“Ad altra velocit?” or “At a different speed” is the motto for the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) of the Italian city of Bologna. The motto was anything but random: Unveiled in 2016, SUMP will make a huge impact, on both the city itself and the entire metropolitan region. The main goal of the SUMP is to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and make Bologna a livable city where residents can lead a more mindful lifestyle. To effectively track the change, Bologna has defined 5 areas and set separate targets for them: Accessibility: increase the accessibility of public places for people with disabilities by 90%; Climate protection: 50% more rail freight transport instead of trucks and 16% less CO2 from cars; Air quality: establishing new public transport services, increasing the number of trips by public transport by 46% by 2030; Traffic safety: introducing a speed limit and Vision Zero; Quality of life: 20% more pedestrian paths and 538 km of new bike lanes. “At a different speed” does not mean slowing down life in Bologna, but making it more sustainable, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

An old town with colorful tile facades, parks and small streets with cafes where you can enjoy pastel de nata. Lisbon is one of the most beautiful and safest cities in Europe, but it is challenging in terms of mobility due to its urban layout full of narrow streets and its hilly landscapes. Few streets in Lisbon are easily accessible for cyclists – which is a shame for a city that enjoys a good climate. This – and many other things – are now set to change thanks to the new mobility strategy Move 2030. Move 2030 is based on 5 networks and 5 services, which are supposed to push Lisbon’s traffic transformation to become a more accessible and livable city by 2030. The 5 networks are the pedestrian network, cycling network, road network, public transport network, and the interfaces between them. The 5 services include parking, shared mobility, urban logistics, additional mobility services and tourist transport. Move 2030 measures combine these areas of action to create sustainable change throughout the city. Some of the measures are: Introduction of speed limits; restriction of long-term parking; provision of 200 km of accessible cycle lanes; increase of sustainable public transport services; introduction of sustainable mobility measures for businesses and promotion of tourist mobility on foot and by public transport.

Leuven is a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants and one of the oldest universities in Europe. “The city is growing year by year, and that challenges us in terms of mobility,” says David Dessers, alderman for mobility, climate, and sustainability. To drive the mobility revolution, Leuven has created a grand vision: Climate neutrality by 2050. To realize the vision, the city founded a non-profit organization (NGO) called Leuven 2030. Involving 600 participants – city residents, businesses, scientific institutions, and public authorities – Leuven 2030 developed a roadmap that sets the direction for change. The sustainable transport transition is one of the most important building blocks of the roadmap agenda. By 2030, the number of cyclists and public transport users must double, and car traffic must be reduced by 20%. The other measures are the introduction of low-traffic city spaces; neighborhoods, and school environments; safe and comfortable bicycle infrastructure; strong public transportation networks; strict parking policies; establishment of inner-city Low Emission Zones. “Innovation for better changes and for everyone” is thus not just a motto in Leuven, but a big vision that makes the transport transition in the city real.

Safe streets are an important part of livable, attractive cities. The U.S. city of Detroit in Michigan state understands this. For several years, the vibrant city of Detroit has been trying to reduce the high number of road accidents. One of the measures applied is a strategy called Complete Streets, which aims to make streets safer, more accessible, and more attractive places for everyone. Complete Streets are designed and built with a focus on safety for all age groups from 8 to 80. No matter if you are a wheelchair user, bicyclist, motorist or pedestrian, the project aims to make everyone feel comfortable . Detroit has invested a total of $80 million in this project, which has been actively implemented in various parts of the city since 2019. Complete Streets have no specific design, as they are based on the needs of communities and specific urban spaces. However, they often include many crosswalks, public lighting and bike lanes, as well as more accessible transit stops, traffic lights with countdown timers for pedestrians and green areas. To control the speed of car traffic, speed bumps are implemented in certain neighborhoods. The project is not yet finished, but a path to road safety has definitely been taken.

“Cities play a fundamental role in the fight against climate change and are considered to be the focal point of energy consumption, but also the places where the shift towards a more sustainable planet will take place”, this is how Greenpeace describes the potential of cities in its 2019 study, which evaluated 12 Spanish cities in terms of sustainable mobility. Bilbao, a city of nearly 900,000 inhabitants, picturesque landscapes, and internationally famous landmarks, took the first place in the Greenpeace ranking. How? Active mobility is the key: 64% of trips are made on foot and only 11% by car. This is a result of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS in Spanish), which aims to restore pedestrian zones and provide a diverse public transport offer. In addition, Bilbao is implementing the “Bilbao 30” initiative to reduce speed in 87% of the streets. In the future, Bilbao plans to focus on promoting cycling and public transport by creating new bike lanes and purchasing e-buses. Bilbao is showing how cities can help in the fight against climate change and become focal points for attractive mobility and a livable future.