European Mobility Week

"Using together gets you further" is the motto of this year's European Mobility Week from 16 to 22 September. Every year, the European Commission calls on cities and municipalities to explore alternative and innovative ways of travelling during Mobility Week. In this way, municipalities and their citizens show that sustainable mobility is possible, fun and can be lived in practice.

There are now numerous ways to contribute to sustainable mobility. Car and bike sharing, switching to carpooling and public transport all help to reduce air and environmental pollution. Since 2003, the city of Chemnitz has been taking part with around 2000 cities throughout Europe.

This year's kick-off is the national competition "solarisCUP 2017" at the City of Chemnitz Tram Museum. The "solarisCUP" is a solar model race with solar cars and boats for schoolchildren and trainees organised by the solaris Förderzentrum für Jugend und Umwelt gGmbH Sachsen. The aim of the solar model race is to encourage curiosity and interest in science and technology among young people through their own experimentation.

The event will be opened on Saturday 16 September at 11 a.m. by Mayor Miko Runkel. The jury work and award ceremony (around 1.15 pm) will be organised by Ferenc Csák, Head of Cultural Operations, and EU Coordinator Pia Sachs, among others.

Another highlight of Mobility Week is the "handing out breakfast bags" organised by CWE, CVAG and the City of Chemnitz in front of Tietz. During the morning rush hour from 6.30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday, 18 September, public transport users and cyclists will be rewarded with rucksacks containing surprises sponsored by companies. CVAG board member Jens Maiwald, CVAG spokesman Stefan Tschök, mayor Miko Runkel and CWE marketing manager Susan Endler will also be taking part in the on-site distribution.

The European Mobility Week will also be the theme of a shop window competition in various shops in the city centre. Citizens can vote for the best themed shop window on Facebook using a QR code. The shop with the most customer votes can look forward to a ride on the historic tram.

On Thursday, 21 September, from 7 a.m. to 12 noon, the "Safe routes to school" campaign will take place at Reichenhain primary school. One of the aims of this campaign is to motivate pupils and parents to walk or cycle to school. Parents and children should be sensitised to sustainable mobility. This campaign is being organised by the school road safety working group, the children and young people's representative, the health department and the EU office, who want to communicate this topic both practically and theoretically with various fun and games.

The highlight of this year's European Mobility Week will once again be the Mobility Day with a bicycle auction, fun and games and information stands on 22 September from 10 am to 4 pm at the Rosenhof. In addition to the CFC youth team, which invites you to a training session, children and young people can try out their skills on the climbing wall of the Chemnitz Climbing Centre or cycle seven abreast on a bicycle with the Conference Bikes from Dresden on the specially closed-off Fabrikstraße. Children can take a look into the future with the help of the Chair of Labour Science and Innovation Management at Chemnitz University of Technology. An age simulation suit will be used to tangibly visualise mobility restrictions in old age. The CVAG and VMS info mobiles will be available to provide information. Action stands will provide information about electromobility. The traditional auction of bicycles from the lost property office will take place at 3 p.m. and will be preceded by the award ceremony for the best mobility showcase.

In addition to the Mobility Day, schools and nurseries in the city can choose from a colourful programme of mobility-related activities from 16 to 22 September. With the help of local partners such as CVAG, the Metropol cinema, smac, the Saxon Industrial Museum, the Natural History Museum, Weltecho and Chemnitz Central Station, children and young people will be offered discovery tours, company tours and craft activities to explore their city in a mobile and creative way.

Citizens can take part in themed and barrier-free city tours with sign language interpreters and tours of the surrounding area on foot or by bike.

The entire programme can be viewed at: www.chemnitz.de

Information on the European Mobility Week in Germany:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/europaeische-mobilitaetswoche