Zelena Akcija: Ten Measures for Sustainable Traffic in Zagreb

27 February 2007

Zelena Akcija environmental organization presented last week its paper 10 Measures to Secure Sustainable Traffic in the City of Zagreb.

The paper results from the comprehensive study of Zagreb traffic flows and trends, conducted by Zelena Akcija, under the joint UNEP/European Environmental Agency project �Promotion of Sustainable Production and Consumption in Southeast and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus�.

Contrary to official policies of Zagreb City administration directed at finding solution for all traffic problems with �1.2 billion investment in megalomaniac facilities, Zelena Akcija believes that traffic could be improved only through consistent system of a variety of measures.

The measures proposed in the paper include improvement of city public transportation system; improved bicycle traffic; improved regulation and signage; upgrades of existing network of streets; cheaper taxi service (currently, Zagreb taxi is among most expensive in Europe); synchronization of all forms of public transportation; spatial planning policy that would provide for sustainable traffic system.

In addition, the paper presents the main obstacles to a sustainable traffic system, such as, life-styles dependent on automobiles, formed by advertising; policies devoted to commercial interests; media supportive of offices of power; domination of experts charged with elaboration of agreements between politics and capital interests; resignation and lack of vision with state and city public transportation companies (Croatian Railways and Zagreb Electric Tram Company).

The full text of the document is available for download (as pdf file) at Zelena Akcija web-site.