Dortmund: A Blueprint for Sustainable Public Transport Development?
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The euro-files Town & Country Planning May 2011 Adam McAleavey looks at the aspects of the German response to the challenges of sustainable development through integrated public transport systemsusing Dortmund as a case study . Dortmund: A Blueprint for Sustainable Public Transpor t Development? Sustainability has been, and will undoubtedly remain, the key word in planning and city development for the 21 st Century. The most commonly cited definition of sustainable development is that which is found within the Brundtland Report, ³ development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs 1 . According to Ott (2003) 2 , ³the ideology ofsustainability, and that of sustainable development, encompasses three main aspects: environmental, social and economic. It is widely believed that the outcome of success ful sustainable development will result in an improved quality of life and well being of i nhabitants and the environment. In few other parts of the world is there as much interest in sustainability as in Europe, and as much tangible evidence ofapplying sustainable development concepts to its cities and urban environments 3 . Dortmund is now widely known across Europe forits approach in utilising brownfield land in improving the economic potential of the city and thus strengthening the economic struct ure of the wider Ruhr region through the ever growing information technology market. This rebranding and regeneration of the city from a polluted and heavily industry reliant area to a sust ainable, business and technology led city can be best displayed through the current Phoenix Project. The project is a stellar example of sustainable development that looks to improve the urban environment; the quality of life of its inhabitants; promote entrepreneurial activities and a start-up culture 4 ± all of which is supported by the state and funded in part by the EU through partnerships and funding mechanisms . Despite the clear economical improvements of the Dortmund city region, the city is also known as Westphalia's ³gr een metropolis with nearly half ofthe municipal territory consisting of waterways, woodland, agriculture, and green spaces with notable parks such as Westfalenpark and the Romberg Parko; many of the streets and buil dings are lined with trees or shrub bery/planting, making green connections between open space systems and ensuring that local people are never far away from wedges of green areas. This environmentally sust ainable approach to the regeneration of the city is most impressive when you take into account Dortmund ¶s integrated public transport system. In a time when many cities throughout Europe are working hard to expand and enhance public trans it in the face of rising personal vehicle use, Dortmund has followed guidance and advice on a nati onal and European level to ensure public city trans it modes are integrated to an admirable degree. There has been a clear attempt to coordinate investment s and routes so that transit modes complement each other3 . For example, much like the Dutch cities ofArnhem and Amsterdam, regional and nati onal train systems are fully integrated within l ocal routes/networ ks, and the opportunity to shift from one mode of public transport to another is facilitated. Above Bicycle parking outside of Dortmund Hauptbahnhof station facilitating a shift in sustainable transport modes. On a European scale, Dortmund¶s transport infrastructur e provides regional, national and international connections through various transport syst ems in and around the city. Like many othercities of i ts stature, unsurprisingly, Dortmund¶s ever growing airport is a key gateway to otherhubs of Europe improving the number of tourists coming in and out of the city. The city is also the location of the largest canal harbour in Europe, offering the Ruhr regions businesses the opportunity to a direct connection to the ³sea motorway of Europe. Dortmund also hol d one ofGermany¶s most important railway stations with approximately 150,000 passengers passing through its central station every day to reach otherAdam McAleavey
