A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN OUR HANDS - To Parent Directory

Sustainable transport© CorbisSituation on the groundReacting to the varying degrees of congestion, noise and air pollution,national and local authorities have been devising innovativeschemes to ease up the traffic on our roads.In Germany, the health conscious are hiring bikes from the Calla-Bikerental service now running in Berlin, Cologne, Munich andStuttgart. In northern Italy, roads are now car free on Sundaysthanks to the participation of several regions and more than fourmillion citizens. In Paris, the area around the river Seine is free fromtraffic and open to pedestrians, rollerbladers and cyclists on Sundaysand public holidays, thanks to the Paris Respire initiative.In London, congestion charges are levied on motorists entering thecentre, and plans are in the pipeline to introduce discounts for theleast polluting vehicles. Surcharges for the most polluting vehicles,such as the gas-guzzling 4x4s and sports cars, are also on the way.A new demand-responsive bus service in Krakow, Poland, allowscitizens living in suburban areas to reach the city centre morequickly and comfortably. Public transport can be ordered simplyby calling a special telephone number.The complete bus fleet in the Austrian city of Graz now runs onbiodiesel made from reused cooking oil from households andrestaurants. And a biodiesel service station was opened in 2003which allows people to buy biodiesel directly.While these approaches all contribute to curbing pollution andboosting a cleaner, more balanced transport system, their effectivenesswill be limited until there is some form of central coordination.This is where the EU comes in. By providing central coordination,the EU makes these initiatives more than just a postcode lottery,so that all can benefit, not just the lucky few.024