04 February 2000
French, Italian, Portuguese and Belgian environment ministers were gathering in Brussels this week to back calls for 'Car-Free Day 2000' to be extended across the European Union.
The launch on February 4 by the European Commissioner for the Environment, Margot Wallström, was pushing for more EU governments to sign up to the annual initiative.
The European Commission-led project aims to 'raise awareness of the need to change mobility behaviour among elected representatives' and EU city-dwellers. Last year 159 European cities took part in the event on September 22, with more than 85% of the 22 million inhabitants involved said to favour the imposition of traffic restrictions at regular intervals. Friday's launch will also see the presentation of guidelines for local authorities, as set out in the European Charter.
The Brussels event coincides with the start of 'Ecological Sundays' in Italy, concluding on May 7. Italian environment minister Edo Ronchi is setting aside L50,000m (e25.8m) to co-finance councils to run 'alternative mobility' schemes one Sunday a month. Car-free areas will be created in which ecological means of transport will be provided, with fiscal preference given to electric or gas-powered systems.
The campaign is in response to a steep rise in pollution levels in Italy's urban areas.
By Teresa Reilly in Treviso
PFfeb2000
