Study visit of the CIVINET Czech-Slovak network to Slovenia
Twenty representatives from Czech and Slovak cities and associations, members of the CIVINET Czech-Slovak network, took part in a study visit to Slovenia from June 6 to 8, 2023, where they had the opportunity to learn about active mobility support measures in Ljubljana and Maribor.
The study trip was jointly organized by ODRAZ and the Transport Research Center from Brno – the secretariats of the networks CIVINET Slovenia-Croatia-JIE and CIVINET Czechia-Slovakia, and at the same time partner organizations in the CLIMASUM project, as part of which this three-day visit was realized.
On the way to Ljubljana by train, the participants of the study tour managed to stop in the City of Graz, where they were welcomed by city representatives who presented them with the current mobility situation and implemented measures, with a special focus on pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. After a short tour of the center, the train continued its journey to Ljubljana, where an interesting program awaited them the next day, which began in the area of the City Hall of the City of Ljubljana.
On behalf of the City, Vita Kontić Bezjak from the Department for Sustainable Mobility of the City of Ljubljana welcomed the attendees and gave them a short presentation showing the development of the city from a green vision to achievements and international recognition in the field of sustainable mobility, including plans for the future.
As part of his presentation entitled Copenhagenize Ljubljana, Ljubljananize Prague, Matej Praprotnik, cycling mayor of Ljubljana, spoke about the importance of attractive cycling infrastructure and positive advocacy policies in order to continue the trend of increasing the modal share of cycling traffic.
Gregor Stekalčić, national officer for bicycle traffic of the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure, presented the master plan for the development of bicycle traffic in the region and gave an overview from the national level.
The afternoon part of the program was reserved for a cycling and walking tour.
Prof. Janez Koželj, former longtime deputy mayor of the City of Ljubljana, spatial planner, activist and big bike lover, took the study group on an interesting bike ride through the city, using the famous Ljubljana public bike system #BicikeLJ. Koželj introduced the participants to the gradual transformation of the city center from the vision of calming traffic in the center to the current state.
The intense afternoon was brought to an end with a guided tourist walking tour that offered the historical context of the city and the opportunity to see other solutions in mobility.
The next morning, the participants traveled by train to Maribor, where the workshop “Innovative approach to sustainable mobility” took place, which was organized in cooperation with the City of Maribor and REGEA.
As part of this workshop, the Mayor of the City of Maribor addressed the attendees, after which Dorotea Rebernik and Mateja Bitenc from the City of Maribor presented examples of sustainable urban mobility and investment projects in Maribor.
The last day of the study trip began in the City Hall of the City of Maribor, where the participants were presented with solutions for bicycle infrastructure and realized projects, after which a bicycle tour of the city was organized using the Mbajk public bicycle system.
After that, the participants were presented with new electric buses with fast charging equipment that run between the new electric bus stations on the city’s busiest line – number 6, and a ride on this line to the famous Maribor ski resort Pohorje was organized for the participants.
More about the project CLIMASUM read HERE.
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