3rd hybrid stakeholders’ meeting for North Aegean Region
The North Aegean Region hold its 3rd stakeholder meeting. Municipalities and operators gather to discuss the horizon of shared mobility in the islands.
The objective of engaging and activating local authorities for shared mobility in the North Aegean Region was pursued at the third Greek stakeholders’ meeting, held on Monday morning, 8 July 2024, as part of the SMAPE project of the Interreg Europe Programme. In light of the distinctive geography of the North Aegean Region and the constraints of travelling to other islands within a working day, the meeting was conducted in a hybrid format, aligning with the approach adopted in previous similar workshops. The event was organised by the project partners from Greece, namely the University of West Attica and the Regional Development Fund of the North Aegean Region.
The third intraregional SMAPE meeting, which was held with 15 participants from academia, local governance, and shared mobility providers, proved to be a great success. It is notable that the Greek SMAPE project partners have succeeded in achieving a high level of representation from the islands and local authorities of the North Aegean Region. In attendance were high-level executives from seven out of the region's 11 municipalities, among others. In addition to the aforementioned project partners, the following individuals participated actively:
The following individuals were in attendance:
- The Mayor of Oinousses
- The Vice Mayor and Scientific Associate of the Mayor of Psara
- The Vice Mayor of Limnos
- The Director of Business Planning of Western Lesvos
- The Deputy Director of Planning and Organisation of Eastern Samos
- The Head of Technical Services Dept. of Western Samos
- The Head of Technical Services Dept. of Chios
- The representative of North Aegean Region responsible for the SMAPE project
- The General Director of Cyclopolis P.C. as a shared mobility provider presenting the industry perspective.
What was discussed during the meeting?
All parties recognise the importance of ensuring the sustainability of the islands. This meeting was an important step in the direction of improving policies for the effective implementation of shared mobility towards that common target. The meeting's objectives were to:
1. Clearly outline the real conditions that vary in each island
2. Outline existing mobility policies/studies on a local level
3. Share experiences on launching or participating in a call published by ROP or other financial tools for the promotion of shared vehicles and the creation of micromobility hubs in smaller islands.
Following an introduction to the attendees' profiles, the meeting commenced with a presentation on shared systems of sustainable mobility, prepared by UniWA. The presentation included an overview of the SMAPE project, outlining its objective, activities and core structure. The advantages for the islands of participating in activities such as this stakeholders’ workshop were also outlined.
Subsequently, a representative of the Region analysed the conclusions extracted thus far from the communication with the Managing Authority of the Regional Operational Programme 2021-2027 of North Aegean and other financial tools in order to effectively influence their funding directions in the context of the SMAPE project.
Based on the above, participants, both onsite and online, were invited to share their experiences and describe the situation of shared systems in their islands. This was done in order to identify challenges and the most important factors that should be addressed. They actively contributed to the discussion, highlighting the actions and transport studies that have already been carried out in their territories. They also expressed their municipality’s vision and interest in the next steps towards sustainable mobility. The specific characteristics and requirements of smaller islands, including Oinousses, Psara, and Aghios Efstratios, were further examined and identified as a key area of focus. Furthermore, a brainstorming and free-floating discussion session was held to ensure that all relevant viewpoints and aspects were adequately covered.
Finally, UniWA presented the questionnaire that has been developed as part of the ongoing stakeholders’ survey, which aims to collect the input of local bodies in the North Aegean Region. The survey was completed in a participatory manner, with reference to a gap analysis, a comparative assessment of selected criteria through pairwise comparisons, and qualitative input regarding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential risks associated with shared mobility in the North Aegean islands. The meeting concluded with a discussion of the next steps and expectations.