MARA
Improved mobility solutions for touristic remote regions
Many rural areas lack good mobility services, which hampers their economic development. Introducing innovative mobility solutions other than motorised private transport require relevant competences among the public authorities and a better overview of the actual mobility needs. Confronting the mobility demand of residents and tourists with the current mobility offers, and increasing the capacity of transport actors are the main goals for the project MARA. In this way, MARA improves accessibility and mobility in touristic remote areas of the Baltic Sea region.
Diverse landscapes, various mobility needs
MARA brings together transport actors from the whole Baltic Sea region, including non-EU states - Norway and Russia. Twelve project partners represent a wide spectrum of remote areas that are attractive for nature tourism: Sweden and Norway share e.g. mountainous regions near the Arctic Circle; Latvia, Estonia and Germany have long coastlines; Poland and Germany have many nature parks that constitute invaluable natural heritage sites; and Russia and Finland have vast lake lands. The different landscapes come with different mobility demands, and require a variety of mobility solutions, such as e-bikes, e-cars, buses, shipping, and aviation.
Real-life testing
MARA tests the practical use of e-bike and e-cargo bike sharing in Norway and Latvia, which especially during seasonal peaks can be an interesting mobility alternative for tourists. In Germany, the project improves a call-a-bus system by providing real-time information on highly dynamic connections. In Russia, MARA focuses on the development of waterways as an alternative to road transport. MARA also improves the governance framework by helping public authorities to integrate new mobility concepts into their spatial and mobility plans.
Budgets
in numbers
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2.37MillionTotal
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1.53MillionErdf
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0.16MillionEni + Russia
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0.13MillionNorway
Highlights by mid-term
Regional and national public administrations together with universities developed “Guidance for stakeholder involvement and public participation” to be applied in the Baltic Sea region countries. This document aids the authorities, responsible for mobility and spatial planning, in integrating appropriate mobility solutions and involving relevant transport actors.
12 project partners from Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden supported by 13 associated organisations, applied the developed IT tools to analyse the gaps between real mobility needs and existing public and private mobility offers in the remote areas in their regions. The performed analysis was an important step to develop action plans for mobility solutions in the partner regions.
Outputs
Project Stories
Partners
Ministry of Energy, Infrastructure and Digitalization Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- TownSchwerin
- RegionSchwerin, Kreisfreie Stadt
- CountryGermany
- RepresentativeHolger Janßen
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Bialystok University of Technology
- TownBiałystok
- RegionBiałostocki
- CountryPoland
- RepresentativeElżbieta Szymańska
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Vidzeme Planning Region
- TownCesis
- RegionVidzeme
- CountryLatvia
- RepresentativeAndžejs Stepančuks
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Setesdal Regional Council
- TownValle
- RegionAust-Agder
- CountryNorway
- RepresentativeRita Hansen
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
- TownVilnius
- RegionVilniaus apskritis
- CountryLithuania
- RepresentativeLaima Greičiūnė
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Swedish Transport Administration
- TownBorlänge
- RegionDalarnas län
- CountrySweden
- RepresentativeMalcolm Lundgren
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Petrozavodsk City Administration
- TownPetrozavodsk
- RegionRepublic of Karelia
- CountryRussian Federation
- RepresentativeNatalya Lavrushina
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Hajnówka District
- TownHajnówka
- RegionŁomżyński
- CountryPoland
- RepresentativeBarbara Budnik
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Dalarna University
- TownFalun
- RegionDalarnas län
- CountrySweden
- RepresentativeTobias Heldt
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Tourist Information Center of the Republic of Karelia
- TownPetrozavodsk
- RegionRepublic of Karelia
- CountryRussian Federation
- RepresentativeIrina Spazheva
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
Finnish Environment Institute
- TownHelsinki
- RegionHelsinki-Uusimaa
- CountryFinland
- RepresentativeKari Oinonen
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
University of Tartu
- TownTartu
- RegionLõuna-Eesti
- CountryEstonia
- RepresentativeAge Poom
- Phone
- E-Mail
- Web
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Project managerCarsten BeyerMinistry of Energy, Infrastructure and Digitalization Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
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Legal representativeChristian DahlkeMinistry of Energy, Infrastructure and Digitalization Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
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Financial managerMarkus WoelckMinistry of Energy, Infrastructure and Digitalization Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
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Communication managerSusanne Altvaters.Pro sustainable projects GmbH