TRIBUTE Project Presented at the Expert Workshop "Cyclists Ask the City"

During the European Mobility Week, a panel discussion was organized in Novi Sad on September 18th, 2021, which included representatives of cycling associations, Police and City Administrations. Topics discussed at the forum were related to cyclists’ traffic accidents, conditions for cyclists' participation in traffic, the state of cycling infrastructure in the City of Novi Sad and the City projects to improve it, and part of the forum was dedicated to questions from representatives of the cycling associations.
Mr. Radivoj Pavlov, Deputy Head of the City Administration for Traffic and Roads, spoke about the importance of educating cyclists, with special reference to the international TRIBUTE project currently implemented by the said City Administration in partnership with 14 other organizations from six countries in the Adriatic-Ionian region. Mr Pavlov pointed out that the main goal of the TRIBUTE project is to improve urban transport by developing more efficient transport services and solutions for sustainable mobility adapted to people's needs. The focus of the pilot project in Novi Sad is on creating a mobile application and setting up monitors at bus stops, which will provide users of public bus transport on a certain bus line with information on bus arrivals and departures in real time, based on data from the vehicle in which the GPS devices will be installed. In addition, users of the mobile application will receive information about alternative modes of transport, such as bicycle transport, in order to meet the individual needs in a sustainable way. In the application and on the displays at the bus stops, it is planned to show the nearest "rent a bike" place so that users who do not have enough time to wait for public transport, can use another type transportation, in this case cycling.

Mr Dejan Stojković from the City Administration for Construction Land and Investments spoke about the condition of existing traffic areas and bicycles and plans to build new ones, Mrs Andrijana Čapko, Deputy Head of the City Administration for Environmental Protection, spoke about the project of subsidizing bicycle purchases and announced allocation of additional funds for that purpose.

Mr Milan Antić from the Traffic Police Department of the Novi Sad Police Department pointed out to the attendees the importance of respecting traffic regulations by cyclists, primarily their obligation to be noticeable. Mr Marko Trifković, as a representative of cycling associations, pointed out the importance of holding such forums and invited all cyclists in Novi Sad to submit a list of proposals for improving cycling traffic conditions in the City, so that he could forward them to the competent administrations on behalf of cyclists, and Mr Siniša Štetin, as one of the founders of the Novi Sad Cycling Initiative association,  pointed out that in the last ten years, as long as the association has existed, there has been visible progress in improving the conditions for cycling traffic in Novi Sad.

All speakers at the forum then answered the questions of the attendees in connection with the problems concerning the development of bicycle traffic in the area of ​​the City of Novi Sad.

This press release has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The content of the press release is the sole responsibility of TRIBUTE Partnership and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and/or ADRION programme authorities.