Trade Fair polisMOBILITY: The Transformation of Cities and Regions Takes Center Stage in Cologne

It was an exciting virtual gathering in Cologne: the trade fair management and organizers provided updates on the latest status of polisMOBILITY – a trade fair concept as colorful and multifaceted as the Cologne Carnival. And the registrations are looking positive: compared to the first edition, they aim to attract even more visitors this time.

The polisMOBILITY conference will take place from May 24 to May 26, 2023, at the Koelnmesse, offering municipalities and municipal companies valuable tools for the strategic alignment and operational implementation of mobility and energy transition. From May 26 to May 28, the polisMOBILITY camp will be held in the city center: an active dialogue platform for mobility transformation. Concepts for drive and traffic transformation will be showcased in the heart of Cologne's city center at Rudolfplatz or on the Hohenzollernring, which will be closed to regular traffic, and in the adjacent areas of the polisMOBILITY camp.

Municipalities in Focus

The conference will present central themes for shaping the mobility transition towards livable and sustainable cities and regions in various interactive formats. In addition to panels and lectures, thematic workshops are also planned this year as a new participation format, following a practical approach. A special focus is placed on the role of municipalities.

The conference also addresses federal cooperation, planning and spatial design, as well as synergies with private actors in a results-oriented dialogue. The program will highlight all aspects of municipal mobility development, considering economic planning and feasibility, as well as the responsibility for corresponding measures. The goal is to show decision-makers the room for maneuver and to sustainably shape the transformation process positively.

In the area of e-mobility, the cooperative expansion of charging infrastructure through public-private exchange will be discussed to ensure efficient and fair provision of charging points. The circular economy will also be considered to holistically address the decarbonization and resource issues in this area.

Municipalities Bear the Main Burden for Infrastructure Expansion

The market ramp-up of e-mobility raises questions of responsibility and feedback effects that can only be resolved through cooperation. Often, municipalities bear the main burden of infrastructure expansion, while the profitability of the charging points is not yet guaranteed. Experts from cities, the economy, and the legal field will discuss opportunities for collaboration with private actors and shed light on corresponding models.

In the field of digitalization, the development and operation of MaaS platforms, municipal data economy, quantum computing, and AI applications as well as Connected Mobility/V2X technologies are addressed. The economic potentials of the digital transformation for cities and municipalities, as well as smart-city aspects that concern traffic management and traffic flow control using real-time data, are closely examined.

Three sessions, one goal: Rapid implementation of last-mile logistics

In individual sessions, various perspectives are focused on to help rapidly implement last-mile logistics. It is precisely examined which levers and control mechanisms we can use to better incorporate sustainable mobility and logistics offerings into our planning processes.

Feedback from practice

In the practical part, operational models are discussed and deliberated upon, examining what is needed in addition to grants and subsidy programs to develop long-term viable solutions. In this context, the role of municipal enterprises plays a decisive role. Key factors and perspectives from successful implementations are derived, which are indispensable for future-proof models.

Informative and practice-oriented: Workshops for the future viability of cities and municipalities

To emphasize the aim of equipping cities and municipalities for the future and shaping change together with the economy and society, polisMOBILITY is introducing a new format this year: Workshops. These workshops intensify the professional knowledge exchange among participants and promote a common understanding of positive changes. The sessions on "parking management" and "communication and citizen participation" will host these workshops.

What does that mean?

polisMOBILITY remains as colorful as the Cologne Carnival: The trade fair concept offers a dual benefit with both conference and camp for representatives of the public sector as well as private sector experts. Through joint approaches, professional insights into shaping change are conveyed. Furthermore, new fields of action, collaborations, and markets could emerge that are interesting for a sustainable future.