Lviv has seen the third working visit of foreign experts, consulting our city regarding development of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.
Lviv is developing its Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) within the Integrated Urban Development in Ukraine project, implemented in cooperation with German governmental organization – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – and Lviv City Council, our city has joined in 2018. In Lviv, the Plan is developed by the Working Group on Development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan of Lviv with representatives of the City Institute, representatives of GIZ project, city administration and local urban mobility experts.
The SUMP is a strategic document intended to define the policy of Lviv regarding satisfaction of people’s and goods’ needs in transportation within the city and in connection with the region, by 2030.
During this visit that lasted for two days – January 24-25, the members of working group from Lviv have presented the city’s results from the time of previous visit of consultants, the problematic issues were discussed and further directions of work were defined. With the team, developing the Integrated Development Concept of Lviv, the practical workshop on definition of key transport axis of the city was held.
On Friday, January 25, there was a meeting of the Supervisory Board on development of the Integrated Development Concept of Lviv with participation of the city heads and representatives of the deputy corps. On this meeting, the expert consultant Burkhard Horn with 25-year experience in transport planning and, in particular, 5 years of heading the Transport Department in Berlin, Germany, made a presentation with the problems, available in Lviv, as well as a range of positive solutions, already implemented in our city. At the same time, Lviv is currently lacking the integrated strategy as to the transport and there are only partial elements from various sides, poorly integrated between each other.
The following poses challenges for the city:
– Lack of integrated comprehensive structure as to urban transport (likewise the strategy of urban development in general)
– Too weak database
– Growing demand for purchase of private cars
– Increasing number of problems concerned with environmental quality, public spaces and road safety
– Outdated infrastructure (both street and tram one), partially in bad condition
– Fragmented areas of public transport functioning
– Limited financial resources
– Uncertainty in the opportunity to reach consent among the urban community regarding the future of mobility and transport in Lviv
Mr. Burkhard stressed on the importance of developing the SUMP for Lviv, provided certain recommendations for Lviv and told how similar Plans were developed in the cities of Europe.
SUMP as a strategic approach for Lviv
– The strategic plan for complex development of urban mobility and transport in most cities of the EU and increasingly often – also in other countries of Europe:
– Increased volume of car use not only fails to solve the mobility issues, but instead creates serious issues for the environment, safety and visual attractiveness of the cities;
– The growing development of road infrastructure in order to satisfy the needs of the growing number of cars has proven to be unsuccessful solution of the cities;
– The sustainable mobility is more successful in satisfying the needs of residents, guests and economy, while consuming less resources and favoring creation of the city, safe for health and suited for life.
Then he told about the process of developing and implementing the SUMP in three German cities: Berlin (where he conducted the process), Leipzig and Bremen.
Sustainable mobility in Lviv may be reached, if…
- … planning is performed on the basis of needs of people, residing in the city,
- … public officials, stakeholders and people, both on local and urban levels, are familiar with real achievements and challenges for the future (= common goals);
• … duly consider the opportunity for cooperation with other political directions – with the similar overall goals;
• … expectations are not too high and reflect both necessary moments and opportunities;
• … try new approaches (methods and activities) and if they are constructive, implement them on a long-term basis;
• … in the public space the changes in traffic-related behavior will be noticed;
• … work not only on development of new infrastructure, but also on improvement of already existing one (maintenance of due state, barrier-free street planning, redistribution of space); - … creativity and efficiency make the basis for actions – with account of limited character of available resources (space, time, budget, …).
Andriy Bilyi, Vice Head of the Department of Housing and Infrastructure, has presented the first results of the work on Lviv’s Sustainable Mobility Plan and afterwards the directions the Plan has to focus on were discussed.
This year Lviv will have five more visits of foreign consultants.
