The 6th European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans will be held on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June 2019 in Groningen, The Netherlands. The focus of the conference is on providing support to sustainable and active cities within the SUMP context, ie how to make cities more walkable and cycle-friendly.
The European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans is Europe's leading annual event for all those involved in putting the SUMP concept into practice. It serves as a forum for policy makers, local authorities, urban transport planners, academics, NGOs and other mobility professionals. The event offers opportunities to network, debate key issues and to exchange ideas on sustainable urban mobility planning. Attendance is free of charge. The 2018 edition in Nicosia attracted over 500 participants.
The conference is co-funded by the European Commission in cooperation with the Municipality of Groningen.
Review of the SUMP Guidelines
Updated SUMP guidelines will be presented for review by the SUMP community. Since their launch in 2013, the guidelines have become the main reference for the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans and have been widely adopted across Europe. The Guidelines are currently being updated to reflect recent trends in mobility, technology and society. At various sessions with different formats, participants are encouraged to provide their comments and feedback on the draft updated guidelines and give their views on long-term planning for sustainable urban mobility.
Host city Groningen
Groningen, a vibrant medium-sized city in the north of the Netherlands, has a tradition of being a living lab for sustainable urban mobility. It is often referred to as a good practice example for mobility innovation, including active and sustainable mobility.
Groningen's mobility strategy, a strategic vision for 2035, is rooted in a long tradition of spatial planning for the city and the city-region. The plan is the result of an intensive co-creation process. Its general principle is: on foot or by bicycle if possible, by car if necessary.
Groningen aims at optimizing multimodality, zero-emission and renewable energy, safety, inclusiveness and behavioral change, while ensuring connectivity between the urban area and its surrounding sparsely populated area.
Immediately before the conference, Groningen is hosting the 2019 International Cargo Bike Festival.
