“The city belongs to the people!”. This is the powerful message that a large group of cyclists conveyed through the streets of Milan in Italy during the last week of June, organizing a ride in memory of the victims on two wheels, who have been over 50 in the Lombard capital. This protest captures a sad reality: in most cases, cars continue to dominate urban centres.

Yet the theme of sustainable mobility it has never been so hot. The European Green Deal aims at one 90 percent reduction emissions in transport by 2050 and to have at least 100 cities climate neutral by 2030. The transport sector must reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate on alternatives.

And there are those in Europe who are succeeding.  

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Bicycles and electric vehicles, the choice of Holland and Denmark

Famous for the swarms of cyclists who populate the city streets every day, the Netherlands certainly could not be excluded from the discourse of the green mobility. No wonder they are known as "the country of bicycles".

Here, in the tulip lands, there are 23 million bicycles, including 2,4 million electric ones. A real kingdom of two wheels, where bicycles outnumber the inhabitants

Not only. the Netherlands, which has the largest electric vehicle charging infrastructure with more than 90.000 charging points, outlined the ambitious goal to become neutral from the point of view of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and to sell exclusively zero-emission vehicles by 2030.

Neighboring Denmark also enjoys getting around on two wheels, and it is estimated that nine out of ten Danes own a bicycle, while 44 per cent of households do not own a car. And even among those who own a traditional vehicle, the choice falls on the more sustainable models: in the last year the sale of electric cars in Denmark has increased nearly 70 percent.

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Germany and Luxembourg bet on public transport

It was the summer of 2022 when Germany announced the introduction of a single ticket for local and regional public transport at a cost of nine euros a month. Designed to combat the effects of inflation and the energy crisis linked to the conflict in Ukraine, the experiment lasted only three months, and recorded an interesting decrease in vehicular traffic.

The political debate is still heated, with several proposals in the pipeline to finance projects to support public transport through monthly "all-inclusive" passes at affordable prices. Hungary too studied an "unlimited" ticket formula.

Some have gone even further. In small but very rich Luxembourg, since 2020, all means of public transport, including buses, trains and the brand new tram, they are free throughout the country, for both residents and visitors.

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The greenest transport in the Western Balkans

We have seen that many Northern European countries stand out for their commitment to green mobility, but turning our gaze to the east, to the Balkan region, we can see a notable ferment.

The European Union has worked closely with the Western Balkan nations to create a green agenda that engages them in promoting the circular economy, improving waste management and in adopting innovative and more efficient ways of production and consumption. From this collaboration was born the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), which among many objectives has to support the creation of a network of sustainable transport. 

“To facilitate regional trade and ensure sustainable economic growth, the implementation of EU technical standards has become a priority for the region, together with the promotion of environmentally friendly multimodal transport solutions”, reads the initiative's website. The WBI extension foresees an allocation of 13 billion euros for 59 projects that aim to transform the region.

Now the spotlight is on Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia, to see how these countries can create a greener transport system. 

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Infrastructures, the real engine of green mobility

Speaking of sustainable mobility, we have explored different forms of transport, from public solutions to electric vehicles, to means of slow mobility such as bicycles and electric scooters.

While there is no universal "winning formula", since each nation faces different challenges and strategies, there is one key player that cannot be ignored: the road. The quality of the infrastructure is a crucial element in the context of ecological mobility, and the choices relating to materials and used technologies they can make a difference in creating a sustainable urban environment.

In this context, companies such as Solid Earth stand out as examples of excellence in the production of green roads. Whether they are draining and highly performing cycle paths, or environmentally friendly flooring for public or private spaces made with recyclable materials, the solutions designed by Terra Solida not only contribute to the mitigation of emissions and the reduction of the "heat island" effect, but also guarantee durability, safety and aesthetics.

Companies like Terra Solida demonstrate that it is possible to build green roads that meet the requirements of sustainability without compromising on quality. This philosophy is what will allow European countries to shape urban contexts that are more attentive to the needs of the planet, as well as developing a network of state-of-the-art transportation.

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