On May 14th, the #KennisplatformCROW kicked off the 2024 edition of the ‘Congres Duurzame Mobiliteit’ in Utrecht. Approximately a hundred Dutch city and provincial officials, mobility experts, and consultants convened to delve into discussions and networking sessions centered around sustainable mobility in the Netherlands. But was it limited to Dutch participants? Not quite. Cornelia Cordes, project manager of SN² from the German city of Bremen, was also extended an invitation
Cornelia Cordes took the stage to introduce Bremen’s innovative parking bylaw: the MobilitätsBauOrtsgesetz and led an engaging session inviting participants to explore #Whatcanwedowith12m²?
During the session, attendees had the opportunity to witness firsthand how Bremen bravely flipped its former parking bylaw on its head, mandating mobility management in new real estate developments. This initiative not only promotes the adoption of Shared Mobility within housing but also reduces car dependency and the need for parking (without spaces).
Cornelia emphasized the importance of targeted communication tailored to specific demographic groups regarding available mobility management measures in real estate developments. Without this, the desired shift in tenants’ mobility behavior is unlikely to occur.
In his closing remarks, Guy Hermans, manager of ‘Verkeer en Vervoer’ at CROW, asked Cornelia about her key takeaway from the event. Her response was clear: we need to take a step back and focus on raising awareness among crucial decision-makers such as politicians, city officials, investors, developers, and architects. Continuously highlighting the positive impacts of mobility management, shared mobility, and innovative parking bylaws on sustainable real estate and urban development is essential. The decisions we make today will shape cities for centuries to come, and the more sustainable and less car-dependent our planning, the better.
Written by: Cornelia Cordes and Steffie De Moor