Evaluation of sustainable urban mobility in the city of Thessaloniki

Abstract Transport is one of the most important urban planning functions that ensures mobility within the urban area and access to various land uses. The characteristics of modern cities create high requirements for high quality levels in mobility, as well. However, the transport systems have a negative impact on economic, social and environmental parameters as they are connected to sustainable development. This interactive relationship is the subject of sustainable urban mobility, a concept that addresses the sufficiency of transport systems according to the principles of sustainable development. Integrated and sufficient promotion of sustainable urban mobility requires the continuous monitoring of mobility levels so as to develop the appropriate policies. A widespread practice of monitoring audit is the evaluation using performance indicators that quantify the variables related to sustainable urban mobility. This paper deals with the evaluation of sustainable urban mobility levels in the city of Thessaloniki. Initially, the paper introduces the theoretical background clarifying the subject of sustainable urban mobility and the contribution of indicators to evaluation and implementation of the best practices. Furthermore, the study area is defined, which is in fact the Metropolitan area of Thessaloniki, and its special regional, urban and transport characteristics are briefly analyzed. Then, the sustainable urban mobility indicators are assessed through a procedure that requires the collection of transport data in coordination with the data processing, including statistical and spatial analysis and cartographic and diagrammatic representation of the produced information. This evaluation concludes to a SWOT analysis focused on the urban mobility features of Thessaloniki and the values of the calculated indicators. In conclusion, the SWOT analysis has the prospects of being used in policymaking, defining strategic directions and the implementation of measures towards the fulfilment of sustainable urban mobility in the second largest city of Greece.