Periodic Reporting for period 3 - DESTINATIONS (CIVITAS DESTINATIONS)
Reporting period: 2019-09-01 to 2021-05-31
DESTINATIONS aimed to change the mind-sets of all stakeholders involved in providing effective mobility and transport solutions in an integrated way. The need to integrate conventional Public Transport (PT) with flexible and tailored services is particularly challenging in tourist destinations. Such towns are often too small and lack the resources to provide adequate sustainable mobility options for both residents and tourists - with fluctuating demand - especially during peak season. In these tourist destinations, mobility is often car dependent, leading to congestion and other harmful impacts which can harm the urban experience for the local and visiting population. This generates exceptional demands and trade-offs by local administrations, who are tasked with accommodating the needs of many different road users. The lack of well-established private-public collaboration schemes and business models also prevent the provision of seamless mobility services in many touristic destinations. To show how to address this challenge, DESTINATIONS implemented integrated innovative mobility solutions in: Madeira, Limassol, Rethymno, Valletta (Malta); Elba; and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; targeting the resident and tourist mobility demand with an integrated approach, delivering sustainable mobility tools and strategies.
In WP1 the deliverables, financial and technical progress and contingency plans were all coordinated. An ethics board was established to overlook the data management processes and to confirm adherence to national and European standards.
In WP2, the SUMP preparation process was coordinated in the six sites to attain a minimum comparable standard: Las Palmas GC and Rethymno improved the existing SUMPs; Madeira, Limassol and Elba approved theirs for the first time; while in Malta it will be officially approved after the project). Stakeholder identification and involvement enabled synergies with WP8 and with WP5. Tourist mobility appraisal was performed at each destination and included in the SUMP preparation process.
In WP3, Elba finalised the design of safer road crossings. Limassol installed 5 bike parking facilities. Las Palmas GC conducted traffic simulations, justifying an Action Plan for sustainable mobility. Rethymno installed 24 traffic lights with countdown indicators. Madeira installed a new prototype of CCTV cameras capturing images inside the bus and counting passengers that step in/out of buses and implemented traffic calming actions. Madeira, Rethymno and Limassol enhanced school mobility initiatives.
In WP4, Elba designed a “low cost” Mobility as a Service solution: the Shared Use Mobility Agency platform. Rethymno improved its bike-sharing system. Limassol installed 4 bike parking facilities. In Las Palmas GC the new bike sharing system Sítycleta was implemented. The sites installed respectively 3, 7 and 6 new EV-charging stations. Malta studied the average cost of owning a car and used this information in campaigns to promote shared mobility services. In Madeira incentive schemes and dissemination activities for the purchase of EVs were implemented, resulting in 556 new EVs in private and public fleets.
In WP5, SULPs have been approved by the municipal body of 3 sites and 3 are in the approval process. Networks to collect Used Cooking Oil were created in Limassol and Rethymno. One app has been developed for freight distribution optimisation in Las Palmas GC.
In WP6, Madeira’s “Public Transport Friend” offers discounts to PT users in some shops. Limassol organised campaigns to successfully promote tourist mobility, the Green Label Award and Mobility Card, and the Bicycle Challenge. Malta finalised the draft Green Mobility Hotel Award criteria and launched an app “My Malta Plan”, informing tourists about sustainable mobility options. The “Elba Card” was launched to sell PT tickets in hotels. Rethymno created the Sustainable Mobility Agency.
In WP7, Las Palmas GC produced a film to improve the acceptance of major transport network changes, installed 20 new solar powered panels that read PT smartcards, and acquired 3 hybrid buses. Rethymno was the first city in Greece to have an e-bus in their PT fleet connecting the city centre to the beach, and the first e-car in their municipal fleet. Elba signed agreements with the PT operator to include more services, better conditions and SMS-based tickets. Limassol installed 20 bike racks on buses (based on the Madeira experience). Madeira enacted an eco-driving system; a tire pressure management system, a system to manage bus/driver/service, a predictive analysis of bus potential faults, and photovoltaic system in 2 buses.
In WP8, Local Investment Plans were developed for each site resulting in a total of 19.000.000 € additional investment for scaling up measures. Webinars took place, the most promising measures were selected to apply business modelling based on the CANVAS method. WP8 also delivered handbooks to illustrate how to proceed to set up the tender procedures to purchase Intelligent Transport Systems.
In WP9, with CIVITAS SATELLITE and local evaluation managers, selected and analysed indicators that best matched the objectives of the project. Detailed evaluation conclusions were made, available in Measure Evaluation Reports (MERs) on the DESTINATIONS website and platform of multipliers.
In WP10, as an outcome of the project’s political body, a Political Declaration was signed and delivered to Commissioner Bulc in May 2019. The platform (www.destinationsplatform.eu) was continuously enriched, with 221 registrations benefiting from direct access to 160 project-related documents. Knowledge exchange and capacity building activities have been carried out under different formats, including interaction with the sister IA projects, CIVITAS Community, and China partners (exchange site visits in Beijing, Madeira and Gran Canaria).
In WP11, dissemination activities were carried out locally, across Europe and the world (US, China) to promote the measures. The project webpage on the CIVITAS website was continuously updated, three leaflets and a project poster were produced, and news-items were published in the CIVITAS MOVE, CPMR and other newsletters. The project has Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, promoting its activities, and has participated in European events, such as the CIVITAS Forum and the ECOMM conference. Cooperation with the CIVITAS IA projects were jointly carried out in Elba; with PORTIS in Antwerp; with ECCENTRIC in Stockholm; during the EUSEW 2019; the EU Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, and the 3 IAs Common Final Event 2020.
In WP2, the SUMP preparation process was coordinated in the six sites to attain a minimum comparable standard: Las Palmas GC and Rethymno improved the existing SUMPs; Madeira, Limassol and Elba approved theirs for the first time; while in Malta it will be officially approved after the project). Stakeholder identification and involvement enabled synergies with WP8 and with WP5. Tourist mobility appraisal was performed at each destination and included in the SUMP preparation process.
In WP3, Elba finalised the design of safer road crossings. Limassol installed 5 bike parking facilities. Las Palmas GC conducted traffic simulations, justifying an Action Plan for sustainable mobility. Rethymno installed 24 traffic lights with countdown indicators. Madeira installed a new prototype of CCTV cameras capturing images inside the bus and counting passengers that step in/out of buses and implemented traffic calming actions. Madeira, Rethymno and Limassol enhanced school mobility initiatives.
In WP4, Elba designed a “low cost” Mobility as a Service solution: the Shared Use Mobility Agency platform. Rethymno improved its bike-sharing system. Limassol installed 4 bike parking facilities. In Las Palmas GC the new bike sharing system Sítycleta was implemented. The sites installed respectively 3, 7 and 6 new EV-charging stations. Malta studied the average cost of owning a car and used this information in campaigns to promote shared mobility services. In Madeira incentive schemes and dissemination activities for the purchase of EVs were implemented, resulting in 556 new EVs in private and public fleets.
In WP5, SULPs have been approved by the municipal body of 3 sites and 3 are in the approval process. Networks to collect Used Cooking Oil were created in Limassol and Rethymno. One app has been developed for freight distribution optimisation in Las Palmas GC.
In WP6, Madeira’s “Public Transport Friend” offers discounts to PT users in some shops. Limassol organised campaigns to successfully promote tourist mobility, the Green Label Award and Mobility Card, and the Bicycle Challenge. Malta finalised the draft Green Mobility Hotel Award criteria and launched an app “My Malta Plan”, informing tourists about sustainable mobility options. The “Elba Card” was launched to sell PT tickets in hotels. Rethymno created the Sustainable Mobility Agency.
In WP7, Las Palmas GC produced a film to improve the acceptance of major transport network changes, installed 20 new solar powered panels that read PT smartcards, and acquired 3 hybrid buses. Rethymno was the first city in Greece to have an e-bus in their PT fleet connecting the city centre to the beach, and the first e-car in their municipal fleet. Elba signed agreements with the PT operator to include more services, better conditions and SMS-based tickets. Limassol installed 20 bike racks on buses (based on the Madeira experience). Madeira enacted an eco-driving system; a tire pressure management system, a system to manage bus/driver/service, a predictive analysis of bus potential faults, and photovoltaic system in 2 buses.
In WP8, Local Investment Plans were developed for each site resulting in a total of 19.000.000 € additional investment for scaling up measures. Webinars took place, the most promising measures were selected to apply business modelling based on the CANVAS method. WP8 also delivered handbooks to illustrate how to proceed to set up the tender procedures to purchase Intelligent Transport Systems.
In WP9, with CIVITAS SATELLITE and local evaluation managers, selected and analysed indicators that best matched the objectives of the project. Detailed evaluation conclusions were made, available in Measure Evaluation Reports (MERs) on the DESTINATIONS website and platform of multipliers.
In WP10, as an outcome of the project’s political body, a Political Declaration was signed and delivered to Commissioner Bulc in May 2019. The platform (www.destinationsplatform.eu) was continuously enriched, with 221 registrations benefiting from direct access to 160 project-related documents. Knowledge exchange and capacity building activities have been carried out under different formats, including interaction with the sister IA projects, CIVITAS Community, and China partners (exchange site visits in Beijing, Madeira and Gran Canaria).
In WP11, dissemination activities were carried out locally, across Europe and the world (US, China) to promote the measures. The project webpage on the CIVITAS website was continuously updated, three leaflets and a project poster were produced, and news-items were published in the CIVITAS MOVE, CPMR and other newsletters. The project has Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, promoting its activities, and has participated in European events, such as the CIVITAS Forum and the ECOMM conference. Cooperation with the CIVITAS IA projects were jointly carried out in Elba; with PORTIS in Antwerp; with ECCENTRIC in Stockholm; during the EUSEW 2019; the EU Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, and the 3 IAs Common Final Event 2020.
The project has for the most part fulfilled the expected impacts in terms of CO2 emissions and energy consumption, raising acceptance and awareness among residents and tourists of sustainable mobility options, in particular concerning cycling and walking. Reaching targets concerning the use of PT has been more problematic, despite some positive signs. The inclusion of sustainable measures in strategic urban plans, like SUMPs, has proved to be essential.
The actions related specifically to SUMPs and SULPs became part of the political agenda of the municipalities and will continue to be implemented beyond DESTINATIONS. Innovative measures to promote sustainable mobility to tourists and residents have delivered co-benefits (economic, social and environmental) which has established a cross-sector value chain in tourist destinations.
The actions related specifically to SUMPs and SULPs became part of the political agenda of the municipalities and will continue to be implemented beyond DESTINATIONS. Innovative measures to promote sustainable mobility to tourists and residents have delivered co-benefits (economic, social and environmental) which has established a cross-sector value chain in tourist destinations.