STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN ON ELECTRO-MOBILITY AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

Summary

The campaign will encourage the use of more efficient and sustainable means of transport, through the implementation of monitored bus, bicycle and walking scholar routes, and the organization of open days for free electric vehicles trials. It aims to break the “car culture” tradition, focusing especially on new generations and students.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Currently motorized private vehicles represent over 40% of the total city modal split and bus and bicycle are just 12% and 0.4% respectively. Despite the improvements in the sustainable mobility infrastructure, both already existing (dedicated bus and bicycle lanes, bus itineraries redesign) and foreseen (public bicycle loan scheme), there is a quite strong “car culture” which makes more difficult the transition towards sustainable mobility. On the other hand, electric vehicles are still not widely diffused in Malaga, although a huge demonstrative project is being carried out within the city, based on trials of 200 electric vehicles during 4 years, together with the installation of several electric recharging points.

The campaign addresses both the use of sustainable means of transport and electric vehicles, focusing on young generations, who can have a strong role in the daily mobility decision making process, as well as multiplier effect in its social relationships: primary school students are the main target of scholar routes by bus, bicycle and walking, whereas university students are the target for “respectful driving” classes and electric vehicle trials.

The measure consists of two main activities:

• monitorized scholar routes: After a previous study on the most effective sustainable means of transport for each of the ten primary schools that are planned to participate in the measure, it will be designed a scholar route with the support of the students’ teachers and parents, as well as asking for the collaboration of local shops close to the schools. Scholar routes will be implemented by the students, together with trained supervisors.

• respectful driving classes and electric vehicles trials: Several open classes on respectful and energy efficient driving style will be given to university students, with the collaboration of local driving schools. After the theoretical classes, students will be invited to experiment the driving of both light (pedelecs) and heavy (cars) electric vehicles.

Progress

Due to the current success of the safe routes programme, during this first phase, it is being implemented in eight primary schools instead of the five schools initially planned. After giving some previous theoretical classes to students, introducing sustainable mobility basic principles, the safe routes’ itineraries have been designed by involving the whole educational community (students, parents and teachers). Safe routes from home to school are being carried out 8 times in each school, either by walking, cycling and public transport, depending on the features of each school (average distances from homes to school, type of itinerary, etc.). Students joining the programme are accompanied by at least 2 instructors in each route.

As for the driving classes and test of e-vehicles at the university, 5 Open days on e-mobility have been organized in different and visible venues of the University of Malaga (UMA). They consisted in:

• Driving lessons focussing on the main features of e-vehicles, efficient and safe driving, and the respect towards other sustainable modes of transport (pedestrians, public transport, and conventional bicycles).

Practical tests of light (pedelecs) and heavy (cars) e-vehicles within the University Campus. Open days have been held in collaboration with local driving schools.

Outcomes

The outcomes expected to reach with this measure are:

• To increase the use of efficient means of transport in Malaga (energy efficient and emissions saver)
• To encourage the reduction of car modal split, especially in short routes and individual occupancy cases, such as scholar routes
• To make the target group aware of the policies and actions to improve the sustainable alternative mobility carried out in Malaga, including the ones implemented within the CIVITAS framework
• To encourage university students, their parents, friends and relatives to experience light and heavy electric vehicles
• To educate private transport drivers (especially university students, their parents and relatives) in the respect and coexistence with other means of transport in Malaga (cyclists, pedestrians, public transport)

As regards the scholar routes, 10 schools and 250 students are expected to be implied, whereas 100 new testers of electric vehicles are expected to be reached through the driving classes and e-vehicles trials.

Up to June 2014, 8 primary schools and 218 students have participated in the safe routes to school programme.

Regarding the awareness campaign on e-mobility, 153 people have tested the electric bicycles and cars during the open days organized at the university. According to the results of the survey carried out during this first campaign, 88.1% of people surveyed are willing to use electric vehicles in the future.