SMALL project holds its final event in Ghent

On 16 September 2026, the SMALL project invited mobility professionals and stakeholders in Ghent, Belgium, for its final conference. The event marked the conclusion of four years of collaboration dedicated to making shared mobility more inclusive and accessible.

Throughout its four-year journey, SMALL has demonstrated how shared mobility can become more inclusive through practical experimentation, co-creation and collaboration between cities, researchers and mobility providers.

The SMALL Pilots

The final conference was an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the project's pilots. Tested in multiple European cities, these innovative solutions made inclusive shared mobility a reality.

Ghent's Fietstaxi service demonstrated the social value of accessible cycling. Among surveyed users, 93% considered the service indispensable, 67% reported increased social contact, and 41% felt less lonely.
Amsterdam's Osdorpplein Shuttle introduced an accessible, on-demand mobility solution to improve local connections
The DRIVA initiative in Varberg (SE) explored inclusive shared mobility solutions adapted to local needs
Brest's Vélotaxi demonstrated how cycling-based services can support people with reduced mobility.

Beyond city borders

Beyond the pilots carried out by the SMALL city administration partners, SMALL developed multiple practical resources to help other cities replicate and scale up inclusive mobility solutions.

These include the Inclusive Shared Mobility Planning Guide, the SMALL Observatory and Policy Database, and a series of Insight Papers bringing together research findings and practical recommendations.

Together, these achievements provide a foundation for integrating inclusivity into future shared mobility services and policies.

Developing inclusive mobility through co-creation

In her keynote speech, Wheels for Wellbeing director Isabelle Clement focused on how, despite the advances in adapted cycles and mobility solutions, barriers such as inaccessible infrastructure, high costs and limited availability of suitable services remain.

Co-creation is thus essential in making end-users

feel part of the process: To achieve true accessibility, the people who need it most must be part of the conversation.

This is ultimately why SMALL developed the Inclusive Mobility Planning Guide. The document provides a comprehensive guide for planning, implementing, and evaluating inclusive shared mobility, offering practical tools and lessons from international good practices to ensure equitable, efficient, and sustainable urban transport for all.

The day after the final event, on 17 September, project partners gathered for their final consortium meeting. They reviewed the remaining steps towards project closure and reflected on the collaboration developed over the previous four years.

It was an opportunity to revisit the project's initial challenges and priorities while exploring possibilities for future cooperation.

Next steps

As SMALL comes to an end, its results highlight the importance of combining experimentation, co-creation and supportive policy frameworks.

The event's final session, moderated by POLIS member Mpact, highlighted how, from tangible social benefits to useful planning tools, SMALL's legacy can support the development of inclusive transport systems across Europe.

All project outputs, including the Inclusive Shared Mobility Planning Guide, are available on the project's Resources page.