Sustainable Urban Transport Project

Policy-makers are facing demands to meet the changing mobility needs of citizens in ways which are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

The Sustainable Urban Transport Project (GIZ-SUTP) aims to help developing world cities achieve their sustainable transport goals, through the dissemination of information about international experience, policy advice, training and capacity building.

Interview with Oleh Shmid, adviser to the mayor of the city of Lviv on cycling and transport infrastructure development, on sustainable transport in Ukrainian cities.  

A transport revolution has to take place in the minds of Ukrainian people, especially in Lviv. What do you mean with that? 

There is a lot of talk here to the effect that there are many traffic jams and that there is nowhere to park. The main reason for these jams is lack of discipline on the part of drivers. The city could actually cope with the present number of cars, but our streets do not function properly, because parking rules are disobeyed. Cars stop where they are not supposed to, and they take up a whole traffic lane, as a result of which our streets often function at only half capacity. This is hardly the fault of the city authorities.

What are the causes of the present parking chaos?

First and foremost, our road traffic rules and legislation are not perfect. No country that has solved the transport problem recognises the concept of parking on the pavement. Here, on the other hand, our road traffic rules allow a car to park on the pavement as long as a width of no less than two metres is left for pedestrians to pass. This is absurd! The result is that drivers take full advantage of their entitlement to park on the pavement, while disregarding the rules about leaving space for pedestrians.

Second, the traffic police only have restricted powers to fine drivers. The Administrative Code says that the State Automobile Inspectorate does not have the right to fine a vehicle – only the driver. This means that if the driver is not in the vicinity, a traffic police officer cannot do anything to the offender’s vehicle. You cannot put a ticket under the windscreen wipers, as they do in American films.

In cooperation with the regional project Coopération des Villes et Municipalités implemented by GIZ, the first capacity building activity supported by SUTP in the Maghreb region took place from June 12 to 13 in Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. It was also the first SUTP event during which presentations were delivered exclusively in French language. The event was attended by 20 participants from seven Moroccan cities. Angélica Castro, former director of the TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme in Bogotá, provided a comprehensive overview on the characteristics of BRT systems, and put special emphasis on the need for sound preparatory planning and integration into an overall urban mobility strategy. 

We are looking for the successor of Mexico City, the winner of the Sustainable transport award 2013.

The Sustainable Transport Award is open to all cities and major jurisdictions with a minimum population of 500,000. Their impact, innovation, and leadership in the transport sector will distinguish successful nominees.

Cities can be nominated by government agencies, including the mayor’s office, NGOs, consultants, or academics – anyone who has a working knowledge of the city projects and can provide verifiable project data and contact info for the city.

Applicants will be asked to provide details of the program, including impact and significance, outcomes, transferability, and images.

Click here to nominate your city.

For further information, please click here.