Since its establishment in 2002, the European Mobility Week has encouraged citizens to embrace more sustainable means of transport. This annual awareness-raising campaign by the European Commission aims to engage local authorities (from European cities and towns) in organizing activities that demonstrate alternative ways of transporting (e.g. public transport, walking, bicycle). This year, with the theme ‘shared public space,’ the Limassol Tourism Board organized the 5th Sustainable Mobility Festival on the 21st and 22nd of September. The Limassol Chamber of Commerce & Industry participated with its own booth and launched a questionnaire on Sustainable Mobility.
The questionnaire, provided in both Greek and English, was accessed exclusively through a QR code and was available to all participants of the 5th Sustainable Mobility Festival that took place at the Limassol Marina. A total of 74 individuals from diverse backgrounds and age groups responded to our survey. Below are the main findings. Regarding the participants’ awareness of greener means of transport within Limassol, the majority (51%) indicated they were somewhat informed, while 15% reported being not informed at all. Only one-third (34%) of the participants claimed to be very well informed about alternative sustainable solutions.
In addition, the survey assessed the current situation asking participants about their main way of transport. What stands out here is the fact that almost nine out of ten participants use a private vehicle for their daily transportation. The below chart indicates that a very limited number of citizens use other means such as public transport or other options (e.g. bicycle, scooter, walking). One can draw the conclusion that the car stands as the most popular way of transportation among participants.
The survey concluded with a question on how sustainable mobility could be improved. Participants had the opportunity to choose multiple answer or even write down additional suggestions. What can be drawn from the below chart is the fact that most popular answers were the improvement of bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure, along with the improvement of public transport (e.g. in terms of functionality and safety).
Mobility and transport play an important role in enabling economic growth and social interaction, whether it’s for daily commutes, for supply chains, or tourism purposes. However, one of the greatest challenges that the transport sector faces is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and finding ways to transition to sustainability. The European Commission has set goals to achieve smart and sustainable mobility, such as reducing transport emissions by 90% by 2050 (as part of the European Green Deal), for the EU to become a climate-neutral economy. Achieving these goals will require the full commitment of Member States and their local authorities. The questionnaire gives us a good picture of the current situation in Limassol, citizens’ preferred mode of transport and suggestions to implement sustainable mobility.
