The Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) knows what it wants: To become an Innovation Hub for the broader region of South East Europe by 2025. Promoting smart, sustainable, and intermodal transport can help achieve it. In comes its Action Plan!
RCM seeks to strengthen its human capital with competent research and technological development qualifications, focusing on priority sectors such as Transport and Supply Chain Technologies.
Its Operational Programme (OP) presents up to ten thematic objectives, including Objectives 4 (Economy of Low Pollutants) and 6 (Environmental Protection), which RCM aims to support through its Action Plan.
It involves two different yet connected actions:
ACTION 1: Strengthening of SUMPs in RCM
This action seeks to assist the Municipalities in the planning and implementation of measures aimed at public support of:
- Activities suggested by the SUMPs;
- Broader interventions concerning sustainable urban mobility;
- Promotion of a culture of collaboration between the actors of society.
More specifically, this action proposes, among others:
- The creation of a toolbox, which, in addition to good practices, will include suitable material for selected phases of involvement of institutions and citizens during the SUMP cycle;
- The development of a roadmap regarding the use of appropriate marketing techniques in all Phases of the Development of a SUMP and their connection with good practices from the e-smartec project;
- The provision of practical advice on how to map groups of organizations and citizens to meet the participatory requirements of a SUMP and their connection with good practices from the Municipalities of RCM.
- The planning of targeted meetings with Municipalities that implement sustainable mobility projects to support them in the dissemination of these projects and their wider acceptance in the region.
Current status
RCM is steadily moving along in its implemented activities. In fact:
- A total of 15 good practices have already been uploaded to RCM’s SUMP Competence Centre website;
- Relevant material for the roadmap has already been created and will be made available with interactive elements for easier access by November 2022;
- By December 2022, two events will take place with the participation of executives from the Municipalities to provide advice on projects currently being funded by the Regional Operation Programme (ROP).
ACTION 2: Raising awareness of sustainable school transportation and activating participatory planning
This action aims to trigger participatory processes and to present steps to increase awareness about the choice of soft means of transportation to and from school.
The ultimate goal is to increase the percentage of parents and students who choose sustainable modes of transportation for their travels to/from school and actively participate in efforts and consultations for sustainable mobility.
The benefits of this action are the following:
- Utilisation and transfer of the know-how developed in the context of the e-smartec project and its application in the local community;
- Raising the awareness of local communities to adopt more sustainable modes of transportation to and from school;
- Ability to inform citizens about their active participation in sustainable mobility issues.
Current status
By November 2022, RCM intends to implement this action by organizing an awareness raising event that will be held concurrently in the seven regional units of the region.
Meetings are currently being arranged with the executives of interested Municipalities who will prove central to effectively organizing the event and ensuring the participation of the local community.
For more detailed information about the RCM Action Plan, check e-smartec's online library here.
