"WALK TO SCHOOL"

UBC Commission on Transportation has chosen the winners of the ‘Walk to school” grant competition. 7 grant applications were submitted (Rakvere, Estonia; Voru, Estonia; Kemi, Finland; Chojnice, Poland; Gdynia, Poland; Kaliningrad, Russia; Soederhamn, Sweden).

Out of these applications the international jury has chosen the winners as follows:

1. Võru (Estonia) – Võru Kreutzwald Gymnasium (1500€)

2. Rakvere (Estonia) – Rakvere Private Gymnasium (1000€)

3. Gdynia (Poland) – 26 Primary School in Gdynia (500€)

The idea of the contest was to promote walking to school as well as healthy lifestyle. Walking to school makes children not only getting acknowledged with the road safety but also creates ties with peers. The competition was addressed to the primary schools or NGO’s from any UBC member city.

The main point of the project from Voru was a city game which aimed to get children acknowledged with the safest tracks on particular routes, such as library - school, school- city park, city park-sport centre.

The project from Rakvere was based mainly on the competition among classes – pupils were supposed to gain the highest amount of points for walking to school or using ecologically sustainable ways of transport on the school-home route.

Gdynia project consisted of various activities – from “Car free day” which includes photo relations and bus tickets collecting through best walking to school hits contest to “Step by Step” competition which challenges pupils to count their steps on the school-home route using pedometer.

"BIKE TO SCHOOL"

In October 2011 the Commission on Transportation organised a grant competition entitled "Bike to School” that was addressed to junior secondary schools, secondary schools or non-governmental organisations. The applying organisations had to prepare a project/programme concerning promotion of cycling on the way to school for young people aged 13-18.
The project will be realized within the school year 2011/2012.  

There have been submitted  13 grant applications. From the submitted application forms the jury has chosen two best projects, each of them received 1000 euro grant.

The winning cities were:
- Tallinn (Estonia) - Tallinn Rahumae Basic School
- Koszalin (Poland) - Association Sustainable Development Institute

"BIKE TO WORK"

In December 2010 the Commission on Transportation organised a grant competition entitled "Bike to Work". There have been submitted 7 grant applications. The comptition was won by The Hanseatic City of Rostock. Prize of 2000 EUR was awarded for the organisation of actions promoting cycling as an everyday means of transport. The competition task consisted in presenting proposals how to encourage people to cycle to work and other places, developing cycling infrastructure, promoting intermodality, improving cyclists’ safety and security.

CAR-FREE DAY

In July 2009 the UBC Commission on Transportation announced the results of the Car-Free Day Grant Competition. The world Car-Free Day is held annually on 22nd September. The aim of this competition was to raise awareness of the local communities about transport issues, to encourage as many inhabitants as possible to use alternative modes of transport and to promote sustainable urban mobility. The main winner of the competition was the Town Hall of Słupsk, Poland (2000 euro).
Other 3 best projects were awarded a grant of 1500 euro each:
1. Liepaja City Council, Latvia
2. Gdynia City Hall, Poland
3. Panevezys City Municipality, Lithuania

ROAD SAFETY CONTEST

In November 2007 the Commission on Transportation organised a competition entitled "Road Safety Contest" in which three equal prizes of 1,000 euro were awarded. Primary schools from the Baltic Sea region participated in the contest. The competition task consisted in presenting the most interesting, complex and original project on road safety education for children aged 7-12. Project proposals were sent from 10 cities of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia. From among the applications submitted the international jury chose three best projects sent by primary schools from:

1. Chojnice (Poland) - Primary School No 3 - Road Safety Programme
2. Gdynia (Poland) - Primary School No 21 - Education and prevention project "Live safely"
3. Klaipeda (Lithuania) - Klaipeda's 'Gilijos' Primary School - Project on Road Safety

"BIKE TO SCHOOL"

In October 2008 the Commission on Transportation organised a "Bike to school" grant competition. Primary schools from the Baltic Sea region participated in the contest. The competition task included presenting the most complex and original project that encourages children to cycle to school.
The winners of the competition were:

1. Tallinn (Estonia) - Merivalja School (2000 euro)
2. Gdynia (Poland) - Primary School No. 35 (1000 euro)
3. Kaliningrad (Russia) - Primary School No. 19 (1000 euro)
4. Voru (Estonia) - Voru Kesklinna Gumnaasium (1000 euro)