LAST MILE
Sustainable mobility for the ′ last mile ′ in tourism regions
Tourism accounts for about 5% of the world’s total CO2-emissions, mostly for transport, and is one of the causes of climate change.
Client: Interreg Europe 2014 – 2020 (European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy)
Project Duration: April 2016 – September 2020
Starting Point and Overall Objectives
Tourism accounts for about 5% of the world’s total CO2-emissions, mostly for transport, and is one of the causes of climate change; however, it is also affected by it. As sustainable public transport and non-motorized mobility, especially to rural areas, are often limited, tourism increasingly involves the use of private cars, which causes negative effects.
Destinations must offer and advertise door-to-door accessibility. Still, in terms of the full distance to cover between origin and destination, there is often a bottleneck on the last link of the journey, i.e. the distance between the regional railway station and accommodations. This missing link is crucial for many to decide on the car.
Experiences have shown that a demand-responsive transport system combined with regular public transport, is a thankful enhancement in many cases. While various models of services have been tested in foregoing projects, operators are still confronted with institutional barriers and/or the sustained financing in the long run.
Objective of the Project
LAST MILE aims to find sustainable flexible solutions for regional mobility systems. It will make sure that visitors travel the ‘last mile’ in their travel chain sustainably and provide alternatives to car use for residents and their daily trips as well. LAST MILE will support regions in creating tailor made solutions for multiple users, interlacing with main public transport lines and hubs and introducing low emission and energy efficient vehicles, that shall lead to sustainable and financeable regional mobility options.
Our Approach
The exchange of best practices will help the participating regions to improve their policies for the promotion and development of flexible small scale mobility solutions. Regional actors shall profit from an interregional focused policy and experience learning on flexible solutions. In the first phase of the project, action plans will be developed which, in a second phase, will be implemented in the regions and monitored. Conclusions drawn will contribute to policy learning.
Added Value
Financed under INTERREG EUROPE, LAST MILE is a European wide interregional project, led by the Environment Agency Austria, with 7 partners from 6 countries comprising a group of about 50 stakeholders. The partnership is mainly built by authorities who are capable to design regional policy, having on board players from transport, tourism, and environment. The project addresses the 'Low carbon economy' strategy set by the European Union through the angle of tourism.
Financing partners:
Environment Agency Austria (Austria)
Regional Management East Tyrol (Austria)
Agency for the Support of Regional Development Kosice (Slovakia)
Club " Sustainable Development of Civil Society " (Bulgaria)
Mobility and Transport Direction. Ministry of Territory and Sustainability. Government of Catalonia (Spain)
Upper Sûre Nature Park (Luxembourg)
Westpomeranian Voivideship - Regional Office for Spatial Planning of Westpomeranian
