Mobility 2.0 Communication

Summary

 Gdynia has set up an internet platform to conduct consultations with the local community and stakeholders. Traffic simulations presented  the options for planning approaches. Polls and forums allowed to collect their opinions and proposals. Besides these, the tool has been also very useful for project evaluation and dissemination. The technology aims at 3,000 registered users who would contribute to the sustainable urban mobility planning process.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Before DYN@MO, there was no internet platform allowing interactive dialogue with Gdynia’s citizens and provide the necessary support for public consultation. There has been a need to develop and implement a special platform via which people would be able to take part in planning Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) actions.

Previously there were too few and not enough effective tools and means through which Gdynia's authorities try to reach the public and raise awareness and knowledge on SUMP (e.g. press conferences, press articles, formal and informal meetings with inhabitants). Only very few inhabitants come to meetings, and especially young people do not show up.

Public consultation for the studies and measures has been conducted via an internet platform, and thus it allowed the full-scale implementation of Gdynia's measures in CIVITAS-DYN@MO as well as created a basis for updating and extending Gdynia’s SUMP.

The main objectives of this measure were:

• Development of an interactive web-platform to better and closer include the public in decision making and plans for the SUMP
• 3,000 active users of the web platform
• Consideration of peoples’ opinions and proposals, encouragement citizen participation
• Public approval of SUMP measures
• Increase people’s awareness and knowledge on sustainable transport development
• Increase public awareness regarding alternative urban transport modes.

Progress

The City of Gdynia has set up the first internet platform in Gdynia - and Poland -  for:

• conducting consultations with the local community and stakeholders (internet forum, interactive dialog, surveys, etc.)
• presenting studies realised within measure G1.2 Community project studies from SUMP, G3.2 Automatic Traffic Incident Detection, G3.3 Weigh-in-motion and   Enforcement,  and G3.5 Dedicated bus lanes/ HOV lanes control with the use of ITS
• performing simulations of chosen variants by using the microscopic model from measure G3.1 Traffic model development to expand Gdynia’s SUMP
• raising people's awareness on SUMP
• good practice and knowledge transfer to and from other cities

Planning & preparation
A Mobility 2.0 communication platform was developed by the City of Gdynia in cooperation with Gdansk University of Technology (GUT). Elements of the platform will be: thematic forums, surveys, description of activities and plans, simulations, presentations and examples of good practices. The development of the platform was closely connected with all CIVITAS-DYN@MO measures in Gdynia, and especially community projects in measure G1.2 Community project studies from SUMP were in a key role, as they were presented to and discussed with citizens on the internet platform.

Implementation & demonstration
After a testing period, the platform has been implemented by the city with consultation and preparation by the Gdansk University of Technology (GUT). Every community project has been discussed in a specific thematic forum and surveyed through an opinion poll. If doubts appear, GUT provided simulations and results of studies to convince inhabitants and consider their remarks and proposals. Planned SUMP in the city activities would be discussed in a similar way.

Outcomes

Tangible outputs:

• Internet platform for Mobility 2.0 communication
• At least 5 awareness-raising campaigns for the public and 10 press articles about platform activities
• At least 3,000 registered users of the platform actively participating
• At least 3,000 users attend the internet survey

Expected outcomes in the short- to medium-term:

• Public debate on the implementation of activities planned within CIVITAS with the use of the internet platform

Expected outcomes in the mid- to long-term:

• Increase of public awareness and public approval for CIVITAS-DYN@MO activities and other activities within SUMP