Rome, 13 December 2011 – The issue of traffic flows in mountain areas and, in particular, in the Alps, goes beyond national borders and needs to be thought again with a view to sustainable development and international cooperation. The Kyoto Protocol and the recent developments occurred in Durban, the policies of the European Union (EU) and the existing agreements between EU and Switzerland in the field of transport give a boost to States looking for new solutions, including a renewed attention to the railway sector and to the integration of different transport modes.

These themes have been analyzed during the Seventh Scientific Workshop on Mountain Mobility and Transport (SWOMM), which was held on 13 December 2011 at the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructures of Italy in Rome, to mark the celebrations for the International Mountain Day. The workshop SWOMM 2011 was promoted by the Italian Ministries for the Environment and for Transports, organized in cooperation with the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the European Academy of Bolzano (EURAC) with the support of Transalpine Transport Architects (TRANSITECTS), the project on freight rail traffic in the Alps, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the “Alpine Space” Programme.

The panellist included a number of experts and the discussion was held under the auspices of the new Minister for the Environment of Italy Corrado Clini, who has sustained the SWOMM related initiatives since the very beginning in 2005. The speakers illustrated viable solutions aimed at addressing common problems such as the poor economic return on several rail lines and the lack of connections with other localities and regions: more effective planning of transport systems in national policies (Frey, Vescovi), increase in the use of innovative technologies (Senesi), improvements of the logistics in particular for freight transport (Ciochetta, Di Patrizi, Piccoli). In the afternoon important representatives of the secondary railways of the Alpine arch, gathered together in Rome for the first time, presented to the public a series of initiatives adopted by their companies to attract tourists and commuters, from all inclusive packages coupled with sport activities (ski pass, jumping, biking, canyoning, ect.) to trips made at the rhythm of blues and swing or inside carriages recognized as part of the world’s heritage by UNESCO.

The publication SWOMM 2010 – Transport and Environment in Mountain Areas was also launched during the workshop. Find it at this link: SWOMM 2010 or please send a request for hard copies to: info@swomm.info.

To find out more please see at this link the SUMMARY:

• SWOMM 2011_summary&agenda_EN
• SWOMM 2011_resoconto&programma_IT

and please find the PRESENTATIONS of the speakers here below.

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Google has launched Open Spot, a new app aimed at helping “driving users” to find and share parking spots.

How does it work? It is very easy: users update a map when they are leaving their parking spots, thus enabling other drivers who are looking for a parking spot in the same area to quickly find one.

You just need to use your phone. The app pulls up a Google map close to the user’s location and displays open parking spots within an area of 1.5km/0.9 mile radius. You could signal as available your parking spot when you are leaving… And when you are hopelessly looking for a spot to get to the shopping mall before the closing or to be on time with your dentist… you can hope that available spots have been signaled in the map by other users!

Spots are differently colored according to how much time has passed since they have been signaled…  You could thereby choose the “fresher” one. However, after twenty minutes they disappear off the map. Indeed, it was already suggested that the system would be even more helpful if there was a way for users to confirm that they have “taken” a spot.

Open Spot is a great idea: a system relying on cooperation to save time and avoiding stress of driving users. It also has a great environmental value as it could help in saving gas and thus reducing pollution.

The only problem is that the contribution of this app to improve the parking process within an area would be really effective only whether the system will gain widespread adoption. Otherwise, if you’re one of the only person in the area who uses the app, it will likely be useless.

Let’s start to download the app and try it.. Then we could convince others to join it!

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The Joint Session was organized to coincide with the partners’ meetings of the two projects related to the European Programme Alpine Space. Main organizers were the Italian Ministry for the Environment and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (FAO), which also benefitted of the support from other relevant institutions and organizations. The audience included participants in the projects coming from several countries of the Alpine arch such as Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Slovenia, as well as further institutional representatives from the Italian Ministry of Transport and UNEP.

Most of them came to take part in the two day working meeting of the TRANSITECTS Project, held on the 12 and 13 July 2010. The 6th Transnational Working Meeting of the TRANSITECTS Project’s Partners focused mainly on activities currently on schedule under the Project Work Packages, achieving the expected results. The project, promoted by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), focuses on the sustainability of transport in the Alps, addressing in particular the issue of freight and passengers’ displacements by railway.

On 13 July, also a Technical Meeting of the European Project AlpCheck 2 was held in FAO. AlpCheck 2 Project aims at improving sustainable mobility within the Alpine area and it is being co-financed as TRANSITECTS in the framework of the Alpine Space Programme. Partners responsible of some Working Packages met on 13 July in FAO to discuss further developments, and they continued working on 14 July in the EURAC Representing Office in Rome.

The Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Mr. Douglas McGuire introduced the Joint Session with a speech regarding “Sustainable Mobility in Mountain Areas”. Mr. McGuire stressed the importance of multilateral projects focusing on mountain areas through different perspectives, such as TRANSITECTS and AlpCheck 2 are doing in the Alps. Projects or experiences focusing on transportation related to the mountain environment are welcomed by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, which may facilitate exchanges and contribute to widening it from a European to a global scope.

Mr. McGuire also spoke about the SWOMM Side Event at the CSD18 (Commission on Sustainable Development) at the UN Headquarters in New York last May, describing it a successful experience of dissemination of the outcomes of research and activities carried out within the Alpine Space. The Side Event arose within the framework of the existing cooperation between the Italian Ministry for the Environment and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat.

After Mr. McGuire’s presentation, the partners from the two projects and other experts carried on working jointly in the Ethiopia Room, discussing common synergies and they engaging in the preparation of the upcoming WP7 cross-fertilization workshop.

Agenda of the Joint Session of the TRANSITECTS & AlpCheck 2 Projects

List of involved institutions and organizations
A Technical Study and Engineering Centre: CETE Méditerranée – France
A.L.O.T. s.c.a r.l. – Agency of East Lombardy for Transports and Logistics – Italy
Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, Department I/K7 Combined Transport - Austria
Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia – Central Directorate for mobility, energy and transport infrastructure – Italy
Board of Building and Public Works within the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior - Germany
Carinthian Regional Government – Department 7 – Economic Law and Infrastructure – Austria
European Academy of Bolzano Bozen – Institute for Regional Development and Location Management – Italy
German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development – Germany
Government of Carinthia – Department of economic law and infrastructure – Austria
Governmental Office of Land Salzburg, Dept.of traffic engineering and public transportation – Austria
Governmental Office of the Land of Tyrol, Dept. of traffic engineering – Austria
Joint State Planning Department of Berlin and Brandenburg – Germany
Logistic Kompetenz Zentrum – Germany
Lombardy Region, Directorate General Handicraft and Services – Italy
Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea – Italy
Ministry of Transport – Italy
Ministry of Transport Slovenia – Slovenia
Mountain Partnership Secretariat (FAO) – UN
Regional Association Donau-Iller – Germany
Regional Union of Veneto Chambers of Commerce – Italy
Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Transport, Slovene Roads Agency – Slovenia
Research Institute for Ecology and Economy Applied to Alpine Areas – Italy
Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation – Germany
TCI Röhling – Transport Consulting International – Germany
UNEP - UN
Valle d’Aosta Region – Italy
Veneto Region – Italy
Venice Port Authority – Italy

The Land Glider concept vehicle was designed by the R&D Nissan department and was firstly presented in the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. The radical idea was to combine together the points of strength of both cars and motorcycles to give birth to a new way of conceiving private urban – but not only – mobility. The result was an ultra lightweight two-seats electric vehicle, which moves on four wheels but can be driven as a motorcycle, leaning in curves to a tilt of 17 degrees. Furthermore, Land Glider’s dimensions are ideal for urban mobility: 3,00 metres of length, 1,41 metres of height and only 1,1 metres of width.

What can actually be interesting under a SWOMM perspective is that Land Glider is completely electric. In fact, the vehicle is fuelled by two electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries placed in the rear beneath the floor. Moreover, Nissan’s engineers invented a revolutionary wireless charging system, directly recharging batteries by electromagnetic induction and without need of any contact, while shopping at supermarket or stopping at a motorway service station.

With Land Glider, researchers offered a serious set of solutions to tackle the complex issue of the eco-friendly private urban mobility. In this case (as well as with regard to other new electric vehicles) the main variable to be considered is the price, and the concrete possibility to meet the customers’ demand and needs with this product. Market mechanisms will determine whether this zero-emission “half-a-car half-a-motorcycle” will be a viable future way of driving clean in this century busy cities.

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London Municipality – Major Boris Johnson and the transport commissioner Peter Handy – unveiled the project of renewing the “Routemaster” in order to meet the 21st century environmental challenges. Transports by now account for 20% of the overall London CO2 emissions and 5% of all transport emissions created by buses will be cut down through the new hybrid model of the “double-decker bus”.

The new “Routemaster”- co-designed by the Wright Group and Thomas Heatherwick – is powered by the latest technology in hybrid-diesel motors: they can capture the energy released while braking and store it in battery packs for a boost produced by its electric motors. Tests revealed hybrid red double-deckers have a 40% better fuel efficiency compared with the traditional diesel ones and a 15% when compared with other hybrid-diesel powered buses. Moreover, compared with diesel buses, hybrid models are expected to produce a 40% NOx emissions and a 33% reduction in PM10 levels. Hybrid models also provide for a 3 decibel reduction in perceived noise levels, therefore being at the same time more fuel efficient, cleaner and quieter.

Trials have been held since 2008 to test hybrid buses’ performances, and 300 new “Routemaster 2.0” are expected to join the fleet by 2011. All new buses in service after 2012 in London – the Olympic year – will be hybrid. The city wants to reduce its CO2 emission levels by 20% in 2020 and by 60% in 2050, and an entire fleet of hybrid buses is said it could cut 200.000 tons of carbon each year.

Red buses will continue to be the most famous public transport in the world and an iconic symbol of London, even in the 21st century. By innovating in the path of tradition London buses’ legacy may also change worldwide the social perception of “green” public transport. Starting from the red small scale model souvenir of a double-decker bus which every tourist brings home after a trip to London: it could be soon shaped as an hybrid model.

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UN Headquarters, New York
EcoSoc Conference Room
12 May 2010 from 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm.

The 18th Commission of Sustainable Development of United Nations will host the SWOMM Side Event, “Sustainable Mobility in Mountain Areas”.

The event, to be held on 12th of May 2010 from 1.15 pm to 2.45 pm, is being organized by the Italian Ministry for the Environment and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (FAO), with the institutional support of UNEP.

The SWOMM Side Event at the CSD18 is gathering experts of the transport sector, coming from scientific institutions from the Alps, the Carpathian region and the Nepal. They will promote discussions on the theme of sustainable mobility and transport, with a specific view to the mountain areas, presenting innovative scientific research and successful experiences.

DRAFT AGENDA
Opening and welcome:
Paola Lucarelli – Vice Director of Cabinet, Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea.
Douglas McGuire – Mountain Partnership Secretariat

Speakers:
Pier Carlo Sandei – UNEP/ Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention
Mattia Poretti – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Margrethe Sagevik -International Union of Railways (UIC)
Filippo Dal Fiore – MIT Senseable Cities Lab
Luca Cetara – SWOMM Scientific Secretariat

Link to website
http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/csd/csd_csd18.shtml

The event will be held on the 6th May 2010, at 5 o’clock p.m. in Aula 3 of Bocconi University – Via Sarfatti, 25, ground floor.

The contribution of the author, Dr. Enzo Gargante, will be followed by a round table and a discussion foreseeing the participation of representatives from the academic world as well as from companies as FIAT, ENEL, AMA (Agenzia Milanese Mobilità Ambiente).

Programme and registration form for the event are available at the following link.

AMA – the city mobility agency
Egea
Research Center CERTeT (Centro di Economia Regionale, dei Trasporti e del Turismo)
Master MEMIT (Master in Economia e management dei trasporti, della logistica e delle infrastrutture)

Discussion on mountain mobility to be held at the UN Commission Sustainable Development. SWOMM goes to NYC -12th of May 2010

Mobility takes a specific shape when analysed in a mountain context. The five editions of the SWOMM, Scientific Workshop on Mountain Mobility and transport, have tried to define some of the distinctive characteristics of this type of mobility and presented them to an expert audience on several occasions, both with printed publications and through public events.

The international approach to global mountain territories which has been followed by SWOMM is going to be presented during the 18th Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in New York, on the 12th of May, from 1.15 p.m. to 2.45 p.m as one of the focuses of the Review Session of this year will be the theme of transport.

The event is conceived as an overview of the scientific research and cutting-edge solutions developed to address ways of promoting sustainable mobility in mountain areas. Representatives from different mountain regions worldwide, coming from scientific institutions, governments and the private sector are envisaged to take part in the event.

Main organizers of the SWOMM side event are the Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea (Italy), the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (FAO) with the institutional support of UNEP. The side event will also be supported by representatives of other relevant institutions and organizations.

The CSD is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established in 1992 (General Assembly Resolution 47/191). It comprises 53 member States (about one third elected on a yearly basis by the ECOSOC) meeting annually, in two-year cycles, and it is in charge to ensure effective follow-up of the so-called ‘Earth Summit’, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

Other topics of this session are chemicals, waste management (hazardous & solid waste), mining, 10 year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption & production patterns.

More information on the side event will follow soon!

Link to the website

http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/csd/csd_csd18.shtml

Greenpost is a project co-financed in the frame of the European “Intelligent Energy Europe” (IEE). Partners from public boards as well as from industrial and environmental organisations are committing themselves to boosting the sustainability of post deliveries.

The core of Greenpost is the promotion of efficient electric and hybrid vehicles for postal deliveries. The postal agencies of the countries involved (Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy and Hungary) are testing different vehicles to assess the more cost-effective and the less polluting solution.

Aim of the project is to exchange best practices and know-how for improving energy efficiency in the postal as well as in the whole transport sector and to reduce air pollution. Greenpost has started in 2006 and it will close in June 2010.

Actually, in few months, sending our mails could be less polluting than it used to be.. and without coming back to carrier pigeons!

Link to the website

http://www.greenpostproject.eu/

The city of Vancouver (Canada) has just hosted the Winter Olympics (February 12th-28th) and Paralympics (March 12th – 21st). The event, one of the biggest at a world scale, registered a worldwide audience and attracted millions of visitors from all the continents.

Dealing with the massive crowd expected in the mountain environment was one of the organizers’ major concerns since Vancouver was awarded to host the Games. Yet, they were able to face the challenge. They set up an ambitious transportation plan based on an extended role for public transport, conceived to answer to the mobility needs of both visitors and residents and assuring a limited impact on the surrounding environment.

The plan’s provisions included 6,000 park-and-ride places in conjunction with transit services, extended hours for rapid transit, 180 extra city buses and additional runs, the creation of new “Olympic Lines” reserved to authorized vehicles, strict parking restrictions around the sport venues and a 30% increase in the ultramodern “Skytrain” cars. All of these measures were enshrined in an intelligent transportation system based on enhanced “know before you go” information through the newest ICT technology and a tailored ticket booking service.

Results went far beyond the expectations: vehicle use during the Olympics was reduced, on average, by 35% per day, and Translink – Vancouver’s rapid transit network – moved more than 1.5 million people per day.

2010 Olympics could also be remembered in the future for their legacy in helping managing transport problems in the mountains, for big events as well as for smaller scale challenges.

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