The 7th and last Project Meeting and Steering Committee Meeting of the e-smartec project was held physically, back-to-back with the project’s Final Dissemination Event, on 23 November 2022 and hosted by POLIS Network in Brussels.

The last Project Meeting of e-smartec featured a complete update from the regions as well as the communications results of the project, given that it is coming to an end with the finalisation of the regional Actions Plans.

Here is the update from West Midlands, State of Hessen, and Self-governing region of Bratislava.

Read PART II here.

West Midlands

The 1st action dealt with by the West Midlands Action Plan was the implementation of 2 webinars for the promotion of training about marketing techniques, which took place on 26 April and 4 May 2022 and were funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

The 2nd action dealt with the Mass Cycling Event, with funding from national funds linked to Local Air Quality Action Plan. Unfortunately, due to the Queen’s death, the event was postponed for summer 2023.

The 3rd action relates to Active School Challenge, funded by Commonwealth Active Communities Fund (Sport England). A competition run for 17 days (from 1-17 July 2022), including 24 parks. Over 12,000 people were active, and 78 schools participated.

State of Hessen

The presentation for the AP status in the State of Hessen was delivered by Stefanie Schwerdtfeger (SS) and Susanne Fischell (SF).

The Hessian Action Plan has to do with the development and launch (4th of October) of an online platform (toolbox), tailored for municipalities, for searching and using methods and practices for implementing their participation actions. The online platform hosts various methods for different target groups, practical examples to inspire and guidelines for successful implementation of participatory activities. The online platform also works as a networking platform. An online “SUMP.Akademie” is linked to the toolbox this way. Already 40 Municipalities are registered in the platform (including 13 of the 28 biggest in Hessen).

As part of the Action Plan, the regional partner also organized 2 seminars (2 days each) for small-and medium-sized municipalities in October, where training was provided regarding good marketing for participatory processes. The seminars were well appreciated by the participants. Overall, 29 municipalities participated in the workshops.

Bratislava Self-governing region

The AP for Bratislava region focuses on the increase of the attractiveness and efficiency of public passenger transport. The AP addresses a new Policy Instrument: the Integrated Regional Operational program 2021-2027.

The Action Plan comprises of three actions:

Action 1 is related to the implementation of a student competition (on 17 June 2022) for collecting ideas from students, while raising awareness for public transport. Four (4) schools were involved in the competition (4 cities, 1 school in each city). Short lectures on topics related to public transport as a key contributor to urban sustainability for students and kids were delivered in Bratislava on the premises of Bratislava Integrated Transport.

Action 2 implemented 3 panel meetings with citizens in the city of Senec, for a better understanding of what would take for them to shift to public transport. Breakfast for cyclists and people walking across the city was offered prior to one of the panel meetings, while the second-panel meeting followed the night cycle tour across the city of Senec (226 participants) and was accompanied by a lot of small gifts and gadgets. The 3rd-panel meeting was held jointly with a lecture for pupils from Primary schools “Safely to school and playground” highlighting sustainable mobility principles and e-smartec approaches. The event was also accompanied by a lot of small gifts and gadgets.

Action 3 implemented a car-free street event in the city of Senec on 19 September. The pilot project of the KISS and RIDE zone at Primary school J. G. Tajovského and Mlynská was present, while the lecture for pupils from Primary schools “Safely to school and playground” was delivered again.