What is our organisation's purpose ?
The Energy Agency Southern Sweden initiates and runs various strategic and operational development projects. Our activities aim to improve behavior and support conscious decisions for reduced climate impact, lower energy costs and build a sustainable regional development.
Our employees are the core of our business, and they are experts in various fields. Through their combined expertise, we convey inspiration and knowledge and together we increase cooperation and action power within the region.
We are owned by municipalities and regions in southern Sweden and we are independent and impartial, without any profit or political interest.
We are one of Sweden's fifteen and Europe's nearly four hundred regional energy offices that are coordinated via the Energy Offices Sweden and Fedarene. Regardless of where we are, the purpose of our existence is to change and improve society from an energy and sustainability perspective.
Where do we implement the project?
During the project, we are focusing on work commuters in two mobility hubs (stationssamhälle) within the Kronoberg county, in Diö and Ljungby. In Diö the commute flow towards urban centers, while in areas like Ljungby the commuting happens more within the municipality.
- Ljungby has just over 16,000 inhabitants, and in terms of size occupies second place in the region after Växjö. Ljungby's bus station is located at the intersection between the city center to the east and the city's business area to the southwest. Residential and villa areas spread out around these. There is a relatively large and versatile range of services. Proportion of population living within 1 km of the station: 50%. There used to be trains but now the tracks were removed and most of their ways became bike paths.
- Diö is a locality in Älmhult Municipality in the Kronoberg County. It has approximately 900 inhabitants and it is situated 10 km north of Älmhult. The mobility hub is located in the southern part of the community, opposite the Invacare facility. The community spreads out to the north, and a little over a kilometer from the mobility hub are the village's services in the form of a school, a preschool and a home for the elderly. Grocers can be found three kilometers away in the next village. Proportion of population living within 1 km of the station is 65%.
Region Kronoberg is responsible for regional development in the county. They are responsible for healthcare, as well as, public transport and infrastructure, skills and education issues, environment and climate, community planning, innovation, business development, international issues, public health and culture. Their mission is to promote health, sustainability and growth in Kronoberg. Region’s vision is a good life in a viable in the county. It must be attractive to live, work and live in Kronoberg.
What do we want to do in the project?
We aim to increase the proportion of sustainable travel by public transport, cycling and walking, and contribute to regional sustainable development. Our specific focus is to promote sustainable ways of transport for commuting workers.
- Increase the understanding of individual mobility needs and behaviour
- Reduce the use of cars (especially those that are half-full)
- Increase number of users adopting/trying out sustainable mobility alternatives
- Improve the perception and motivation to use sustainable transport modes
- Strengthen and create resilience in the transport network
In general, one of the main challenges is first/last mile challenge at the countryside. In this context logistic (changes of transport modes) and travel time are key barriers in increasing the positive perception of sustainable mobility Solutions.
At the infrastructure level, the region is designed in many ways for cars. For example, there is a lack of good and continuous network of bike roads in some areas, e.g. tunnels under highway.
From the demand side, there are only a small number of potential user, where the influx makes it hard to create a compelling or economic viable business cases for car share and bike rentals. There are a few on demand mobility solutions (“Närtraffik”), but they can be expensive and logistically complicated when compared to just getting into one’s own car.
The project is aligned with regional priorities, namely contributing to further develop the regional mobility hubs (stationsammhälle) and the traffic programme. Regional development strategy (Green Kronoberg) has identified the transportation hubs as a regional resource in the transition to a sustainable region, and both have a focus on public transport and active mobility.
