The Peer review started in February 15th hosting a team of 9 Experts coming from Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. Carlos Sousa, the Director of AGENEAL, Local Energy Management Agency of Almada, welcomed everybody on behalf of Almada City Council.
During the first day of the Peer Review, the City Council introduced Almada’s Local Strategy for Sustainable Mobility: its success stories, current drawbacks and challenges, but also the objectives and needs of RESOLVE Peer Review:
- How to demonstrate to the retail sector that less cars and pedestrianization/mixed areas with priority to the pedestrian can simultaneously help us to achieve our mobility goals, improve their business and, overall, a more enjoyable and vibrant city center?
- How to involve citizens and gain their acceptance and support to this mobility strategy?
- How to motivate them to travel in more sustainable ways when shopping?
- How to communicate the personal benefits for all?
After this presentation and some initial discussion, the Expert Team, along with City Council representatives, made a tour through the city centre and the pedestrianised area of Cacilhas. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to internally discuss the provided background information.
In the second day, the experts discussed about the impressions of the first day and the possible suggestions to improve the local situation, providing the Municipality with advice. Around 10 people, including representatives from the City Council and other Local Stakeholders (such as the municipal parking company and public transport operators) joined the meeting and listened to what the experts suggested:
- Make sure to develop a strong vision not only for the city center, but also for the whole city of Almada
- Collect the right information/data
- Enforce parking policy as a priority
- Be prepared for the new responsibilities as a Local Transport Authority
- Do not revert, instead reinforce, the pedestrianization process of the city center
- Make sure to start with small projects/initiatives
This critical advice will be very useful to improve the 2nd generation SUMP (PUMA) that Almada is currently implementing.
