Campaign to improve urban transport in Zagreb and Belgrade

This project is enabled through a grant given by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe's SECTOR Programme funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Campaign “Right of the City” in Zagreb has succeeded in raising public awareness about a importance of sustainable urban planning and urban transport policy. This project will bring new activities in that direction, and will aim to influence Zagreb transport policy in order to focus it on development of public transport and bicycle transport.

All big cities in the region are facing rapid increase of motorized vehicles, with similar consequences like in Zagreb - worsened urban air quality, reduction of public spaces because of construction of transport infrastructure, and un-effective transport system. For example, number of motorised vehicles in Zagreb has increase from 176.970 in 1995 up to 408.000 in 2008. Because of that, we will organise a regional seminar in Zagreb, where we will educate wider spectrum of environmental CSOs in the region about methods used in the “Right of the City” campaign. After the seminar, attendances will continue to cooperate, mostly through experience exchange.

Objectives of a project are:

• exerting pressure to influence the political process of transport-related urban planning in both Zagreb and Belgrade to increase public awareness on sustainable urban transport solutions
• exchange of skills between Green Action, Young Researchers of Serbia and other CSOs in the region
• to initiate cooperation between all stakeholders on more sustainable approach to urban transport problems
• promote best European transport practices in both cities
• to advocate for better public transport
• to influence on parking policy in both cities

Details on activities and on achieved results will be published on the web site of Green Action (www.zelena-akcija.hr ) and Young Researchers of Serbia (www.mis.org.yu ).