And that's a wrap on ELABORATOR at the AUTONOMY MOBILITY WORLD EXPO! Together with fellow EU project PHOEBE, we headed to Paris for an enlightening discussion on safe street spaces. Read more below!
On 20 March 2024, at the AUTONOMY MOBILITY WORLD EXPO in Paris, France, ELABORATOR was prominently featured during the "Safe Street Spaces: Ramping up Reallocation" session. The aim was to address the pressing challenge of improving road safety in urban settings amidst evolving mobility needs and transforming urban and public space requirements. Discussions highlighted the increasing demand for safer, more welcoming public spaces and explored innovative perspectives on road safety, emphasizing its connection to reallocating street space, enhancing accessibility, and fostering inclusivity.
Our Living Labs Helsinki and Trikala shared their ambitions within ELABORATOR to enhance road safety and accessibility, highlighting the challenges linked to their contexts, such as extreme weather and modal share. Plus, they talked about their desired future scenarios, which should embrace active modes and new mobility without hindering existing infrastructure, as well as the importance of being able to share and learn from the other living labs' experiences.
The session also featured fellow EU project PHOEBE, who shared more about their framework that supports cities in increasing road safety. Indeed, their holistic approach was mentioned as a critical element when thinking about the future of our streets, where vehicle flow and speed are not the only determinants. However, considerations on aspects such as user behaviours and prioritisation of active modes are central in responding to the needs of cities and their future scenarios, where mobility and urban space are people-centred and not car-centred.
The event was a unique opportunity to discuss how collaborations with other projects can propel advancements in road safety and the reallocation of urban spaces. ELABORATOR is enthusiastic about leveraging these opportunities, continuously sharing its challenges and expertise to drive progress in this essential field. Moving forward, we will keep leaning on cooperation with other EU projects, supporting each other in our joint mission for a more inclusive and sustainable urban mobility.