21 April 2023 – A bicycle parking facility under the GoNM bicycle sharing scheme and an electric vehicle charging station have been set up to tackle dense traffic building up daily around the Novo mesto General Hospital area as part of the EEA Grants-supported project SALOMON.
The Novo mesto General Hospital area and its surroundings are facing traffic congestions, lack of parking spaces, low air quality and high noise levels. Over 20,000 patients are treated at the hospital yearly, over 190,000 examinations are carried out in specialist out-patient clinics on average and over 65,000 people seek medical attention in the hospital’s emergency department. Most of the patients and visitors, including 1,200 employees, use cars to get to the hospital.
Under the SALOMON project, the Novo mesto General Hospital, Novo mesto Development Centre and the Nord University from Norway work together as project partners to raise awareness of sustainable mobility options and spur change in travel habits. Their aim is to encourage hospital staff, patients and visitors to use more sustainable transport modes, such as public transport, car sharing, walking and cycling, to get to the hospital. As part of the project, a mobility plan is planned to be developed for the Novo mesto General Hospital.
Installation of the bicycle parking facility under the GoNM bicycle sharing scheme and the electric vehicle charging station brings project partners and the local community one stop closer towards the goals of the project. Norwegian project partners visited Slovenia to participate in the ceremony marking the official opening of the bicycle parking facility and electric vehicle charging station that took place on 18 April 2023.
