Successful transport decision-making - Osmose

Cycling promotion in Maribor
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The Practice Example for Maribor dealt with cycling, and in particular with the introduction of an integrated citywide cycling network with the support of local NGOs, above all by the Maribor Cycling Network
(MCN). While the previous four pages have mainly described the 'history' of the approaches to establishing a cycling network and to raising public awareness for cycling (1994-2002), the following two pages
illustrate those activities which took place during the GUIDEMAPS project, i.e. when MCN used the tools and techniques in the GUIDEMAPS handbook for a new campaign that called attention to cycling in
Maribor (2003-2004). In so far, engagement activities in Maribor have not been coordinated by the local City Council but by a local NGO, which shows that the GUIDEMAPS handbook can also be useful for
improving stakeholder engagement and sustainable transport activities if it is used and applied 'in the hands of the public'. The tools that were used by MCN for the campaign to improve the introduction of an
integrated citywide cycling network were the preparation of a leaflet, newspaper feature articles, key person interviews, public meetings and an internet forum.
Legal situation
There is no legal requirement for public participation or public
consultation on national or local level in Slovenia. Usual practice
involves presentation of the draft strategy, policy or programme
to the public in the last phase of decision-making process. Thus,
public has a limited opportunities to comment on the proposed
document and to explore its content, when different options and
alternatives are still open. As a consequence, usual practice can
be described as a "top-down" planning approach.
Local strategy
The lack of a legal requirement for public participation and
consultation affects common practices at a local level: activities
concerning the public are usually implemented in form of
persuasions' or as ‘decide-announce-defend' model. The main
goals of such activities are to convince people of the
acceptability of the predefined solutions and measures.
Moreover, the City Council had not yet carried out any general
awareness campaigns for sustainable mobility practices - which
was the reason for MCN to start an awareness campaign for
cycling on its own.
Motivation
There are various participation and consultation motives and
motivations in Maribor, depending on the individual stakeholders'
interests. While the motivation for public participation and
consultation in the City Council has been at a low level, the
highest motivation could be identified at the level of NGOs, with
clearly identified demands for public participation - such as
transparent decision-making processes in transport projects,
early inclusion of the public into decision-making processes,
obligatory feedback.
Feedback and Monitoring
To evaluate the effectiveness of the MCN activities, both an exante
and an ex-post questionnaires were used, with questions
regarding the citizens' knowledge of, and attitude towards, local
transport problems for cyclists. The survey was carried out by
Maribor University; 300 randomly selected citizens were ready to
fill out a questionnaire. Also 10 face-to-face interviews with
selected "key stakeholders" were carried out before and after the
campaign.
© zoran.smiljanic@siol.net
Experience
Concerning transport issues, MCN and other NGOs were keen
to open the debate on cycling to the public, trying to strengthen
the importance of sustainable transport modes and to influence
political priorities in the city. The experience both on cycling
issues and on engagement techniques came from many
contacts made through the participation of MCN members at
conferences, as well as contact with Maribor University or to
other European cities and networks, e.g. also in the context of
GUIDEMAPS.
Technical support
MCN as a local NGO, working only with low budget but with
highly motivated volunteers, does not have many technical
means for participation activities available. Nevertheless, MCN
achieved a high awareness with only a little budget and without
expensive 'infrastructure': newspaper articles, a press kit,
roundtable meetings, radio discussions and a website were all
established by MCN members on their own by using private
technical means.
Obstacles
The main obstacles for the campaign for cycling and the
engagement activities of MCN were the low level of public
support for cycling, the resistance of shopkeepers who feared a
diminishing number of customers and the opposition of residents
who are using existing parking lots for free and who don't want
them to be replaced by cycle tracks. Opposition came also from
the politicians and the City Council, concerning cycling measures
that would lead to additional costs and could not be financed.
Responsibility
Usually, the City Council or the Transport Department should be
responsible for setting up a cycling plan or strategy. However, as
politicians' and City Council's interest in cycling is low, MCN tried
to take over the responsibility for the strategic plans voluntarily.
Although it is clear, that 'ownership' of sustainable transport
measures is very important it cannot be achieved by NGOs
alone. Thus, MCN aimed at cooperating with other stakeholders
and in particular with the City Council as far as possible.
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