SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSPORT PROMOTION AS A FUNCTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Transport systems in urban agglomerations are characterized by a number of adverse effects such as traffic congestion, deterioration of transport service quality, reduced traffic safety, air pollution, increased noise levels, and negative impacts on the environment. These effects are especially recognizable in city areas. According to United Nation's statistics, about 50% of the world population lives in cities and this figure is expected to grow up to 61% until 2030. It is also expected that both a decision-maker and urban transportation politics creator set up a strategic framework and operational model for solving the conflict of growing mobility and degradation of the environment. Modern solution to the stated problems can be found in the principles of sustainable transport, which emerged as a part of the sustainable development strategy. This article has an aim to define a model for a public relations campaign that promotes the sustainable means of transport. The part of the article presents and analyzes a real-world example from an international campaign called "The Car Free Day". Furthermore, a model has been presented for conducting a campaign that would raise public awareness about the importance of the need to change people’s "traffic habits" and how this would benefit the protection of the urban environment. Special attention has been given to the promotion of the public transport usage, bicycle usage as well as walking instead of using a car. The paper also presents the results of a research on the sustainable transport characteristics which form a basis for selecting an adequate strategy with a view to effective promotion of sustainable mobility in a local self-management unit.