Malmö Voices, dialogue with Christer Larsson #2

Question, Knut Eirik Dahl: Accessibility, new forms of transport and The Fourth Space: A global example? In your last mail you told us that you where on your way to a meeting on Climate Change. In the Mosaïc::Region concept we discussed all kinds of new transport forms, in both Malmö and Copenhagen and the possible new Øresund Metro with the new connection between Helsingborg and Helsingör.We challenged the use of cars versus new and more coordinated webs of transport; walking, cycling, trams, busses, metros etc. One of our students from China is now exploring the dynamics of Malmö on the cities policies on extended bicycling, as you know Copenhagen is so proud of. The student is doing a surprising study of Malmös possible good example on bicycling related to the policies in large Chinese cities. He says that the bicycle is loosing its importance in China as the cities get bigger, but is gaining importance in Malmö. So, how do we visit your Forth Spaces: by car or in a totally new concept on transport forms. Are you exploring a Malmö concept where the car use and consequent amount of street asphalt is challenged? How is your policies on coordination of all light and collective transport forms. Is Malmö such an example for the world, as our students hope it is? Can he return to China with your city as the leading example?

Answer, Christer Larsson: Here are some very quick answers: Bicycling is still an important way to commute to the daily work, about 40% of all commuting is done by bicycles. In our planning we try to give priority to bicycles and pedestrians and of course public transports. It is very important to develop an attractive system for public transport, today this is busses driven by biogas but in the near future it will be a tram system as well. Next year the City tunnel will bee opened and that means that we will have three nodes in the city structure to use. Combined with the trams this will be attractive for daily transports in the city and the region. Concerning the traffic I will also say that it is of great importance for developing the 4th cityspace that the cars will reduce their impact of the attractive spaces. Cars take a lot of space.Your Chinese student could absolutely use Malmö as an example of a sustainable city, I guided the Chinese Minister of Housing and Urbanism, Qiu Baoxing in the Western Harbour last Sunday and we had a very nice discussion with him.