The port of Igoumenitsa in Epirus, northwestern Greece, is mostly known as a gateway to the nearby cosmopolitan island of Corfu or Italy across the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic.

The small town, however, can also boast of the services it offers to its residents as last week it was awarded the top EU prize for urban mobility.

Igoumenitsa was selected by EU transport, environment and planning experts as the winner of the newly added EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK category for smaller municipalities (below 50,000 inhabitants).

The EU EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award showcases local authorities that demonstrate significant efforts in promoting sustainable urban mobility.

Organizers say that Igoumenitsa took home the honor for its exemplary work in communicating the benefits of sustainable mobility to residents, including those who live in nearby small towns.

Residents could avail of free transfer by bus at selected times, take part in cycling events held along the city’s coastal front, and join a cultural hike through the forest.

Seminars on sustainable mobility were held with primary school students, along with a painting exhibition for school children on the benefits of cycling and walking.

The city also ran a photo competition on social media, awarding the photographer behind the best sustainable mobility picture with a bicycle.

The EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK campaign runs from 16 – 22 September each year, and provides towns and cities with an opportunity to test out sustainable transport alternatives.

Organizers say that by encouraging individuals to choose sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling, we can lower our carbon emissions, improve the quality of our air, and make our urban areas more pleasant places to live and work.

2017 was the most successful edition of EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK to date, with over 2,500 towns and cities participating.

Source: greece.greekreporter.com