Speed up and double down on sustainable mobility
The coronavirus crisis is placing huge demands on our ability to innovative and adapt. But it's also speeding up a mindset change: how we can make commuter traffic, business traffic, and logistical processes more sustainable. This doesn't require every company to invent the wheel individually. We can make progress if the business sector and governments work together. Instead of waiting for legal obligations, take the correct course of action now and work together on the basis of solidarity. This was the message during the online South Limburg Mobility Arena on 17 September.
The Mobility Arena was originally scheduled to take place during the Limburg Leads network exhibition in MECC Maastricht. Due to the coronavirus crisis, this exhibition was delayed until May 2021. Right now, there is a need to double down on smart mobility in relation to economic prosperity, the quality of life, and the environment. Because of this, the Zuid-Limburg Bereikbaar Programme Office decided to give an online update on innovative, green, and cheaper mobility solutions that also promote health.
Exchanging knowledge
Over the course of four sessions, questions such as the following were asked: How is the coronavirus impacting our travel behaviour? When would it be best to invest in a more sustainable electric fleet of vehicles? How can you ensure that your employees travel in more flexible and sustainable ways? What effect could the Via-Go travel app, expected to be launched later this year, have? How can you supply your clients in a busy city centre in a way that is both cost-efficient and sustainable? How can we reduce the number of journeys made by lorries and delivery vans? When should a company opt for transport by waterways or by train? Is an electric lorry worth the investment?
A number of representatives from different areas such as Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, waste collection and recycling company L’Ortye, transport operator Arriva Nederland, the Province of Limburg, Maastricht University Medical Center+, the E-Pact foundation (an independent organization that promotes the use of electric vehicles), housing corporation Woonpunt, business association for logistics and export Evofenedex, De Bijenkorf Maastricht, and the Koninklijke Horeca Nederland Afdeling Maastricht en Heuvelland (the Maastricht and Limburg Hill Country department of the Dutch trade association for the hotel and catering industry) took a seat at the table which was overseen by Simone van Trier.
Let's get started!
To close the webinar, the Koninklijke Horeca Nederland Afdeling Maastricht en Heuvelland signed an ‘Akte van Ambitie’ (ambition document) and became a partner of Zuid-Limburg Bereikbaar. The hotel, restaurant, and bar sector association and its members will work toward achieving smart and sustainable mobility for guests, suppliers, and their own employees.
Partners of Zuid-Limburg Bereikbaar include governments, regional transport providers, knowledge institutes, interest groups, approximately forty employers, and approximately twenty logistics companies.
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