SustraMM – Exchanging experience: teaching the travellers of tomorrow in Blekinge

One crucial aim of the SustraMM project is the exchange of experiences between the regions. All partners have therefore selected local good practice examples that show how sustainable transportation can be organised without sacrificing the ability of people to move quickly and conveniently within their local areas.

One good practice example contributed by the Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden is “The Blekinge trip” in the three counties of Kronoberg, Kalmar and Blekinge in Sweden. The topic is teaching the travellers of tomorrow (12-year-old children) on how to travel with public transport. Therefore, they are travelling in the region for one day in groups of 4 to 7 children using the public transport.

(source: children from the municipality of Helsingborg)

The Swedish National Transport Administration, Blekingetrafiken (local public transport provider) and the Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden took the inspiration from Helsingborg in southern Sweden and did a pilot implementation in 2011 for two school classes. In school the pupils plan a one day trip using trains and buses. Here they utilize timetables and online trip planers themselves. During the travel in spring children experiment and learn how to travel by bus and train. After the journey they report their trip by delivering a poster, power point presentation or a film to the public transport provider.

                                                (source: children from the municipality of Helsingborg)

For organising and financing the day trip timetables, route maps and a one day regional public transportation access card will be made available by the public transport provider. With this teaching lesson pupils get trained in teamwork and documentation as well as they learn about regional geography, history and culture. Moreover, they usually have a fun day!

The benefits are that tomorrow travellers learn how to plan and travel with public transportation and to demonstrate sustainable transport alternatives. Expected long-term benefits are a larger use of public transportation (and less road traffic) among kids that have taken part in the project.

Other good practice examples are e.g. about organising cycling competitions, free public transport tests for car drivers, freight transportation, exclusive roads for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians or providing cycle buses.

Further information: www.enercitee.eu/SUSTRAMM