SUMPs in Norway

Sustainable urban development including planning of sustainable urban mobility has gained a lot of attention in Norway. The aim is to go towards more sustainable urban transport by decreasing the private car use and improving the conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport. Ambitious goal has been set in national climate policy that in metropolitan areas the increase of person transport should be managed through public transport, cycling and walking. Parliament accepted, in 2013, the National Transport Plan for the period 2014-2023, which was built on the same goal.

In Norway, there is no national law mandating SUMP or other local transport plans for cities. However, national guidelines for urban land use and transport planning procedures are defined in the Planning and Building Act (PBA), which also contains regulations on enhancing sustainability and public participation in planning. The Government is bringing forth new comprehensive urban mobility agreements, which largest cities are expected to sign during 2014 to strengthen sustainable transportation in the largest urban areas and to accomplishing the climate policy goals. The National Cycling Strategy and National Walking Strategy are also defining the urban mobility planning actions. When it comes to financing sustainability measures in urban mobility planning, cities are strongly relying on user fees and tolling packages, but there are also financing contributions from the national, county and municipal level.  Locally agreed goals must be in harmony with national goals and there are plenty of plans and strategies conducted in the cities. Some of these are focusing on only narrower topical areas, but many larger cities have more comprehensive packages, which can be regarded as the first generation of SUMPs.

Source: Endurance project