POLITICAL INTERVIEW Moving Forward with Funchal’s Deputy Mayor Bruno Pereira
Mr Bruno Pereira, Deputy Mayor is in the hot seat.
What are the top three priorities in your city with regard to Sustainable Mobility?• Reduce transport related emissions• Encourage modal transfer to more sustainable means of transport.• Reduce traffic in the city centre and promote conditions for an improved pedestrian mobility in the city centre.What are the challenges in implementing these priorities?Habits and long established patterns of behaviour as well as lack of urban space and the topography of Funchal, can be very challenging.What are the 3 major contributions that CIVITAS MIMOSA can make/has made to mobility in Funchal?Firstly, CIVITAS MIMOSA is contributing with important measures towards sustainable mobility and promoting significant partnerships among stakeholders of urban transport. Secondly, it has set a focus on sustainable mobility issues, prioritizing them. In addition to these, the financial contribution is definitely significant.What do you think of the EU Action Plan on Urban Mobility?It is of utmost importance for the management of sustainable mobility. On the one hand, it systematizes both themes and actions. On the other, it proves to be an efficient tool in assisting the different actors introducing sustainable mobility measures in their cities and regions.What is your own personal pet cause? What are you championing at the moment?A decisive effort is being made towards improving quality of life in the city through reduction of transport related emission, traffic reduction in city centre and the increase of modal split towards sustainable modes.If you could make a wish, how would you solve existing mobility problems in Funchal?My desire is to turn Funchal into an even friendlier city for the people, with fewer vehicles, less pollution, less noise. In an ideal world, citizens themselves would solve their mobility issues, taking softer displacement modes and preferring public to private transport.Who do you look up to? Who inspires you (in the area of Sustainable Development)?No doubt we look up to our partner European cities that have been implementing sustainable mobility measures and obtaining positive results.Is there a local hero in your city?Each one of us is a hero, for we are all making a decisive effort towards a better quality of life and sustainable mobility in our city, namely the public transport users, who are already making up as many as 28 000 000 rides a year.Would you recommend CIVITAS to other politicians? For what reasons?Definitely, for it stimulates and enhances the implementation of sustainable mobility measures. The contact and partnership with the other cities involved in the project allows constant sharing of ideias and information.
