Municipality of Athens: No tolls, no pedestrianization of the University, no Rethink Athens again |

The Municipality of Athens categorically denies reports that tolls are planned to be installed in the center of Athens, the pedestrian area of ​​the University, but also the return of the Rethink Athens plan.

According to the announcement, the Municipal Council that will take place today is going to approve the renovation of the University, according to which all four lanes will be maintained.

The announcement of the Municipality in detail:

“Today’s front page of the Journal of the Editors only causes disappointment and surprise for its persistence in an inexpensive opposition to the detriment of ecology, progress, science and logic.

Deeply conservative and backward in practice, he is deaf to the ravages of science, which points out the dangers of the climate crisis and denies the progress made in all major urban centers and wants cities to be designed around man rather than the car, with a long-term view. a vision that goes beyond the mandates of the municipal authorities.

It is obvious that the left of ecology and progress has given way to the anachronistic and backward logic of “yes they, not us”, thus losing the ideological battle with itself. And it is a pity, because society needs us united in such a big issue. We responsibly suggest you find other issues to blame us for – the sustainability of cities is a very serious issue for your micropolitical games.

The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, to which the publication of the Journal of the Editors refers, is not our invention. It is an institutional obligation of all Municipalities with a population of over 30,000 inhabitants and is an adaptation to European standards.

It is a strategic vision and not a study of urban, traffic, transport or environmental character.

The expediency of the article is obvious, however it should be made clear that the Municipality of Athens:

• DOES NOT study, discuss, plan – and everyone knows that-

CANNOT put tolls at the entrances of the city. He doesn’t even have her

will, nor jurisdiction.

• Its reaction was NEVER either as a plan or as a thought

Academy or University walk.

• There is NO issue of returning the Rethink Athens plan.

Besides, tonight, the Municipal Council of Athens is called to approve the renovation of the University, based on a plan (already published), all 4 traffic lanes are maintained.

Finally, it is pointed out that the Athens Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan started to be prepared in the summer of 2019, while in January 2020 (15/1) in an announcement of the Open City it is stated that the Plan sets “a framework of holistic and interdisciplinary planning of citizens’ movement and goods in the city. If used properly, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan paves the way for bold interventions, focusing on quality of life and reducing air pollution. […] The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan gives an opportunity to implement drastic changes in the urban environment, which move in a direction positive for the quality of life of all of us “.

At today’s meeting of the municipal council, we hope that the… so-called revelation about the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan will not be used as an alibi by the municipal parties, in order to abdicate the responsibility towards the Athenians to clearly support or oppose the University Reconstruction Plan “.