Brussels, 27/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - The third European Mobility Week will take place from 16 to 22 September. Inhabitants of a series of cities across Europe will be able to participate in a week of activities promoting sustainable mobility, ending in a Car Free Day on Wednesday 22 September. This year, the European Mobility Week will focus on the need to cut the number of children killed and injured in road accidents. More than 2000 children are killed each year in road accidents in the EU, not to mention the countless others injured. The event is being supported by the European Commission and aims to raise awareness of other dangers connected with road transport, particularly air pollution. In 2004, the participating cities are being urged to create partnerships and for local authorities to pledge to implement sustainable measures to improve mobility. In Belgium, for example, the Walloon Region will open 75 new routes or other forms of infrastructure, while the city of Dijon in France will launch a new bus network.
An international conference will be held in Brussels on 16 September to officially open the European Mobility Week in the presence of the Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallstrom, transport experts and decision-makers from around the world to provide information about options available for reducing the use of private vehicles by providing citizens with viable alternatives. The organisers of European Mobility Week hope the 2004 version will be as successful as the 2003 Week, which saw the participation of no less than 723 towns and cities in 35 countries.