Sustainable urban mobility plan of LUR replicated within POLIS Regions Working Group
On invitation from POLIS, leading network of European cities and regions working together to develop innovative technologies and policies for local transport, Regional development agency of Ljubljana urban region presented and discussed main lessons learned from regional SUMP LUR at Regions Working Group meeting. With the purpose to explore what the future holds for regional level SUMP planning, POLIS’ Regions Working Group met at 27th of June 2022, at the Baden Württemberg Representation in Brussels.
The meeting was a chance for regions beginning to embark on SUMP and those further along in the process to gain insights and lessons learnt from peers and experts. Hearing from POLIS members from across Europe; the Slovenian Urban Planning Institute (UIRS), the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana urban region (RRA LUR), Frankfurt Rein Main region and Flanders as well as Baden-Württemberg, regions discussed on how to craft a long-term vision for sustainable mobility on a regional scales.
Despite the fact that Ljubljana may be one of POLIS’ newest members, Slovenian capital with is regional partners and agency, is leading the way in urban mobility planning within Slovenia and even wider. Within the meeting Ljubljana Urban Region presented how the region around the city is developing its SUMP- the first adopted and officially approved SUMP in Slovenia. Following a feedback from citizens, which exposed the desire for enhanced services, public transport had been at the heart of the regional SUMP preparation. This involves the integration of public transport, upgrade of regional lines, new bus fleet & rolling stock, and implementation of innovative transport services (regional shuttle rides).
In the past decade, SUMPs policy preparation in Slovenia have undergone a radical change, moving the focus from car-oriented planning to a more muti-modal, integrated approach. The main lessons learned on the regional level of SUMP preparation were of the importance of allocation a formal role to regional authorities, ensuring the complementarity of SUMPs and other strategies at the regional level, establishing and maintaining a constant communication between the regional and local authorities, various stakeholders & citizens, while also enhancing the capacities of regional bodies to support local SUMP development. On the longer run there is an additional need to ensure assessment and monitoring by using regional indicators and observe and use multi-level funding opportunities for SUMP development and implementation.
RRA LUR was invited to reasonably participate in other relevant regionally oriented events and meetings within the Regions Group meetings. More data on event and its outcomes, can be found on POLIS webside.