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Synopsis

The Municipality of La Rochelle and the Urban Community of La Rochelle organised the first "In town without my car!" campaign in 1997. Since then, they have contributed to making each 22nd September an annual and world-wide success.

For the 6th edition of the campaign - which took place shortly after the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg - some 30 countries from 3 continents (Europe, America and Asia) provided evidence of their commitment to achieving greater consideration for the planet by promoting a change in mentality. This year once again, residents have been invited to take part in the many events and highlights organised as part of the "In town without my car!" campaign, with two new features: a different car-free zone from the one used in previous years and a new scheduled time (between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.). As in previous years, the 2002 edition was also used as a full-sized test to assess the level of public involvement and to evaluate the success of the proposed initiatives.

Traditionally an eventful feast day in La Rochelle city centre, the 22nd of September 2002 was more than ever the occasion for festivity, tranquillity and contemplation of the city's architectural heritage, since it coincided with the "Heritage Days" and National Sports Day.

An information leaflet had been widely distributed. One of its pages was dedicated to the "In town without my car!" campaign and another to the "heritage days" and "national sports day". Information about the car-free zone as well as the conditions and available methods of transport were also provided.

The city's participation in the European Mobility Week (16 - 22 September) involved the following three initiatives:

• "A different Way to Travel to School ("Sur le chemin de l'école autrement"): schoolchildren and their parents were invited to think about alternative ways of travelling to school. Workshops and events were organised in schools throughout the week, involving: learning at looking at the environment on the way to school, questions on the environment, the greenhouse effect and air quality, the public transport systems in La Rochelle.
• two exhibitions at La Rochelle City Hall: "Venice: a city which succeeded in preserving its environment" and "La Rochelle: a thousand year old urban adventure".
• "Jean Moulin" Park & Ride.

Target groups: all citizens
Fields: mobility advice & campaigns

This case study is one of 175 projects from the Smile Project Local Experiences Database listed on this website.