SUMP 2.0 - Updating the SUMP Guidelines
Since their launch in 2013, the SUMP Guidelines have been the main reference document for developing Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). Yet with new developments in society and technology, as well as valuable experiences from practical implementation, an update reflecting these is now appropriate.
The process to further develop and improve the SUMP Guidelines was begun at this year's SUMP Conference in Nicosia, Cyprus by Maja Bakran, Deputy Director-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission.
An entire conference stream was dedicated to "SUMP 2.0". SUMP experts and practitioners shared ideas and collected a wide range of valuable input for this major update. The conference commenced the stakeholder consultation process; additional feedback will be gathered at several events over the next six months.
Based on a conference survey and focus group discussions in Nicosia, some clear messages have emerged with regards to what can be improved:
- SUMP is strongly endorsed as a valuable concept by the mobility planning community.
- Although the current guideline documents are appreciated by practitioners, improvements are still desired. For instance, the update should include more good practice examples.
- Key aspects and steps in the SUMP process require further support: selection and implementation of measures is the highest priority for practitioners. In addition, topics such as stakeholder participation remain a challenge for planners in some parts of Europe.
- Training courses and an updated website will play a key role in informing about updated SUMP Guidelines.
The discussions at the SUMP Conference provided an excellent insight into the priorities of the SUMP community in Europe.
This will help the Eltis SUMP Coordinating Group, of which SUMPs-Up is a part, to identify the aspects that should take priority in the next version of the SUMP Guidelines.
The initial draft of the updated Guidelines is scheduled to be published at the 2019 SUMP Conference in Groningen.
To read the current SUMP Guidelines, click here.
