General presentation

The European Greenways Association announces the fourth European Greenways Award, due to be elected through 2009. This award was created in 2003 (1st EGA) and has been held biennially, following 2 editions in 2005 and 2007.

The European Greenways Association

The main objectives of the European Greenways Association (EGWA), founded in January 1998, are to make an inventory of, promote and encourage infrastructures referred to as greenways, which are used as non motorized routes. The Association is supported by its members and their partners working for the development of greenways in Europe.

As well as supporting interchange of experiences and current or future synergies, the long-term aim is to set up a broad European network of greenways. Since June 2000, the ‘European Greenways Good Practice Guide’ produced with the support of the European Commission, has made it possible to spread disseminate the greenways concept.
In 1999, the EGWA proposed and co-ordinated the REVER programme under the Interreg IIC NWMA programme (North West Metropolitan Area), promoting and establishing a sustainable collaboration between the project partners: Ireland, Belgium, France and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. EGWA has also contributed to the enlargement of this programme with a project, REVER MED (submitted under Interreg IIIB MEDOC, in the western Mediterranean area), with partners from Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. In September 2000, at the REVER Conference in Lille (F), EGWA was entrusted by the signatories to the Lille Declaration with a permanent Europe-wide mission “Greenway Network” to draw up and finalise a European Greenways Charter, for the promotion, co-ordination and monitoring of the development of greenways, in conjunction with the consultative committee. The greenways and the European green network that EGWA proposes correspond to the strategy developed by the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). The objective is to promote alternative means of travel in its various components (daily commutes, leisure, tourism, etc) which will develop in the future for the benefit of many users, both in towns and in rural or natural areas. Greenways represent a very concrete application of the concept of sustainable development, as the Kyoto Protocol comes into effect as a global undertaking to drive down emissions of greenhouse gases, identified as a cause of climate change.

The greenway concept

First the definition of greenways from the Lille Declaration (12 September 2000): “Communication routes reserved exclusively for non-motorised journeys, developed in an integrated manner which enhances both the environment and quality of life of the surrounding area. These routes should meet satisfactory standards of width, gradient, and surface condition to ensure that they are both user-friendly and low-risk for users of all abilities. The use of disused railway lines and canal towpaths will be critical.”

The characteristic of greenways is to offer a very broad audience access to alternative travel infrastructures, with these main characteristics:

• Comfort, accessibility and safety, since they are separate from automobile traffic.
• Open for use by all, on foot, by bike, roller skates, wheel chairs, and on horseback, etc,
• Services for users along the greenways (bicycle rental and repair, information, connections to other means of transport and public transport, etc).

Greenways are also attractive and convivial travel routes. They have a positive effect in many fields:

• The growth of non-motorised commuting and travel for leisure and tourism tends to reduce the effects of air pollution and traffic congestion in towns,
• Quality of life in urban and suburban areas
• Preservation of public land,
• Conservation of landscapes and natural environments and rehabilitation and enhancement of local heritage, economic, social and tourist development including in disadvantaged regions or neighbourhoods needing to be revitalised,
• Public health and fitness,
• Discovery and education about the environment in urban and natural areas
• Focus on local specialities in urban and rural regions and cultural heritage (art, cuisine, crafts, etc) and the natural areas crossed.