Fellow Cities
Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Ljubljana is Slovenia's capital and largest city. As regards mobility, the City of Ljubljana has an active Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) adopted at urban, regional, and city levels.
However, the SUMP of the Ljubljana urban region does include Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors, as the Ljubljana urban region is situated at the Baltic-Adriatic and Mediterranean corridors. Consequently, integrating the region into the international arena holds significant importance.
For the City of Ljubljana, a successful learning experience entails gaining insights into sustainable mobility from the three Urban Nodes involved in the SCALE-UP project: Antwerp (BE), Madrid (ES), and Turku (FI). The knowledge acquired throughout the project duration will facilitate a comprehensive and collaborative knowledge exchange that can be disseminated through the mobility departments of both the City of Ljubljana and the urban region.
Aim: The City aims to establish firm partnerships and actively participate in knowledge exchange workshops and field observations (learning from benchmarks), while also collaborating on innovative practices. Additionally, Ljubljana is interested in preparing a potential replication document that would serve as a foundation for future sustainable multimodal mobility practices and planning, positioning Ljubljana as an urban node.
Challenges
Following the processes of centralisation and location at two TEN-T corridors, recent data in the capital region of Slovenia indicate that 84% of all regional trips are performed by car, with only 14% by public transport. The main challenges identified are as follows:
Inefficiency of public transport and the need for reorganization: The percentage of daily public transport usage (for work, school, errands, etc.) remains relatively low at around 8%, with the majority of journeys being made by car. There is a pressing need for the reorganisation and enhancement of public transport services to encourage greater usage and reduce dependency on private vehicles.
Large loads of (transit) freight transport in populated areas and the absence of sustainable logistics in urban centers: The traffic growth has led to increased congestion and negative environmental impacts. There is an urgent need for the development and implementation of an efficient regional logistic plan to address these challenges and promote sustainable freight transport solutions.
Uncoordinated and incoherent functioning of administration (municipalities, state) and sectors (transport, industry, spatial planning), as well as lack of public participation: The lack of coordination in regional spatial planning has resulted in inefficient and uncompetitive public transport systems and settlement planning. Employment centers have been allocated without consideration for establishing public transport links to urban nodes along the TEN-T corridors. Enhanced coordination and public participation are essential for fostering more effective and integrated transportation and spatial planning strategies.
Underutilised potential of cycling and intermodality at a regional level: Developing a cycling infrastructure is crucial to unlocking the full potential of cycling as a mode of transportation. A network of interconnected, safe, and comfortable cycling routes is needed to encourage greater uptake of cycling and promote intermodality with other forms of transportation, thereby reducing reliance on cars and enhancing sustainable mobility options at the regional level.
Objectives
The City of Ljubljana aims to develop a selection of realistic and financially feasible measures that will provide solutions and transform the transport system into a more sustainable one. Some of the objectives that Ljubljana focuses on include:
Coherent management of various transport modes: There is a need for more coordinated and focused management of different modes of transport, as well as better coordination among them in terms of services, connectivity, timetables integration, and connection to urban nodes. This approach seeks to streamline transportation operations and improve overall efficiency.
2. Establishment of a regional mobility center: Ljubljana plans to establish a regional mobility center to emphasize coordinated and targeted mobility management. This center will also aim to optimise the costs of administrative work and make better use of existing professional staff in the areas of spatial planning and mobility. The goal is to centralise efforts and resources to effectively address mobility challenges in the region.
3. Revision of current SUMP documents: There is a need to revise the current Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) documents, based on the 2nd generation of SUMP guidelines, incorporating new knowledge from champion cities. This revision process will ensure that the plans are up-to-date and aligned with the latest best practices and innovations in sustainable urban mobility.
4. Improving accessibility to urban nodes: Leveraging knowledge from other cities, Ljubljana aims to improve accessibility to urban nodes and address this aspect within the new SUMP documents. By enhancing connectivity and accessibility, the city seeks to promote sustainable mobility choices and facilitate efficient movement within the urban area.
By focusing on these objectives, Ljubljana aims to develop a comprehensive and effective strategy for sustainable urban mobility, contributing to improved quality of life and environmental sustainability in the region.