The number of cars increases each year, there is a lack of parking spaces, adequate traffic ways and a reliable public transport system. Not much has been done to reduce the emissions and to stimulate the use of alternative transport. The citizens prefer to use their cars (even on short distances) to using the public transport system or bicycles. There is a lack of knowledge about what can be done at the individual level in order to improve the air quality and mobility.
In order to raise awareness and disseminate information about mobility and alternative transport, ABMEE initiated the campaign “In town without my car! “ in Brasov and the Municipality agreed to organise the event in September 2006.

Objectives and target audience

The main objective of the campaign is to stimulate the use of public transport and to promote alternative transport in urban communities. The campaign aims to raise awareness and introduce new concepts to local public authorities and citizens on the impact that daily activities and traffic have on the environment. This impact reflects in the air quality and health of the population. The event is a good opportunity to present the city in a new light, with less traffic and noise.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

For the 2007 campaign, ABMEE applied for and won financing through a PHARE project. The information campaign and the promotion of the event will be covered through the PHARE project. We plan to attract sponsors for the contests in the 2007 event. The event will take place on Saturday, the 22nd of September 2007. Sponsors were attracted in order to cover the entire value of the project. The sponsors contributed with the prizes for the contests, the equipments built for the skate park, the printing of materials.
Partners: Braşov Police, Public Transport Company Braşov, Skateboard.ro, Consiliul judeţean al elevilor – youth NGO and the Schools Inspectorate of Brasov
Media partners were attracted and assured the media coverage of the event: Radioteleviziunea “Transilvania”- local TV station, Radio21- radio station, Monitorul Expres- local newspaper, Level, Zile şi nopţi, BV24fun (national newspapers) and MixXXL- local TV show.

Process

The events in Brasov were scheduled together with the local Police Department, the municipal services, the Environmental Protection Agency of Brasov. The Municipality decided to close on of the main roads in the centre of Brasov, in order to maximize the impact of the action.
The street links the ski resort of Poiana Brasov and the historic part of the city with the rest of Brasov. The City hall building, the Prefecture building and the only bicycle runway in the city are all located on the Eroilor Bdlv, the street chosen for the project. The street was closed for motor traffic except public transport vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians from 08.00 until 18.00. The public transport used only a part of the runway; the other part was destined for pedestrians and bicycles. The two areas were separated by protective fences in order to prevent accidents.
The event was opened by a press conference where the public authorities, partners and sponsors were represented. The campaign was presented, its aims and objectives and after the questions of the press all participants travelled the project street on bikes.
Participants: George Scripcaru – mayor of Brasov, Aurelian Danu – prefect of the Brasov county, Gabriel Andronache – deputy mayor, local and county councillors, sponsors and other actors in the project.
Main actions:-
- contests
- information dissemination
- concert and skate park
- survey of the citizens
- air quality measurement

Results

• A main result is that an estimated 500 citizens (mostly young) participated in the 8 hour event and more that 200 prizes were awarded.

• The costs of the event were covered by sponsor’s contribution.
• Equipment for the Brasov skate park were fabricated and donated to the Municipality.

• Air and noise measurements were conducted in two days in order to show the impact of traffic on life quality in the city.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

The measurements performed in the frame of this initiative have shown that the city centre is especially polluted. As a result the city planners have started to re-think about the way traffic should be managed, especially in the old part of the town. Several measures have been taken:-

• A pedestrian crossing in the city centre has been moved 10 m up the street (thus fluidising the traffic).
• Several roundabouts were constructed – one of them on the street were the campaign took place.
• The local transport company has created new lines for the old centre with smaller buses (shuttle buses).
• The tramway of the city has been removed. It was inefficient and poorly constructed. The streets where the tramway was are now being widened, but the good news is that not all the street will be destined for motorised traffic – bicycle lanes are being constructed on these streets.

ABMEE applied and won financing in a PHARE call for proposals in order to continue organising the event in 2007. It is a 12 month project and consists of a much larger event than in 2006 and also the creation of an air quality strategy for Brasov.
The municipality intends to organise this event each year and with it hopes to influence the behaviour of the citizens.