Signature gathering closed, next steps to come on Nov 15, 2013 Our signature gathering for the ECI „30 km/h – making streets liveable!” came to an end at midnight of 13th November. We are now busy preparing next steps of the ECI procedure and also are waiting for some letters with signature forms which are still on their way. A big thank-you goes to all who have signed our initiative. And very special thanks go to all who have supported our campaign as activists spreading the word in so many cities and villages all over.. Read More

30 hours left for signing our ECI! on Nov 12, 2013 The very last hours for the signature gathering have commenced. The online collection software will go off air at midnight tomorrow (13.11.2013) and the collection on paper too. A couple of days before, our co-ordination office got a big packet with signatures as one can see on the photo. We are now beyond 44 000 signatures!

You can still sign if you haven´t done it yet, and don´t forget to make one more person sign on the very last day: tomorrow!

Should you have a list on paper, please could you send it in now? The address is written on the form. Thank you very much! Read More

Breaking news: legislative proposal for a 30 km/h speed limit in Italy! on Nov 3, 2013 Can you believe it? The Italian Parliament has received a package of legislative proposals for more sustainable mobility, with a 30 km/h default speed limit as central proposition. Other proposals are cycle lanes instead of parking space on the right side of the roads plus measures for an improved protection of pedestrians. The package has been delivered to the parliament by the Italian municipalities (Associazione Nazionale Comuni Italiani / ANCI) on 31st October. Read More

Pollution brushed under the carpet – EEA report reveals lack of information on Oct 21, 2013 Dust pollution in Europe is considerably more serious than known in the public! Examining the new report “Air quality in Europe 2013”, we discovered these surprising news. The reason is that a phenomenon called “non-exhaust PM,which is caused by road traffic, should be added to the figures about fine and ultra-fine dust (PM), as the European Environment Agency has pointed out in its report. The report was published last week. But it lacks detailed data about the problem. Epidemiological studies however attribute most severe health effects of air pollution to all sorts of PM (Particulate Matter, PM 10 and PM 2,5). And so, the lack of data is quite astonishing. The good news: “Non-exhaust PM” is strongly influenced by speed and so a 30 km/h speed limit will be a powerful contribution to reduce the problem. Read More

Congratulations! NGO activities in Bilbao/Spain crowned with success on Oct 8, 2013 Bilbao’s town council has approved the motion proposed by Ekologistak Martxan and the urban cyclist association, “Biziz-Bizi”, by which the speed is limited to 30-km/h in the town residential areas, and to 50 km/h in the rest of the cycle lanes.

Last May, Ekologistak Martxan and the urban cyclists association, Biziz-Bizi, joined the European proposed law on reducing the maximum traffic speed in urban areas to 30 km/h. The campaign to extend such rate to an European level has borne fruit in Bilbao, Read More

Moments of shock on Oct 1, 2013 Driving teachers like this question: „Imagine you are driving at 30 km/h when suddenly someone enters the road, at only 14 meter from your car. You brake immediately! At what speed do you arrive there? And at what speed do you arrive if you brake from 50 km/h?” Some students are astonished about the answer: – If you brake down from 30 km/h, your car stops at 13,3 meter and nothing happens. – But if you brake from 50 km/h, you have not even started to brake. The person is overrun at full speed. The reaction time of human beings lasts at least one second during which the car continues to roll more than 13 meter if you drive at 50 km/h and comes to a standstill after about 28 meter. The reaction time can last even longer, for example if one is tired, or simply because of the normal ageing process. Taking into consideration that the European society is ageing while older people stay healthy and like to go out and take part in social life, it is obvious that 30 km/h is a really important instrument to make cities and villages safer places to be. Read More