The European Mobility Week: In chaotic Tirana, we can save time, money and energy – this is how :
Ecovolis, the bike sharing initiative of Tirana, promotes in the Albanian capital alternative means of transport, showing thus that we can ‘survive’ even without cars.
During the weekend of 21 — 23 September, the activists of Ecovolis surprised the inhabitants of Tirana. ” The message that we want to spread is that nowadays, the car should be bused only in cases when the other means of transport cannot be of help. Its cost is really high not only for the environment, but also for our pocket, that is why it is absurd to see so many cars in a small and flat city like Tirana” says Ened Mato, the director of Ecovolis, who believes that this year, apart from its message, the European Mobility Week in Albania must offer real possibilities for the citizens to understand that the environmental protection is an issue that concerns each and every one of us.
For all the citizens, who will hand their car keys during this weekend, Ecovolis offers a yearly subscription for the bike sharing system.
At the bike stations, fluorescent painting will be used for the bicycle tires, in order to transform the riders into real street painters, who will leave their ‘bike-print’ on the, overwhelmed by cars, streets of Tirana.
‘Star Ride’ a massive bike ride, powered by the Ecovolis bicycles, showed the passers by, that the community of riders in Tirana is quite important and they rights shall start being respected.
“We concieve the use of the public transports, not only as a way to reduce pollution, but also as a way to save time, energy, stress and money. Bicycle shouldn’t be the means of the poor, but the means of all the inhabitants of smart and educated cities.” Says Ela Hyseni, activist of Ecovolis.