This years European Mobility Week has started! The annual campaign on sustainable urban mobility is organised with support of the European Commission. The aim of the campaign, which runs every year from 16 - 22 September, is to encourage local authorities to introduce and promote sustainable transport measures  to invite their citizens to try out alternatives to car use. 

 With almost 2000 European towns and cities expected to participate this is one of the biggest events across Europe culminating in the "In Town without my Car" event - which will take place on Viennas Ringstrasse - inviting people to have a relaxed pick-nick on the grass instead of the usual "hustle and bustle" of the busy Ringstrasse. 

Under the banner of "Our streets, our choice", this year's European Mobility Week aims to encourage citizens to 'reclaim' urban spaces to create the city they want to live in. Throughout the week, the relationship between land use and quality of life will be examined. Municipalities in Austria will give children the opportunity to reclaim the streets by allowing them to paint them the way they would like them to be. This initiative is organised through schools, with the best effort given a prize at the end.

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment, said: "Mobility Week reminds us that when it comes to personal mobility, we really do have a choice, and a good choice makes a tangible difference to our health and our quality of life. So let's make a stand for cleaner air, and for urban spaces that are built for people. Cities are for citizens – let's keep them that way!"

After Cities like New York, Barcelona, London and Sydney it is "our" turn now. Vienna will be hosting the biggest Walking Conference "Walk21" in 2015. This is going  to be very exciting. Especially as Vienna is always amongst the cities with best lifestyle and quality of life index - it will be interesting to see this from the "walkability" perspective. 

"Walking is convenient, it needs no special equipment, is self-regulating and inherently safe. Walking is as natural as breathing".
John Butcher, Founder Walk21, 1999

A little bit of information about "WALK21":

Walk21 exists to champion the development of healthy sustainable and efficient communities where people choose to walk. 
Realizing that the people of the world are facing a series of inter-related, complex problems with becoming less healthy, inefficient transport systems and an environment under increasing pressure the founders of Walk21 are keen to create a culture where people choose to walk (again). 

The Charter identifies the needs of people on foot and provides a common framework to help authorities refocus their existing policies and activities to create such a walking culture.  The quality and amount of walking as an everyday activity, in any given area, is an established and unique primary indicator of the quality of life.

Through the Walk21 Conference series and the International Charter, Walk21 have a vision to create a world where people choose and are able to walk as a way to travel, to be healthy and to relax.

On a personal note: Walk21 Conference is held in Sydney, Australia in October 2014. As a former resident and walking addict of that city I might try to get myself a ticket to attend.  Well, time is running, I better see what options there are to get me there.  :-) 

Obviously there is a lot happening in Vienna regarding pedestrianism. After the year of the bicycle in 2013, Vienna is now concentrating on walking. With "Walk21" the worlds biggest conference about walking, is coming to the city in 2015. 

Vienna on Foot  points out the advantages of walking instead of using other transport. It addresses the problems associated with New Urbanism and attempts to reduce the role of the automobile through creating a neighborhood utilizing as much Pedestrianism as possible.

On the website they gather on the one side all sorts of walking events happening, but also provide information about pedestrianism, safety and accessability of the city. 


Check out www.wienzufuss.at to find more information about the Walking City.   

So I thought I will start allover again in Vienna with my "walkability" project once settled in. Well, we eventually moved from the country life in my hometown in Upper Austria to the "Big Apple" Vienna in February. Little did I know until then, that there is already an amazing community here, called "WildURB".  

The vision of founders of "Wildurb" is as simple as that: They want to increase the general sense for Walking in the community and it's enjoyable benefits. 
They offer a variety of short walking tours, hiking tours off the beaten track and sightseeing strolls in the beautiful city of Vienna. These walks are published in their books, and some of them also on their website. Check it out for more information. 
www.wildurb.at 

Seems like they already do cover a lot of what my walkability concept is about, and they do it really well. So the question for me is - does Vienna need my "walkability"? For now I have set my goal in researching the existing companies and communities and am happy to just blog a bit on my website. We'll see if there is a little niche for my walking business. I'm in no hurry.