Montenegrin city introduces 30km/h speed zones Montenegrin city introduces 30km/h speed zones
The CIVITAS Activity Fund supports the take-up of sustainable urban mobility measures in Europe through providing funding in a range of transport fields. Cities using this fund are encouraged to transfer successful measures from 'pioneer' cities to 'take-up' cities. The Montenegrin city of Niksic successfully applied for funds from the first tender of the CIVITAS CAPITAL project's Action Fund to help implement its own project: "Improving the safety in school zones and raising the awareness of school children, parents and drivers".
Niksic is the second largest city of Montenegro, with a total population of 57,278. Two-thirds of the general population in Montenegro (67 percent) uses a car most frequently for transportation purposes. According to the latest reports, air pollution in Niksic poses an immediate danger, and motor vehicle emissions account for much of the pollution.
Within the approved project, the Municipality of Niksic is promoting 30km/h speed limit zones in areas near schools, and is establishing safeguard zones around primary schools. The campaign is directed primarily towards drivers who completed distributed questionnaires and received promotional materials. The action took place near five elementary schools from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. duringEuropean Mobility Week, and involved the cooperation of police officers, school representatives and school children. Promotional materials were disseminated, after which police conducted speed measurements to familiarise drivers with this innovative legal measure to help reduce speed.
The initiative has the added advantages of reducing fuel consumption and encouraging people to walk or cycle instead of driving. Project implementation will continue with an educational campaign directed both to parents and school children. Appropriate traffic signs will also be installed near schools.
The introduction of 30km/h zones is a cheap and popular solution that delivers enhanced security, cleaner air and a better quality of urban living.
Author: Natasa Miljanic
