VCÖ Mobility Award

Three showcase projects for climate-friendly mobility

The Mobility Award brings innovative projects to the fore.

(Bild: VLK/Serra)

The mobility prize awarded by the Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ), ÖBB and the state of Vorarlberg was presented for the 20th time on Friday morning in the Bregenz Landhaus. A portrait of the winning projects.

Mobility is known to be the biggest obstacle in Vorarlberg on the road to "Energy Autonomy 2050". The number of private vehicles is still increasing, the majority of which are still powered by combustion engines. Or as Daniel Zadra (Greens), the state councillor responsible, puts it: "Although we are breaking climate ticket records in Vorarlberg and 50 percent of all journeys are being made on foot, by bike or by public transport for the first time, we are still a long way from reaching our goal."

This makes it all the more important to bring projects to the fore that can provide impetus for new mobility behavior. At this year's VCÖ Mobility Award, three such showcase projects were honored.

This year's winners are:

1. Energy Institute Vorarlberg: in order to motivate more employees to come to work on foot, by bike, by public transport or in car pools, the Energy Institute has developed a guide for "target group-sensitive mobility management". The starting point was that employees working shifts at the Collini company in Hohenems and people with a particular affinity for cars had hardly been reached by the previous measures for company mobility management. The Energieinstitut Vorarlberg then held a mobility council with the target groups concerned in order to better understand the working and living realities of the employees and to jointly develop ideas for measures. Among other things, a month of action was carried out with the aim of doing without a private car as often as possible. Each employee was offered vouchers worth 100 euros. However, the value decreased by five euros for each day on which they drove to work. The result: 70 percent of the target group took part, 86 percent of whom traveled to work car-free for more than ten days, 65 percent even for 20 days or more.
2. City of Bregenz: On February 26, the speed limit was reduced to 30 km/h on all roads in the state capital. This measure reduces the number of accidents, helps to improve traffic flow, reduces traffic noise and pollution and improves conditions for cyclists.
3. Vorarlberg Cycling Lobby: At the beginning of 2022, the Vorarlberg Cycling Lobby launched a comprehensive project to raise awareness of the need for drivers to keep at least 1.50 meters distance when overtaking cyclists. A total of 5700 overtaking distance measurements were taken with the help of sensors. The result: 60 percent of motor vehicle drivers kept a distance of less than 1.5 meters when overtaking. The measurements also identified danger spots and provide an important basis for preventive traffic planning.