Walking and Wheeling
Walking and wheeling are the most sustainable and democratic modes of transport, catering to everyone regardless of age, gender, or social status. These modes share the characteristics of not producing any emissions and not imposing any cost on those who uptake them.
Not only are walking and wheeling examples of sustainable modes, but they also constitute forms of physical activity. As such, they can boost users’ physical and mental health, with benefits like reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases, stress, and anxiety. Moreover, walking and wheeling foster social interaction and community connection, encouraging people to actively engage with their surroundings and increasing their sense of belonging and social well-being.
For many, walking or wheeling is not a choice but their only viable mode of transport. Therefore, cities must remove any obstacles to these modes and ensure they are universally accessible. City administrations need to prioritise the creation of safe, accessible, and comfortable pedestrian routes in urban areas, alongside measures to actively promote the modal share of walking and wheeling. Within the Working Group on Active Travel & Health, POLIS ensures that the prioritisation of walking and wheeling will be high on the agenda when discussing sustainable mobility through constant exchange and open discussions, looking at the needs, benefits and interactions of walking and wheeling within urban mobility systems.
Projects
Projects such as ELABORATOR and HL4EU take a closer look into how walking and wheeling can take centre stage in urban areas and support improved quality of life, inclusivity and climate neutrality, while the PHOEBE project wants to ensure that cities can achieve safer street environments, especially for people walking and wheeling.
Why use walking and wheeling?
Both terms describe moving at a pedestrian’s pace, unaided or aided, and using them together brings representation to a broader group of people since people identify with them differently. You can learn more here.

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Active travel for all ages: POLIS’ Active Travel & Health Working Group dives in

Walkability for a more inclusive future takes centre stage at Walk21 Portugal

Breaking Barriers: Interview with Wheels for Wellbeing on inclusive cycling

Submit your abstract for the 2024 Walk21 Conference!

Exploring the 15-minute city from concept to practice: POLIS and ACUTE dive in

POLIS joins as a cosignatory of PATH COP28 Open Letter advocating for active travel investment in climate goals

Urban Public Space Design project cluster kicks off for collaboration

EMW announces winners of its two mobility awards

Women shifting gear! Meet the women behind the sustainable mobility transition

Active Travel Just Transition Webinar: Best foot & wheel forward

POLIS’ SMC Platform heads to La Rochelle

Registrations now open for the Just Transition Webinar series!

POLIS launches Just Transition webinar series

POLIS joins call for investment in active travel

POLIS joins TDA Call to Support Active Mobility Capacity Building

Bruges in the spotlight: A transport transition tour

POLIS’ Working Groups: The year so far

POLIS’ Active Travel Working Group explores the 15-minute city concept

POLIS’ Working Groups: what is on the agenda?

POLIS Public Transport Lab redesigns the city

Joint statement: Europe must come together to change urban mobility

New report reveals barriers and enablers to active travel in mid-life

Madrid to make public transport free during morning peak hours

THE PEP: Reallocating space for active travel

Autonomy Industry Talks: POLIS members make a splash

Czestochowa crosses with confidence

April’s Working Group meetings: A spring in our step

POLIS members in action at AUTONOMY Digital 2.0

A walk through walkability

Bilbao wins 2021 EU Road Safety Award

POLIS joins call for revised truck safety standards

Under her own steam: Closing the mobility gender gap

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POLIS signs letter calling for improvements in walking, cycling and public transport

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Île-de-France Region signs charter to reduce commuting during peak hours

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Post-Lockdown Mobility report: Reallocation of road space to promote active travel

Apply for the 8th SUMP Award on Safe Walking and Cycling
Five sustainable urban mobility priorities for healthy and liveable cities
Results of the e-survey on users’ travel behaviour within the European project ISAAC
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Polis cities exchange experience on active travel and road safety
CEDR Conference discusses Modal Choice in a Multimodal Transport System
New evidence to present the economic benefits of investment in walking and cycling

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New webtool “PedBikePlanner” launched at 2018 Polis Conference
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
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Road safety for pedestrians and cyclists will be elaborated at several events in Barcelona
7th SUMP Award: Submit your application until 1 October!
Great interest into Ile-de-France’s public call for cycling projects in the region
Five weeks left to apply for the European Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards!
Draft programme of 2018 Polis Conference released
TRACE Toolkit. Guidelines and recommendations on tracking walking & cycling
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EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK 2018: Registration now open
“Are We Nearly There Yet?” Exploring Gender and Active Travel
How Cities across Europe Beat Road Congestion
HEAT User’s Guide Now Available in French and German
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Registration is open for the Decongesting Europe Conference
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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
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FLOW project: register now for upcoming e-Learning opportunities!
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
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
European Mobility Week 2017: Time to register
Promising results of Leuven’s new circulation plan
2017 Polis Conference: Programme launched and registrations open!
EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK Webinar for Small Cities
How walking and cycling reduce congestion: FLOW Quick Facts published in 7 languages
FLOW project provides webinars, e-courses and market catalogue
Polis and Polis members contributing to upcoming Velo-city cycling conference
New FLOW project publication on the impact of walking and cycling on urban road performance
TRACE project: report of 2nd Take-Up Group meeting, Brussels 02 February 2017
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FLOW e-course is now open: discover how to join the learning platform!
TRACE Newsletter – January 2017 released
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Sauter_Urban Mobility Research_Polis E&HWG_Brussels_190913
Schmitz_Brussels Mobility_Polis E&HWG_Brussels_190913
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