In town without my car week: UK shows reluctance to close streets and promote an anti car message, say organisers

From 16th to 22nd September 2008, hundreds of European cities will to participate in the seventh edition of the European Mobility Week (EMW) and invite their citizens to take part in a wide range of activities dedicated to the promotion of sustainable mobility. However event coordinator Richard Evans has said that some councils in the UK have shown reluctance to promote an 'anti car' message and a reluctance to close streets.

Yet the London borough of Islington has prevailed, and a busy street will be closed to motorised traffic on 20th September, allowing citizens to experience the street without risk to their health or safety.

Today in Europe, the increasing reliance on fossil fuels to meet growing energy demand, combined with the dramatic rise in road traffic contribute to air pollution in our towns and cities which, in turn, can lead to serious health problems. The central theme therefore for this year is ‘CLEAN AIR FOR ALL’ and we encourage local authorities to take actions on unsustainable modes of transport to improve air quality at the local level, and citizens to think about changing their day-to-day mobility behaviour to cut CO2 emissions, say organisers.

Commissioner for the Environment Stavros Dimas welcomes the theme of the 2008 European Mobility Week: 'Pollution from transport is major contributor to poor air quality in European cities and this has a serious impact on the health of our citizens. By raising the public’s awareness of alternative options, this initiative will contribute to a more sustainable future for our cities and a better quality of life for those who live in them.'

This year, local authorities participating in the initiative are encouraged to organise awareness-raising activities around the theme of the link between mobility and air quality, and to launch permanent measures that will help to cut harmful emissions from the transport sector – such as the introduction of a low-emission zone or the implementation of a ‘Park and Ride’ parking and bus shuttle service to the inner city. Activities already planned by cities participating in the initiative include:

• A traffic and ecological education day in Zagreb, Croatia on 17th September, including a public demonstration of air quality measurement devices;
• The closure of a busy street to motorised traffic in the Borough of Islington, London on 20th September allowing citizens to experience the street without risk to their health or safety;

A city fair based around the themes of sustainable transport and clean air to be held in Reykjavik, Iceland on 21st September.