Group Advisor for the Ministry of Transport and Communications. He has been EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK National Coordinator for Lithuania since 2022.
Learn more about EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK in Lithuania.