EBRD implements project to improve school safety in Azerbaijan's Sumgait

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) together with partners has organized child-friendly transformation for the road area in front of Sumgait’s School No. 2 in Azerbaijan, Report informs referring to the EBRD website.

The aim of the transformation has been to reduce speeds around the school and improve children’s road safety.

The EBRD, in partnership with the Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport (EAAST), the National Automobile Club of Azerbaijan (AMAK), and the Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI), organized a workshop for key decision makers, stakeholders, and Azerbaijani media to present work done for last months on transforming the area, to assess the early impact of this transformation, discuss lessons learned, and examine avenues for future implementation across Azerbaijan.

Organizers of the workshop noted that within weeks, transformation had reduced congestion in front of the school, and slowed traffic considerably. Now, 17% fewer vehicles exceed the speed limit and vehicle top speed in front of the school is down by 33%.

“We are happy to have key global experts with us today from the Global Designing Cities Initiative who have produced a Toolkit on exactly how to do this, and very capable local partners from AMAK and EASST who have helped to develop this project,” said Kamola Makhmudova, head of the EBRD’s Resident Office in Baku.