Since 1996, mobility covenants are an essential part of the transport policy of the regional government of Flanders2 (Belgium). A mobility covenant is a voluntary agreement between the local authorities, the higher levels of government (provinces and the Flanders authority), the Flemish transport company De Lijn and, if necessary, third parties such as companies and schools. By way of this agreement, all partners engage to work out an integrated mobility plan on a local level and to assure its effective implementation. These covenants resulted to an area-wise and integrated approach toward mobility problems. This report shows what mobility covenants are, how they work and also the success and failure factors of this pragmatic approach. Its purpose is to help to answer questions in The Netherlands about possibilities to transfer the Flemish covenants policy to the Dutch situation. The direct match of policy-making and implementation and the shared responsibility of the different interested or involved parties are some of the central points in this mobility covenant policy. Engagements to specific implementation activities of the mobility plan are embedded in so-called modules, that are part of the covenant and in which also funding by the Flemish district, the local authority, De Lijn and other possible parties is settled. The Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Vlaanderen (Spatial Masterplan Flanders) and the Mobiliteitsplan Vlaanderen (Mobility-plan Flanders) are frameworks for verification of all the mobility projects on local level. The implementation programme of the Flemish district stimulates the local authorities to develop an integrated mobility policy. The two strongest aspects of the covenant policy are the structured approach in which all parties are involved and the quality control of the whole planning- and implementation process, in which an independent audit commission has a crucial role Untill 1996 there was a big gap between the Flemish regional authority and the local authorities. The local authorities didn’t have any influence on projects of higher authorities. They were merely kept informed. The covenant has played a crucial role in bridging this gap. The regional authority learnt to give serious consideration to wishes of the local authorities. In most cases, these discussions resulted to better projects. (Author/publisher) Nederlands abstract: Sinds 1996 worden in Vlaanderen mobiliteitsconvenanten gesloten tussen het Vlaamse Gewest, provincies, gemeenten, de vervoersmaatschappij De Lijn en eventuele derde partners (bedrijven, scholen, etc.). Deze convenanten hebben op vele plaatsen geleid tot een integrale aanpak van de mobiliteitsproblemen binnen gemeenten. Vragen vanuit de decentrale overheden over de mogelijke toepasbaarheid in Nederland was in 2003 voor het Kennisplatform Verdi (thans KPVV) aanleiding de mogelijkheden van overdraagbaarheid naar de Nederlandse situatie in beeld te brengen. AVV heeft het Leuvense Adviesbureau Langzaam Verkeer gevraagd dit rapport op te stellen. (Author/publisher)
Abstract