Brno, June 5 (BD) – In May 2017, Brno City Council approved a 1-year pilot project that facilitates carsharing and grants free parking to its providers.
“Brno is the No.1 on the 2050 quality of life index list. 480 000 satisfied permanent residents are able to breathe fresh air as a day-to-day routine without the urge to leave the city center. Brno is the city where cars are rather impractical than a privilege. Mobility is a major political topic; citizens are actively engaging in and building up its infrastructure with own creativity.” That is 2050 Brno according to the vision of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan Project. How are things in 2017?
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan Project is a strategic document co-financed by European Union based upon complex analysis of economic, demographic and transportation data that strives to satisfy residents´ needs and to enable effective mobility in the city for each and every citizen. The project put emphasis on sustainable growth and better quality of life in Brno. The project launched its first phase in 2014 dealing with analytical part and now in the second phase, suggestions and proposals are being included. Each part of the project is discussed among both laics and professionals who can have a say in the process of implementing the project.
Brno cooperates with its citizens promoting an Active Citizen who is involved in and aware of Brno administration. Since 500 suggestions were submitted during the 2nd phase of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan to Brno Transportation Department, it seems that Brno is in the best interest of citizens, nonprofit organizations, even municipalities and technical institutions.
Support for those who decide to share
One of the major goals in Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan is to reduce emissions from transport by increasing the no-car households by 20% until 2050 by carsharing, bikesharing, carpooling, better cycling infrastructure and by an effective, care-free network of transportation connections excluding cars.
Brno Mobility Plan has highlighted car reduction in the city and currently the City Brno introduces carsharing as a new way to ensure flexibility and mobility of no-car residents who rely on public transportation, walking, or bikes, but for the weekend or occasionally they would use a car. In May 2017, Brno City Council approved a 1-year pilot project that facilitates carsharing and helps its providers. “The pilot project offers valuable information about services of carsharing and simultaneously, it controls the quality of services provided. For carsharing providers, free parking is included in the project, too which is a huge advantage as far as residential parking is concerned,” says Matej Hollan, the Deputy Mayor of Brno for Transportation.
Applications for carsharing authorization will be handled by the Transportation Department. Applicant will pay only 100 CZK a year per car.
Why carsharing?
It’s cheaper since you share not only a car but also costs, repairs and insurance; parking is not an issue anymore; sharing reduces the number of cars on roads so you breathe better air and wait less in traffic jams.
Nevertheless the new initiative, Brno is not new to the idea of car- and bikesharing. Carsharing in Brno is provided by three companies: Autonapůl, emuj– electrocar sharing, Ajo.
Car- and bikesharing are only some alternative ways of reducing emissions and transportation barriers. Besides these, comfort, flexibility, green areas, community life are the main ideas behind the changes ahead of us.
Title picture: Paolo Neo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
