The Ministry of Transportation, Maritime and Communication selected Izmir Metropolitan Municipality to prepare a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and the Municipality hosted the World Bank’s delegation. The authorities of the World Bank appreciated the steps taken for turning Izmir into a sustainable city.

The World Bank’s Senior Transportation Specialist Wei Winnie Wang, World Bank’s Senior Transportation Specialist Murad Gürmeriç, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Director Nigel H. M. Wilson and European Community’s Turkey Representative Transportation – Climate Change Team Coordinator Göktuğ Kara were on the visiting delegation and they were briefed during their Izmir visit that was planned to see innovations in transportation sector in parallel to the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, support development of mobility vision and assess financial effect of investment plans.

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s General Secretary Dr. Buğra Gökçe gave a speech at the meeting held on Çetin Emeç Conference Hall and underlined that the principles of primary and universal transportation unit guided them when preparing Izmir’s Master Transportation Plan for 2030. “We tried to find an order to protect sustainability and the environment we have inherited. We met with the World Bank’s delegation at a panel during the last summer. We have a lot to learn from each other in terms of sustainable mobility” said Mr. Gökçe and added:

“Despite the long-term insufficient transportation policies applied in Turkey, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has preferred to be guided by good practices all around the world. Through development of the Master Transportation Plan, we try to establish a sustainable transportation model that focuses on public transportation instead of vehicle and individual based transportation options in our city and that limits individual transportation and implements a basic plan improving passenger and bicycle transportation.”
The World Bank’s Senior Transportation Specialist Wei Winnie Wang gave a speech at the meeting and highlighted the need of supporting materials for preparing the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, as in all other cities around the world. Ms. Wang explained that one of the most important supporting materials is the support provided by the senior management of a municipality, just like in Izmir and added: “We have seen that Izmir is currently ready and suitable for sustainable transportation plan. Our technical visit gave us the chance of observing that Izmir has a very advanced integration and transit system in the transportation field. We are here to see the works you do in transportation and find out how we can support you from now on. I am positive that we can proceed together in parallel to this purpose. I am proud to be working with such a team and working in such a city”.

The European Community’s Turkey Representative Transportation – Climate Change Team Coordinator Göktuğ Kara mentioned their happiness in working with the World Bank’s expert team and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and added: “As far as we can see, Izmir is a pioneering-leading city. It is open to innovation; it has a mindset inclined to work in cooperation and a structure that prioritizes international standards and science and techniques. As the European Community’s staff, we are very pleased with it”.  

Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Director Nigel H. M. Wilson highlighted that they have been studying to learn about city systems related to determination of automated toll collection and vehicle location and ways of transportation and added: “We work on issues such as innovative transportation trends and vehicle sharing systems. The integration project launched by the Municipality in Izmir is a crucial step in discovering how bus service can coexist with the private sector and how it can be organized. When compared with other municipalities, Izmir is distinguished from them by being open to innovation. Furthermore, I can see that they already have a good transportation system and they are ready to work for improving it.”