A year in review: insights from the CIVINET Czech and Slovak Republics' activities in 2021
During 2021, the CIVINET Czech and Slovak Republics hosted a series of activities mainly funded by the CIVINET Activity Fund 2020. These activities included two webinars, a workshop and a study tour that addressed topics like public transport, cycling, micromobility, parking management, and COVID-19 impacts on sustainable mobility.
The study tour took place in Krakow, which has been active in the implementation of sustainable mobility and parking measures, and has participated in several international projects, like Ch4llenge, Push & Pull and Park4SUMP. The study tour was a source of inspiration for mobility practitioners from network member cities. It covered topics like sustainable urban mobility planning, transport and parking policy, Park & Ride systems, and parking management and pricing policy. It also covered some of Krakow's implemented sustainable mobility measures, like the replacement of parking spaces with new bike lanes, which was made possible by the construction of an underground parking lot. Attendees on the study tour also visited oldest Park & Ride hub in the city, which also operates as a Park & Bike, where commuters can rent electric bikes for one day for free.
One of the webinars hosted by the CIVINET focused on the topic of public transport and park & ride hubs. It brought together representatives of cities, regional transport coordinators and researchers to share their knowledge and experience with the implementation of park & ride hubs at public transport terminals. The group discussed communication with the public and ways of involving transport modeling into their planning.
A second webinar, which replaced an in-person gathering in Banská Bystrica, focused on cycling and micromobility. The webinar was unique because it provided insights from three neighboring countries – Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. The program involved presentations and discussions about activities in the Banská Bystrica Region that support cycling, micromobility in relation to shared bikes and scooters, state support of cycling in Slovakia, and the possibility of using data from Budapest's Bike to Work campaign. During the webinar, participants could draw inspiration from examples included in the Slovak European Mobility Week Awards. One interesting source of discussion was a walkability map that shows the time it takes to walk to certain destinations in Banská Bystrica.
Finally, the CIVINET hosted an online workshop that focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemics on transport systems and sustainable mobility. Juliat Morgane from Rupprecht Consult introduced the new Thematic SUMP Guide for planning more resilient urban mobility, which was followed by discussions and interactive tasks that brought interesting findings. For instance, some of the noted impacts are considered positive and long-term, like the increase of cycling and partial return to walking. According to the participants, temporary infrastructure measures have been hampered in the Czech Republic by issues of governmental flexibility and collaboration with local police. Also, the participants identified new challenges related to the decrease of public transport use and subsequent increase in the needs of delivery systems.
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To learn more about the CIVINET Czech and Slovak Republics and its activities, check out its website, CIVINET webpage or Facebook page.
Author: CIVINET Czech and Slovak Republics
