The city of Donostia - San Sebastián, winner of the CIVITAS City of the Year award 2012, overlooks the sea and, with a bit more than 180,000 inhabitants, keeps a human scale. Some people consider the balanced combination of small mountains, manor buildings, and sea as the setting for one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city has a tradition in favouring pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.
For about twenty years, the city has been enforcing a strong integrated policy in favour of pedestrians, bicycles and public transport. Considering walking and cycling as modes of transport has led to the building of a non-motorised transport network for promoting this type of mobility around the city.
Likewise, the city has extended its network of bus lanes. The city holds one of the higher bus riding rates, with around 150 trips per person per year.
Thanks to its participation in the CIVITAS ARCHIMEDES project, the city of Donostia - San Sebastian has developed a wide range of measures covering all existing modes of transport in the city proposing new alternatives for a more sustainable use of them.
This study tour was organised by the City of Donostia - San Sebastian together with CIVITAS VANGUARD and was intended to showcase the measures with which it won the CIVITAS City of the year award.
During a bike tour through the city, five successful measures were presented during this study tour:
- Extension of the infrastructure for cycling and walking;
- Public city bike scheme;
- Vertical transport;
- Safe districts, 30-kilometre zones and road safety measures; and
- Enhancement of public transport management
Authors: Holding Graz Linien, FermÃn Echarte Peña
