To celebrate the annual Car-Free Day in Iceland, some of the main roads will be closed in the Reykjavík city centre this Sunday, September 22nd. The Reykjavík Mobility Parade will start at 13:00 and move through Miklubraut and Hringbraut to Lækjartorg, where festivities will take place.
Starting in 1996, the Car-Free movement has a long history in Iceland. The idea originated from the Accessible Cities Conference held in Spain two years prior to Iceland’s first festivity and the event has significantly grown in size since. Its main objectives are to promote public transport, bikes and walking and give people a chance to reflect on motorisation and how traffic can be improved in cities.
When, where, who?
This year, the Reykjavík Mobility Parade will put traffic on hold from 10:00 to 17:00. It sets off at 13:00 with people walking, skating, and biking down the streets of the town. It is supported by two e-buses from Strætó that can give people a ride if needed.
The parade for the Car-Free Day ends in festivities at Lækjartorg. There Jum Walker, the founder of Walk21, will give an opening speech, and Minister of Environment Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson will discuss environmental transportation issues with Sigurborg Ósk Haraldsdóttir from the city transport council. Apart from this, people can enjoy live music and visit different promotional and food stands. If you need your bike repaired, they will even set up a workshop for that purpose.
For anyone who has no choice but go somewhere by car on Sunday, we get it. Getting stuck in redirected traffic is not fun—so maybe take the Car-Free Movement’s ideas to heart and only head out if you really have to. And please don’t get upset: if we can close roads for Mike Pence’s safety, we surely can do so for our environment.
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