As part of the
European Mobility Week of Izmir Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) which
is financed under the Sectoral Operational Programme (USOP) for Transport
managed by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure
was held events in Izmir.
In the events
organized by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality during the week; athletes met in
front of Mavişehir IZBAN statiton and cycled to Izmir Katip Çelebi University
Campus. Speaking at the opening ceremony held on the university campus, Izmir
Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay (PhD) said, “We have the
opportunity to be conscious about this matter. For a journey of 100 meters, the
car one drive, the fuel the vehicle consumes and the carbon emissions generated
are important to consider.”
Stating that there are
problems caused by bad urbanization in the period we live in, Mayor Tugay said
that there is a climate crisis problem in the world caused by chemical
pollution, environmental pollution and carbon emissions caused by humankind.
Mayor Tugay said, "We have to tackle all these in a holistic way and
produce rational solutions. There is a share for public administrators, but
also a share for our citizens. We need to be aware of this issue and then take
as much responsibility as we can."
"Cleaner air,
quieter streets"
Virve Vimpari, Head of
the Green Development and Inclusive Growth Section of the EU Delegation to
Türkiye, said: "The Delegation of the European Union is working very
closely with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Union of Municipalities of Türkiye
and SUMP Izmir in many areas from Sustainable Urban Transport Plan to Green
Cities. I hope we will realize many projects together in the future. Izmir is
one of the European cities that signed the Climate-Neutral City agreement for
2030. We thank Izmir, which has always been close to cooperation, for this
positive approach. The environmental benefits of shared public spaces, this
year's theme, are enormous. By encouraging the use of non-motorized transport
and public transport, we can significantly reduce noise and air pollution.
Cleaner air and quieter streets contribute to healthier communities and more
pleasant cities. We don't see this week as a one-week long awareness week, we
want to see it turn into a real initiative that will lead to a change in
citizens' behavior."
Sustainable Urban
Transport Plans
Serdar Yılmaz, Contract
Manager of the European Union Investments Department of the Ministry of
Transport and Infrastructure, said: "As the Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructure, I would like to share with you our determination to transform Türkiye's
transportation infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive way with the
studies we carry out and the policies we implement." Noting that
Sustainable Urban Transport Plans were prepared in 6 provinces, including
Izmir, within the scope of the Transport Sectoral Operational Program, Yılmaz
continued as follows: "As a result of these projects, it is aimed to
expand public transportation, expand public transportation networks to reduce
carbon emissions and increase the use of electric buses. We are also expanding
the network of bicycle paths in our cities in line with the goal of bicycle and
pedestrian friendly cities and we are focusing on projects that encourage
pedestrian mobility."
After the opening
speeches were given, the Slow Cycling Race with prizes was held and a movie was
screened for the participants.
Within the scope of the
European Mobility Week, on September 18th, as part of the "Pedaling to
School" event, the participant group met in front of Selcuk Ephesus
Historical Aqueduct and cycled to Cumhuriyet Primary and Secondary School
premises.
On September 22nd, a panel discussion on relevant mobility, transport and accesibility topics, citizen information forum and various workshops were held in Bornova Süvari Street as part of the Car-Free City Day event. Throughout the day, European Mobility Week was celebrated enthusiastically with many vibrant activities such as sports and dance.
