Health impacts of transport
Urban transport and the way people and goods move in urban areas significantly impact our health, both negatively and positively. The transport sector is responsible for a wide range of impacts on human health originating from emissions, speeds, insufficient services, poorly designed infrastructure and public spaces, and the lack of space for green areas. These challenges must be addressed from different perspectives, such as promoting physical activity, reducing road injuries, improving air and noise quality, fostering social and mental health, etc.
Walking, wheeling and cycling, as active transport modes, are an effective way to enhance the well-being of people living in urban areas and play a crucial role in reducing health issues related to pollution, inactivity, stress, isolation and other conditions.
Projects
POLIS constantly advocates for active transport modes as central to improved mobility in European cities. From earlier work, such as the PASTA—Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approach—to brand new efforts, such as the HL4EU project, POLIS aims to continuously explore the different aspects and connections of health and transport within the Working Group on Active Travel & Health.


Apply now for the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities 2025-2026

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NACTO Shared-Micromobility in 2018 Report is now available!
New evidence to present the economic benefits of investment in walking and cycling

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Call to join next round of SUMP Learning Programme extended to 31st January
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Polis represents the EU-funded CIVITAS initiative at Transport Day 2018
Covenant of Mayors upcoming events in Autumn/Winter 2018
Five Polis members guest speakers at first UCI Bike City Forum “Shaping the Future of Active Mobility” in Milan, on 14 November 2018
Polis member RSM (Mobility Agency city of Rome) to speak at UN and WHO event “Active mobility – Making the change towards a green and healthy urban transport environment, in Rimini on 9 November 2018
Join the Transport Day 2018 at the COP24 in Katowice!
New World Health Organisation report: Air pollution and child health
Barcelona wins Covenant Cities in the Spotlight awards!
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Covenant of Mayors Twinning programme: Submit your applications by 28 September!
Covenant of Mayors upcoming events in Autumn 2018
Cycling is the urban transport mode associated with the greatest health benefits
Covenant Cities in the Spotlight: 1st call for applications!
Draft programme of 2018 Polis Conference released
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Polis working group on health and transport: “There’s a huge gap between what we should be potentially doing to work on air quality”
Call for abstracts: International Healthy Cities Conference 2018
HEAT User’s Guide Now Available in French and German
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Urban Transitions 2018 conference is accepting abstracts until 8 June
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Integrating health in transport: Handbook of good practice for walking and cycling promotion & policy recommendations
Sustrans’ ‘Fit for Life’ report on Connect2 programme was cited by United Nations Environment
Two new tools for implementing the Healthy Streets Approach
Winter is coming: the effect of cold-spells in cities
New Health economic assessment tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling released!
FLOW project last webinar and eLearning course: 08 November 2017, 14:00-15:30 CET
Free webinar on the Health economic assessment tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling, 06 November 2017
International Cycling conference & PASTA project Final event: Presentations now available
Travel funds available to Local Authorities for the “Active Travel for Healthy Cities” workshop, 19 October 2017 in Paris
How walking and cycling reduce congestion in two minutes: watch the new FLOW video!
Polis working group meeting on health and transport, 18-19 October 2017 in Paris
2017 Polis Conference: Programme launched and registrations open!
How walking and cycling reduce congestion: FLOW Quick Facts published in 7 languages
Assessing the health impact of transport policies
Polis member Leuven wins the European Green Leaf award for 2018
Save the date! International Cycling Conference 2017 and PASTA day on active travel & health, 19-21 September 2017, Mannheim, Germany
Polis actively contributed to the WHO’s stakeholder consultation on “Environment and Health for European Cities in the 21st century: making a difference”
OddEven.com: the non-profit research and information portal on the global Odd-Even traffic restriction phenomenon
International conference on transport and health is accepting abstracts for presentation
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