EcoMobility is a term used to describe travel through integrated, socially inclusive, and environmentally friendly options: namely walking, cycling, wheeling (use of any vehicle with more than two wheels), public transport options, shared mobility and light electric vehicles designed at a human scale.

The EcoMobility World Festival or the Festival is a concept initiated by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability as a challenge for visionary city leaders to take up. The concept is based on depicting the future of mobility in real time with real people in a real city for an entire calendar month. In this one month cities undergoing the EcoMobility festival project shall encourage the use of ecomobility in the neighbourhood, by discouraging use of personal automobiles.

Kaohsiung city has an ambitious agenda in urban mobility. The city wants to create an integrated urban mobility system, which is low-carbon and people centered. Such a goal coupled with a strong and visionary political leadership and will, makes Kaohsiung a very formidable candidate for implementing a Festival.

Hamasen is an important cultural and tourist spot of Kaohsiung, which makes it vulnerable to traffic congestion, air pollution, and road safety. The Festival envisages to portray that tourism and a high standard of living can be fused together through ecomobility, making Hamasen the best district to showcase this idea.

In addition, through the positive demonstration in Hamasen, the concept hopes to be replicated in other neighborhoods or districts. Hamasen district has a successful history of pioneering development in Kaohsiung, such as the first railway track in the early 20^th century.

1. Create a demonstration area for an ecomobile urban environment by
   • Improving accessibility and mobility through construction of alternative parking space, provision of free low-carbon transport services; addition of pedestrian space, public bicycle rental stations, walkways and others;
   • Beautifying the urban façade through underground cables, renovation of old houses, and cleaning community homes and spaces; and
   • Advocating for a low-carbon lifestyle by providing subsidies for greening of private vacant land and for switching to low-carbon transport modes.
2. Highlight local characteristics through cultural festivals (local delicacies, temple streets, cultural tours, monument tours, and school performances).
3. Organize a low-carbon transport exhibition and innovative electric vehicle showcase and test-ride experience.
4. Organize an EcoMobility World Congress that brings together city mayors, local and international transport experts, policymakers and advocates to exchange knowledge and experience the transformed Hamasen area and be inspired to replicate the example.

No, only a part of the Hamasen district will serve as the Festival area.

The festival area is located at the Gushan of the Hamasen district. The demarcated areas are surrounded by the Linhai Second Road, Binhai First and Second Road, and Gushan first road. The total demonstration area is approximately 0.16 square kilometers.

The Festival provides a month-long experience of an ecomobile lifestyle. During the Festival period, cars are not entirely restricted from being used at the Hamasen area. Instead, the city will encourage the use of more environmental-friendly, low carbon and safer transport modes through improvements in the urban façade, transport infrastructure; and others. All initiatives are geared towards achieving the benefits of ecomobility within the demonstration area.

A variety of activities, events, workshops will be organized throughout the Festival, broadly encompassing the following types:

• Cultural experience
• Vehicle tour and experience
• Fun activities – local night markets
• Educational and informational activities for public
• Educational and informational activities for cities and technical groups

These events will be continuously updated in the website page. For more information, please visit the Festival page.

Registration is required for certain tours or activities happening during the Festival. Details of these events will be continuously updated in the website page. For more information, please visit the Festival page.

1. Improvement of the Hamasen urban environment to increase living standards by:
   • Leveling of buildings’ arcade to bring pedestrians closer to the shops;
   • Constructing sidewalks to provide a safer walking environment;
   • Replacing overhead cable to underground to restore a skyline view;
   • Providing subsidy on efforts to beautify private vacant land;
   • Improving cleanliness of the urban environment; and
   • Renewing and renovating old buildings through subsidy schemes to restore community vitality.
2. Improvement of urban mobility in Hamasen by
   • Preventing encroachment of the tourist vehicles into the community space for a safer and spacious living space for the residents;
   • Constructing sufficient parking space, complemented with new electric shuttle buses and higher frequency of transits and connections;
   • Increasing public bicycles and rental stations; and
   • Subsidizing electric vehicle purchases to reduce use and dependence on fuel-based vehicles.
3. Position Hamasen as an active and livable local environment by
   • Organizing an international Congress and Exhibition that will attract international participants to improve visibility of Hamasen;
   • Promoting Hamasen’s distinctive characteristics, namely artistic ambience, local delicacies, temple streets, cultural tours, historic monuments, school performances and others;
   • Stimulating local business opportunities by attracting domestic and foreign visitors.

Public commute

During the Festival, there will be alternative parking lots bordering the vicinity of the demonstration area for residents. The city will provides high frequency electric buses to move around in the neighborhood, including the parking facility. In addition, cycling, walking, car-pooling, and use of low carbon transport modes are encouraged.

Schools

Within the demonstration district: Pedestrian walkways and road space improvements will allow children to walk safety without having to compete with cars for road space. Shuttle in the area will also transport children to school.

Outside of the demonstration district: During the Festival, there will be alternative parking areas outside the demonstration area for residents. The electric buses that will ply on the neighborhood streets will also connect to the parking areas. Children can then cycle, walk, use city bus or other low-carbon transport modes to school.

All emergency vehicles such as ambulance, police cars, fire brigades, rental taxis are allowed to enter the demonstration area. Throughout the Festival, a service center will be set up to provide special service round the clock.

The city understands and acknowledges the need for businesses to get goods and supplies delivered. To meet the needs the city will provide alternative low-carbon transport vehicles, volunteers, or allocating a specific timeframe for passage. For transport of liquefied petroleum gas, medical materials and other emergency purposes, the city will coordinate with the industry to explore various possibilities and feasibility.

No.

Concurrent with the month-long Festival is the EcoMobility World Congress 2017, which will be organized in the Hamasen area. Thus a series of cultural activities and events will be organized to attract local and international tourists and participants. During the Festival period, low carbon transport modes will be provided for tourists and locals to move freely and conveniently. It is envisaged that the Festival will attract international attention and tourists, thus providing more opportunities for local businesses.

1. An improved urban living environment – via adjustment of road space and use patterns; and upgrading living standards of locals;
2. Locals are given priority to personally experience ecomobilility and its benefits;
3. Revitalize the locality with social and cultural activities; and business opportunities;
4. Improve social cohesion through improved use of road space and creation of green community spaces.

International

You could email your questions to ecomobilityfestival@iclei.org . Please do note that the international team of ICLEI is based in Bonn, Germany, and there could be delay in replying.

Local

Alternatively, a local office in Hamasen is set up for public consultation and coordination. If you have any questions, please feel free to walk in and the officers on duty will be open to answer your queries.

• Address            : No. 69, Binhai 1^st Road., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City, 80443
• Opening times: 0830 – 1700