The Integrated Urban Development Programme (PDUI) of the city of Sousse was launched by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation and the municipality of Sousse, a little over three years ago, in order to support the latter in the implementation of its policy on urban planning, mobility, sustainable energy management and the development of innovative Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Various studies have been carried out in the four different components of this programme:
- · Urban planning:
o A revision of the urban development plan (UDP)
o A master plan for public spaces
- · Mobility:
o An Urban Transport Plan (UTP) for Greater Sousse 2030
o A Traffic and Parking Study (ECS)
- · Energy:
o An energy audit of the municipal assets
- · Geographic Information Systems:
o The establishment of a GIS unit for the city of Sousse
These various reports have made it possible to define strategies in the different sectors concerned. However, the programme has also implemented several pilot projects, in particular the redevelopment of the historic Boujaafar garden and the piloting of the pedestrianisation of the Corniche.
On two Sundays, 20th and 27th of March, bicycles, scooters and rollerblades replaced the noise of motors along the seafront. In view of the success of this pilot project, this initiative is expected to be extended to the summer period, when the number of inhabitants in the agglomeration would have tripled.
Given the success of this first phase - for which the project management assistance was entrusted to a consortium including Urbaplan (leader), Transitec, Planair et Inser - the Swiss and Tunisian partners have decided to renew the programme for a second phase, which will be both more functional and more metropolitan in nature.