EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK focuses on ‘Shared Public Space’

EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK starts today and towns & cities across the European Union and beyond are celebrating sustainable mobility, shared public spaces and active mobility in urban and rural areas. The 23^rd edition of this annual event takes place from 16-22 September in thousands of towns and cities and ends with a car-free day.

Even though the general scope of the campaign remains sustainable, urban, and active mobility, an annual focus is set to accentuate certain aspects. We can observe a European- and worldwide trend of urbanisation that leads to increasingly dense city centres, as well as extensive urban sprawl and traffic volumes. Therefore, we need to collectively decide how to fairly allocate space. ‘Shared Public Space’ was chosen as the theme to highlight the necessity to provide space for every transport mode, to respect other users, and to promote such initiatives, as well as shifts to sustainable mobility in towns and cities.  

Several examples give an insight into European best practices to promote sustainable mobility and safe spaces for all modes of transport and all generations. By further improving shared public spaces, cities and regions can transform urban areas into places that welcome all people.  

The following four topics were identified as essential aspects that inspire stakeholders and campaigners to create safe and people-centred public spaces in an inclusive and cooperative way.  

Experience public space in a different way

‘Build it and they will come’ is a common catchphrase in urban development. Dedicated locations to rent different types of vehicles, called ‘mobility hubs,’ represent a crucial step towards the adoption of shared and electric mobility services. These on-street locations allow people to choose from different sustainable electric transport options for shared use. Such hubs represent a real alternative to the use of private cars, especially if they are prominently placed in urban spaces, which also helps to attract the attention of people passing by.

For example, the Belgian city of Leuven set up several mobility hubs across their city centre and suburbs to encourage, structure, and promote shared mobility use. The re-purposing of existing parking spaces along the kerbsides helped to transform streets by promoting sustainable shared mobility, with vehicles such as electric cars and cargo bikes.

Redeveloping urban spaces together

Residents and road users will only embrace potential change in an urban landscape if they consider the newly created solutions useful. Therefore, people representing a wide range of ages and backgrounds should be involved in the processes to redesign space. This ‘co-creation’ method often features a four-step approach, which allows public participation.

EU-funded projects, such as SUNRISE and ELABORATOR, have successfully tested this method to allocate urban space in a fairer way or to include vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, or people with disabilities in the decision-making process. Their guides, such as the ELABORATOR inclusion plan or the lessons learned from the SUNRISE project, can help local administrations to start an inclusive procedure.

School streets: creating safe spaces for active travel

If children feel comfortable walking and cycling to school from an early age and experience the freedom to safely move around the neighbourhood, they are likely to continue using active mobility throughout their lives. Creating these safe shared spaces around schools can help to create positive habits from an early age and could also encourage parents to use more active modes of transport.

One example of creating child-friendly transport environments for schools is the 'Octopus plan', which is in common use in the Flanders region of Belgium. This approach guides schools and municipal authorities in all kinds of processes, such as action points on mobility, infrastructure, and education. The plan also includes engaging elements, traffic education and activities to motivate the children to design the school environment, set up a car-free school street, and assess their routes to school.

By integrating the voices of children and their parents, problematic areas and traffic situations can be identified and potentially solved. Seeing the school and related transport environment through the eyes of a child can help to identify what could be done differently.

Planning and designing safer streets

Safety aspects are not only important for the previously mentioned groups of children and other vulnerable road users. They are important for everybody. Thus, mobility management plans, which promote sustainable mobility for companies, educational facilities, or cultural venues, can have a significant benefit of nudging employees, pupils, or concertgoers to use public transport or active mobility. Many best practice examples of mobility management are available in the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK database, which includes state-of-the-art measures from organisations across Europe.

Further examples of excellent planning to design safer streets are available in the Interreg Europe Policy Brief for active modes of transport, such as the best practice from the Italian city of Pesaro, which tackled the problem of segmented bicycle paths. A potentially dangerous situation occurs as soon as a bicycle path suddenly ends and cyclists need to join the stream of other vehicles on the road. The city on the Italian Adriatic coast connected the interrupted paths into a comprehensive network, comprising 87km of cycle lanes.

They connect the historical centre with the suburban neighbourhoods for commuters and avoid loose ends. Since these safer street segments were built, the modal share of cycling significantly increased to 28%, the highest of all cities in Italy.

Stay in touch and engage with the campaign

In case you would like to learn more about EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK, the annual theme ‘Shared Public Space’, and further suggestions on how to celebrate the upcoming week, read the Thematic Fact Sheets, register the activities of your municipality, or your organisation on the campaign website, and follow the campaign on Facebook, X or LinkedIn.

What are our POLIS members doing?

POLIS members are back with a series of exciting events hosted across Europe, celebrating sustainable mobility and encouraging citizens to embrace greener ways of getting around. Here’s a glimpse of the standout activities taking place in some of our cities.

• Barcelona: The 21st Urban Transport Race (Cursa de Transports) will pit various modes of transport against each other to determine the fastest, most economical, and sustainable ways to get around the city. Participants will race from Ciutat Meridiana to Parc de la Ciutadella, providing a fun and insightful look at the efficiency of different transport options.
• Dresden: Citizens can take part in a walking tour led by Mayor Stephan Kühn, who will showcase the city's current and future mobility projects. This initiative aims to engage the public in discussions about Dresden's development as a city built around sustainable transport.
• Lisbon: The Superquarter initiative will see parts of the Campo de Ourique neighbourhood closed to traffic and transformed into lively pedestrian zones. Families can enjoy traditional games, sports, and other activities while also learning about Lisbon’s push towards zero-emission public transport.
• The Hague: The city is celebrating the installation of its 75th bicycle platform, which transforms car parking spaces into areas for bicycles. This milestone will be marked by a special event that highlights The Hague's commitment to active and sustainable commuting​.
• Reggio Emilia: On 17 September, the city will reward cyclists commuting to the historic centre. In collaboration with the Tuttinbici-Fiab Association, those who choose to cycle will receive small prizes, emphasising the city's push towards a more bike-friendly environment​.
• Stockholm: On 21-22 September, Sveavägen will be closed to car traffic, turning the major road into a hub of activity for the Bicycle Carnival and Cargo Bike Festival. Residents can enjoy music, performances, and test rides on cargo bikes.
• Zagreb: The city will host a rafting trip on the Sava River, offering participants a unique way to explore Zagreb's natural environment. The event will also promote river conservation and give insights into the work of the Zagreb Kayak Association​.

Curious to see what else our members are up to? Find all 1976 towns and cities, participating in 44 countries, here.