The workshop for the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Society for Urban Planning (MUT) was held on 12th May 2016. The three presenters were Csaba CSISZÁR (associate professor at the Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering of BME Budapest University of Technology and Economics), András EKÉS (managing director of Mobilissimus Ltd.) and Dávid VITÉZY (director of the Hungarian Museum of Science, Technology and Transport).
We have introduced the most important transport issues related to Budapest in three different ways but our messages reflected a quite similar aspect. The main question is: does the past threaten the future and, if yes, what should the planners do and which way should they follow to avoid the well-known dead ends. We have discussed the question of planners’ responsibility, the reasons why our transport systems are isolated from each other instead of being integrated, the motivations behind the unsubstantial debates on cycling and public transport, and all other elements which determine the position of our vision on transport in Budapest.
We have agreed that the transport system of our city is a value that should be developed, underlining the fact that the decisions related to Budapest define the mobility environment of the future generations for decades. The responsibility shared in latter subject, the need to learn from the past and the ability for the innovation and adaptation of new technologies are all essential for the development. Not only we have to be committed, but all public, private and civil actors who are concerned in some way in the transport system of Budapest have to be engaged. We have highlighted that urban and transport development cannot be accomplished separately: these are activities that should be done in synergy, in course of which the city border is not a physical nor an administrative city wall any more.
Almost all of us can imagine in what kind of Budapest we would like to live. We have discussed the tasks that should be put through to make this vision come true – and we have talked about the actual debates and the missed opportunities that obstruct this change. It was great to see the enthusiasm, the willing to do something as well as the thoughts that contribute to the solution.
Hungarian website Index was present at the event – their article of the discussion can be read here in Hungarian.
We appreciate a lot the invitation from János Balázs KOCSIS, we are grateful for the organisation from the part of MUT, and we thank all those who have participated.
