York has been named as one of 10 global cities shortlisted for the $9 million 'Toyota Mobility Foundation Sustainable Cities Challenge'.
The Challenge aims to help cities improve access to opportunities, apply data-driven approaches for more resilient transportation systems, and reduce carbon emissions.
More than 150 cities from 46 countries around the world participated in the Challenge.
The short list also includes cities in Brazil, Colombia, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico and the United States.
York has been announced as one of 10 shortlisted cities for the $9 million Toyota Mobility Foundation Sustainable Cities Challenge, one of only two cities in Europe and the only city in the UK.
The Toyota Mobility Foundation, in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute, launched the Challenge in June 2023. The global mobility challenge helps cities prepare for the future and will support innovation with the potential to transform the lives of millions of people around the world. .
York wants to find new innovative solutions to convert its existing fragmented โfleetsโ of public transport, ride-sharing and private vehicles into a more cohesive virtual fleet to enable better urban management of total vehicle movements for people and goods.
Transport accounts for almost a third of York's total emissions, negatively impacting the city's health, wellbeing and architectural heritage. A Net Zero target for 2030 recognizes the need to reduce vehicle miles by 20% and reducing the impact of each trip is essential. The York Challenge would seek to boost sustainable mode options while increasing the affordability of passenger and freight movements.
While the current approach for York's entry is cohesive virtual fleets if successful, the city team will explore this issue and other mobility issues with local stakeholders to identify how they can best support mobility systems. Open Innovation Challenges often develop and evolve throughout the process as the specific needs of the city become more closely understood.
Councilor Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of York City Council and Executive Member for Economy and Transport, said:
Our City Plan, 'A City for All', makes it very clear that focusing on our core commitments (creating equal opportunities, finding innovative ways to make the city more affordable, tackling climate change and improving health and well-being) It means preparing for the future. , adapting our city to extreme climate phenomena and improving our environment for future generations, in addition to offering sustainable and accessible transportation for all.
โThe city center challenges posed by York's medieval street pattern mean that getting transport right for everyone requires significant care, thoughtful consultation and ambitious innovation to ensure we allocate limited shared space efficiently, dynamically and sustainably. .
"It is a significant credit to York that we have been included in this global list of the world's leading cities. This challenge will help us gain the innovation needed to achieve a better balance between people and goods across a range of competing mobility needs and types of vehicles, improving the mobility of people and businesses in York.
โThis is a big boost as we embark on the important and wide-ranging Our Big Talk on Transport consultation later this month, as part of our commitment to reduce vehicle miles by 20% and deliver a transport infrastructure here in York. "
Cities were invited to participate in the Challenge by identifying areas where innovation would help them expand access to safe, affordable and inclusive modes of transportation; harness the power of data to create connected and resilient mobility ecosystems; and reduce environmental impact through renewable and low-carbon solutions.
Michael Howard, Director of Highways and Transport at City of York Council, added:
Solving transportation is not just a city challenge, but also a regional and global one, as the movement of people often affects more than one place and that points to the need for initiatives that support collaboration and innovation on a global scale.
"York's aging population is experiencing a greater need for personalized mobility services and at the same time, an affordability crisis is undermining accessibility and COVID-19 has changed travel patterns. A growing understanding of The need to enable the provision of transport for women and people with disabilities requires a reconfiguration of urban transport.
"York also receives almost 20 times more visitors per capita than London, adding significant demand when transport (mainly road) already accounts for almost a third of York's total emissions, negatively affecting health, wellbeing and the city's architectural heritage. Carbon 2030 The Net Zero target recognizes the need to reduce the impact of every journey. York's solutions must boost sustainable choice while increasing the affordability of passenger and freight movements. ".
During this registration period, more than 200 entries were received from more than 150 cities in 46 countries around the world. They were evaluated based on the impact the Challenge would have, the receptivity of the topic to open innovation approaches, capacity within the city and the focus of the entry. The short list includes cities in Brazil, Colombia, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States.
York will be invited to attend a capacity building academy and will receive support to develop the design of its challenge, becoming part of a wider network of other innovative urban teams.
Three short-listed cities will be selected to launch their own City Challenges, and in mid-2024 the call will be launched for global innovators to work with the winning cities. The innovators could be local (living in the chosen city or country) or they could be from anywhere in the world, but with solutions applicable and adapted to the winning cities.
City Challenges will identify and support innovators through a 2-year challenge with up to $9 million available to innovators and cities to support growth and scaling of solutions.
Ryan Klem, program director at the Toyota Mobility Foundation, said:
This short list shows how cities of all sizes around the world face a wide variety of mobility challenges. We can see how these cities are already making efforts to improve their transportation systems and we are very excited to start supporting them directly in the next stage of the Sustainable Cities Challenge.
Kathy Nothstine, Director of Future Cities at Challenge Works, said:
These cities have highlighted different areas where innovation has the potential to make mobility systems more sustainable, resilient and accessible. The Sustainable Cities Challenge will bring together cities and innovators with city residents to adapt solutions to real-world challenges through open innovation.
Ben Welle, Director of Integrated Transportation and Innovation at WRI's Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, said:
By making transportation systems safer, more sustainable and affordable, cities can improve access to employment and education, and improve people's health. The Sustainable Cities Challenge will help improve the quality of life for people living in cities around the world.
The Sustainable Cities Challenge is funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and has been designed in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute. Challenge Works is an international leader in developing challenge programs to spark new ideas and find creative solutions to problems facing society. World Resources Institute is a global research organization that works with partners to develop practical solutions that improve people's lives and ensure nature can thrive.
For more information, visit the Sustainable Cities Challenge website.
