Equal Transport Opportunities: European Mobility Week

On this day, participating towns and cities shut down several streets to motor vehicle traffic and encourage people to walk, take public transportation or ride a bicycle.
Above: Woman riding a bike in London.

The campaign has born fruit as it instills healthy lifestyle fashion in everyday life.
Above: Businessman preferring a bicycle ride to a traffic jam.

In 2014, ten or more Russian towns will participate in European Mobility Week. In Moscow, citizens will have the opportunity to participate in “In Town Without My Car!” on Sunday, September 21. The event will take place in Moskvoretsky, a historical park in the Strogino District. The Nizhnije Mnevniki District will host a Bike Carnival.
Above: Woman riding a bike in a Moscow park.

The Moscow City Government is trying to solve its traffic problems by building bike racks and bike rental stations. Deputy Mayor Maxim Liksutov told RIA Novosti that the bike stations it built in 2013 have been used by 40% of Moscow's residents. Today, Moscow is home to 146 km of bike lanes, according to the municipal government. Cycle routes are a new phenomenon in Moscow, but bikes are becoming a real alternative to cars and public transportation.
Above: Man riding a bike in Moscow.

In Europe, bike paths are more widespread. One of the most popular cycle routes is the 1,230 km route along the Rhine river valley, which stretches from the headwaters of the Rhine in Switzerland to the river’s mouth in the Netherlands.
Above: Woman riding a bike on the cycle route along the Rhine river.

European Mobility Week addresses the problem of equality on the roads. Not all citizens feel equal, even in public transport. The problem of mobility in big cities occurs also for disabled. When public transport systems such as the Moscow Metro (subway) were constructed, the needs of mobility impaired passengers were not taken into consideration. But now the situation is changing. Over 100 subway stations out of 195 are equipped with turnstiles for the disabled.
Above: Turnstile in the Moscow Metro.

Last year, the Moscow Metro (subway) created a Mobility Security Service for people with impaired mobility. The service's attendants assist disabled passengers.
Above: A Mobility Security Service attendant helps a blind girl use the subway.

On the average, more than nine million passengers use the Moscow Metro for transportation during a workweek, which is the highest figure in the world. This poses a high risk some people may feel shaky. The Mobility Security Service views immediate reaction to such cases as its primary objective.
Above: Mobility Security Service attendant helps elderly woman in Moscow underground.

Mobility Security Service attendants are on duty starting at 7 AM and finishing at 11 PM, embracing both morning and evening rush hours. One of the requirements to Mobility Security Service employees is professional psychological and medical education.
Above: Mobility Security Service attendant helps a woman to place her baby carriage into the subway car.

As Moscow business gets more and more international, foreign citizens become frequent guests of the Metro. Mobility Service attendants help them plan their routes correctly and reach their destinations.
Above: Mobility Service Attendant maintaining order during a rush hour.