European Mobility Week creates child-friendly city streets

Many European cities’ usually-busy streets will be car-free – and with it child-friendly – over the next few days as part of European Mobility Week.

Now in its 19th year, this European Union ‘clean and sustainable’ transport campaign sees thousands of cities and towns from over 40 countries hosting their own events. Together they will be promoting the message: ‘zero- emission mobility for all’.

Adina Vālean, EU Transport Commissioner, said: “This year is a big challenge for our towns and cities. But the pandemic also showed us that people appreciate and expect our cities to become safer, cleaner and accessible to all. During this week and beyond, our partner cities from all around Europe will show how greener and more digital European towns and cities could look.”

‘This year is a big challenge for towns and cities’

European Mobility Week has also linked up with ROADPOL, the European network of road traffic police forces, for a new road safety campaign, the  ROADPOL Safety Days (previously ‘Project EDWARD’). National police forces will record number of road deaths today (17 September), aiming for zero deaths on that day.

Public events will highlight the role that every road-user can play in avoiding fatalities, as well as the importance of traffic police in enforcing the rules and working towards the EU’s ‘Vision Zero’ – zero road deaths and serious injuries on European roads by 2050.

European Mobility Week is an opportunity for local governments across Europe (and beyond) to enable residents to test out active mobility modes and discover the benefits of sustainable forms of transport.

The Italian city of Cesena is using this week as a chance to get feedback from residents on its new sustainable urban mobility plan, and as part of this it is inviting children to submit photographs and drawings that illustrate their experiences, good or bad, of commuting to and from city schools.

‘Opportunity for residents to test mobility modes’

That follows the good work done by cities like Trelleborg in Sweden, which since last year has been running a scheme encouraging people to swap their cars for bikes. This includes a programme called Safe School Trips, designed to get more children using their bikes for the school run.

This year’s pandemic has meant that towns and cities have maximum flexibility when participating in this year’s campaign. Local authorities can register their events and permanent infrastructure initiatives as usual, but also their online alternatives and their short-term measures to help people move around safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures may include the temporary reallocation of road space to create pop-up bike lanes, or the introduction of speed restrictions.

Click here for more about European Mobility Week resources, including practical toolkits and awards schemes.

Author: Simon Weedy

Add your comment

characters remaining.

Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment.