European Mobility Week – The Netherlands' coordinator

Marjon Meijer is once again in the hot seat as the Dutch coordinator for European Mobility Week (EMW), which kicks off on 16 September. She loved her first time last year so much, she has signed up for more.

“I love what I do. I get to work with so many different mobility organisations, municipalities and companies. Everybody is trying to do something for sustainable mobility. It’s one big party,” says Marjon.

Monday to Sunday
So, apart from the partying, what exactly has the country has got lined up for the event?

Marjon says various days of the week have a different theme. After the opening on Sunday, Monday is Bike to Work Day, Wednesday is Car Sharing Day and Friday is the Mr and Mrs Bus Competition.

“On Friday, we try to select the nicest, friendliest bus drivers in Holland. This is always a big success. Last year’s winners, Theo Thijssen and Nel Vriesenga, are trying their best to retain their crown,” she says.

On Saturday there is the Other Transport Day, which sees lots of bus companies arrange activities and promote offers, such as being able to ride the bus for free. The Travellers Organisation also visits bus stops and hands out tea, coffee and even balloons, says Marjon.

Car Free Day takes place on Sunday, which sees areas all over the country set aside solely for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

Complementary
The week ends with a mobility convention called the Eco Mobile Show, also on Sunday.

“The events focus more on the technology side of sustainable transport. It’s designed to show the possibilities of what can be achieved through technology. This complements the behavioural changes that we are trying too implement over the course of the seven days,” says Marjon.

Children educating their parents
During the week, numerous primary school pupils are taking part in Green Footsteps, an activity organised by the Climate Alliance. For each round trip that a student makes by foot or by bike they get a Green Footstep sticker that they paste in their sticker book.

This sees thousands of pupils running and cycling to and from school to collect as many green footsteps as they can. Last year, 71,000 students from 64 different municipalities joined in.

“Children taking part refuse to be driven to school for a whole week. It’s great because the children are educating their parents about climate change and possible solutions,” says Marjon.

Umbrella
As a coordinator, Marjon’s job is to generate publicity and awareness of the week and organise the events at a national level. She is joined by just one other team member, which sounds like a tall order.

“Last year over three hundred towns cooperated. This can range from just one day to a whole week of programming. But the real work is done by the municipalities. They do all the organising and arranging in their own areas. We just coordinate it. We put everything on the website and make sure it gets as much media exposure as possible,” she says humbly.

One of the problems Marjon faces is there are so many diverse activities going on: sometimes more than 1,500 activities can take place across the country. She says many people take part in one or other of the activities, but don’t actually realise it is all part of the bigger EMW programme.

“Our challenge is to improve the focus under one umbrella. We are trying to tell people it’s one week, not only in Holland, but in more than thirty other countries across Europe, where everyone has the same goal of creating a world of sustainable transportation,” says Marjon.

Related on MindsinMotion.net

• European Mobility Week project page - find all EMW coverage right here