Gdansk is the largest city in the Pomerania region of northern Poland. Situated in the Bay of Gdansk at the mouth of the Vistula River on the Baltic Sea, it is Poland’s principal deep-sea Port. Gdansk is one of the largest Polish transport nodes of international significance. It lies on the convergence of the sea routes across the Baltic Sea and the land section linking Northern Europe to Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern parts of the continent.
With nearly half a million of population, the city accounts for the core of Poland’s fourth biggest metropolitan area, the Tri-City, made up of Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot.
Gdansk has always been open to new ideas, culture diversity and international co-operation. Now wonder that the Municipality initiates and supports also the international cooperation through realizing different European projects. Gdansk’s authorities appreciate importance of experience and best practice exchange with peers from other cities and countries as a unique value and cognitive development.
The main priority of Gdansk development strategy is to increase the quality of life of its inhabitants, make possible the economic development of the city and provide better protection of the environment. The strategy of mobility development in the city is perceived as one of the most important elements that make that possible.
Gdansk’s transport strategy focuses on integrating the existing bus, tram and commuter train systems, on improving traffic management, safety and security in PT, and developing an urban cycling and walking culture through the infrastructure investments and soft measures.
Gdansk realized a few European projects concerning sustainable mobility before School Chance, so this project adds up to what has already been done and contributes largely to citizens’ expectation of improving quality of life in the City. It will help to enrich concepts of more sustainable transport development, especially in relation towards “to and from schools” journeys, providing the overview of different, already implemented somewhere else, solutions.
The City of Gdansk is responsible, among other social services, for education system and over 60 primary schools in Gdansk.
One of the biggest concerns of the city authorities in relation to mobility issues is a big number of children being driven to schools. The city puts a big effort in order to change this situation. One of the most successful undertakings in the recent time is a campaign named “Rowerowy Maj” (“Cycling May”). The campaign is aiming at parents and pupils’ behaviour patterns in terms of school mobility. The objective of the campaign is to promote active travel to and from schools but also healthy lifestyle and to promote the perception of a bike as an efficient way to commute in the city from the very early age.
