Carrot and Stick

Is human-scale urbanism the secret for sustainable mobility? Vitoria-Gasteiz might say so. According Juan Carlos Escudero-Achiaga, Head of the Mobility Unit at Vitoria’s CEA, combining high-quality transport and public spaces with citizens’ participation has made the city healthier, more liveable, and more sustainable.

Interview with Juan Carlos Escudero-Achiaga, eleborated by Vittoria Maddalena.

POLIS: Vitoria-Gasteiz is widely recognised for its leadership in sustainable mobility. What are the defining features of its transition, and what have been the most effective measures in reducing private car use and encouraging greener alternatives like public transport and cycling?

Juan Carlos Escudero-Achiaga: For decades, Vitoria-Gasteiz has been proud of its human-scale urbanism. When it comes to mobility, our strategy has aimed for a fully integrated approach, which is not just about encouraging active travel and making public transport more appealing—although those are certainly key aspects—but also about putting creating high-quality public spaces and bringing nature back into our streets and squares. I think our long-standing commitment to pedestrianisation policies and neighbourhood planning, as well as our strong support for cycling and public transport are probably the best examples of how this integrated vision is being put into practice: it is all about creating a more liveable and sustainable city for all.

A good example of this integrated approach was the redesign of our entire public transport network, which began with the introduction of our first tram line. In a kind of 'carrot and stick' strategy, we also recognised the need to completely overhaul our parking policy to discourage the private car use. What is remarkable is that we achieved unanimous political consensus on these measures, even knowing some of them might initially prove unpopular. It really reflects our long-term commitment to the vision.

POLIS: Major infrastructure projects, such as the tram system and expanded cycling networks, have reshaped the city’s mobility landscape. How have these investments specifically contributed to sustainability goals and changed daily life for residents?

Escudero-Achiaga: Vitoria-Gasteiz is committed to active mobility and public transport, underpinned by its 'neighbourhood urbanism' approach, which is making a visible contribution to our healthy city and climate action strategies. It should be noted that mobility is one of the core pillars explicitly outlined in our Climate City Contract, as part of our role in the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.

In a city where more than half of all journeys are still made on foot, cycling is also becoming a mainstream option for daily commuting, thanks to significant investments in cycling infrastructure, secure bike parking, and comprehensive safe cycling training programmes—more than 2,000 schoolchildren are trained each year to cycle independently as part of their daily commute!

Furthermore, we have prioritised public transport as a central pillar of our mobility system. By adapting its service offering, improving accessibility and efficiency, enhancing intermodality, and increasing speed and frequency through prioritisation measures, we aim to make it an compelling alternative to private cars. The 2008 redesign of the bus network, the successive extensions of the tramway, and the recent introduction of the high-capacity BRT line clearly illustrate our commitment to providing a competitive, accessible and attractive public transport. This is reflected in the significant increase in public transport usage—from 11.5 million journeys in 2001 to nearly 29 million last year.

POLIS: The Bus Eléctrico Inteligente (BEI) has gained international recognition. What are the key factors behind its success, and how has it improved the city’s overall public transport system?

Escudero-Achiaga: The success of our BEI can be attributed to several key factors. Replacing the city's most heavily used conventional bus line with this all-electric BRT service has been instrumental in boosting ridership. The high-capacity circular route, nearly 10 kilometres long, includes dedicated lanes for most of its length, off-vehicle ticket validation, and advanced safety and driver assistance systems.

Bus Eléctrico Inteligente (BEI), Adrián Ruiz de Hierro

The BEI's high demand—over 200,000 more monthly users compared to the pre-pandemic conventional line—demonstrates its success as a benchmark for sustainable and efficient urban mobility. The reliability afforded by segregated lanes and traffic light priority, combined with the attractiveness and comfort of both the boarding platforms and buses, clearly shows that investing in high-quality service yields significant results and has notably improved our overall public transport system.

POLIS: How has the city ensured that citizens’ needs are integrated into mobility planning, and what has been the public response to these significant changes?

Escudero-Achiaga: A participative approach was adopted from the early stages of the city's mobility strategy to ensure broad social, technical, and political consensus. The process began with the adoption and signing of a Citizens' Pact for Sustainable Mobility. This Pact, which laid down a set of core principles, was drafted within a specific participatory forum. This collaborative process was instrumental in legitimising and gaining support for many of the proposed measures—including those that were initially unpopular, such as stricter on-street parking rules—by fostering a shared understanding and endorsement of the overall vision.

POLIS: The Sustainable Urban Mobility and Public Space Plan (2021–2025) sets ambitious goals. What are some of the main challenges the city faces in achieving these, and how is it working to overcome them?

Vitoria-Gasteiz is a member of the 100 EU Cities Mission: Climate Neutral and Smart Cities, Eider Bernaola & Daniel Llano

Escudero-Achiaga: The main challenge for our city, with its significant industrial core, lies in providing attractive alternatives for commuting to work. Every day, more than 40,000 people commute from the city to the industrial parks—predominantly by car, and with very low occupancy rates. To address this issue, carpooling has shown enormous potential. A pilot project successfully mobilised more than 50,000 people in its first year alone.

Cycling also holds great promise. We are actively working to improve existing cycle paths and develop new cycling connections, not only to nearby business parks, but also to better link with the rural villages within our municipality.

We are confident that opportunities such as the Social Climate Fund will be instrumental in addressing these challenges. It will help curb transport poverty and mitigate its impact on vulnerable groups, making sustainable transport a viable option for all.

POLIS: Looking ahead, the introduction of a Low Emissions Zone in September 2025 marks another important step. What are the goals of this initiative, and how does it fit into Vitoria-Gasteiz’s broader climate resilience strategy?

Escudero-Achiaga: The introduction of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in September 2025 is a key component of Vitoria-Gasteiz's integrated mobility and public space strategy. Its goals go beyond access restrictions solely based on environmental labels. The LEZ is part of a broader package that includes the expansion of regulated parking with enhanced digital management and enforcement, improved infrastructure for active mobility, a stronger public transport offer, and the creation of a logistic microhub.

In short, the LEZ aims to significantly reduce emissions by promoting alternative modes of transport—not merely through the electrification of private vehicles, but by supporting other uses of public space aside from mobility.

POLIS: What key lessons or practices from Vitoria-Gasteiz’s experience would you recommend to other cities aiming to accelerate their own sustainable mobility transitions? And what are the next major milestones the city hopes to achieve?

Escudero-Achiaga: Based on our experience, we learned the value of adopting a deeply participatory approach from the very beginning. Engaging citizens through initiatives like our citizen forum, which resulted in the Citizens' Pact for Sustainable Mobility, has fostered shared learning and empowerment. I would strongly recommend that other cities place participation at the heart of their planning process early on.

Looking ahead, our next major milestone is to define a new roadmap to 2030, which will replace the current Sustainable Mobility Plan. The main challenge remains consolidating the progress achieved thus far while advancing the decarbonisation of our mobility systems. This is essential for our climate ambitions, even though it can sometimes feel like swimming against the tide. Increasing the adoption of various car-sharing models and consolidating superblocks as the backbone of our approach—integrating mobility, public space, and climate adaptation—will be vital parts of our strategy.

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About the contributors: 

Interviewee: Juan Carlos Escudero-Achiaga, Head Mobility Unit, Centro de Estudios Ambientales. Escudero-Achiaga heads the Mobility Unit at CEA, a public agency of the Vitoria Gasteiz City Council promoting sustainable urban planning. He has coordinated the city's Sustainable Mobility and Public Space Plan and supports locally innovative urban mobility pilot projects. He is a member of the European Commission's Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM).

Interviewer: Vittoria Maddalena, Communications Assistant, POLIS. Maddalena contributes to POLIS’ activities through producing news and social media content, including supporting events and campaigns. She holds a BA in Political Sciences from the University of Padova and a MA in European Studies from KU Leuven. She is passionate about decarbonisation, electromobility, and the green transition.