Cities in motion – Volume II: ‘Leadership for action’
05/09/2023

Cities in motion - Volume II: 'Leadership for action'

The second volume of Cities in motion, titled 'Leadership for action', delves into the diverse aspects of leadership and the concrete actions taking place in the field of urban mobility.

A long road ahead

Pedestrians crossing a colourful zebra crossing

The challenges facing urban mobility in the years ahead are of unprecedented scale and significance. As we navigate an era defined by rapid urbanisation, the pressing issue of climate change, and the persistent rise of inequality, the imperative to address these challenges has never been more paramount. In fact, it is safe to say that these challenges represent not just the defining issues of this decade, but they also have the potential to shape the trajectory of urban development and sustainability for the entire century.

The path to conquering these challenges may be difficult, but it is a journey well worth undertaking. While national and international leaders hesitate, our cities and regions are leading the way, actively working towards a more sustainable and equitable future. The need for bold measures in reallocating street space, regulating urban vehicle access, enhancing public transit and shared mobility services, and developing alternative fuel infrastructure (among others) has never been more crucial.

But what does genuine leadership truly embody in action? Let's dive in!


Leadership for action

Citizens freely roaming and enjoying some city roads

In this second volume of Cities in motion, we reflect on what leadership is truly about by exploring tangible actions taking place on the ground. By spotlighting initiatives driving transformative change, this volume illustrates that sustainable urban mobility is a collective effort, emphasizing the significance of political leadership and collaboration in addressing the forthcoming challenges. This year, local decision-makers demonstrated their commitment to taking decisive action at the POLIS’ Leadership Summit in Stockholm. Furthermore, as the EU's Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission gains momentum, we shift our gaze to 2030 and explore the efforts of POLIS members selected for the Mission as they strive to achieve the climate neutrality target.

We hope that this new volume of Cities in motion will serve as a source of inspiration for cities, regions, and stakeholders alike, prompting them to not only rethink conventional mobility paradigms but also to start putting actively those innovative ideas into practice through collaboration. Together, through sharing wisdom and best practices, we can forge a path toward a more sustainable and equitable future for all.


Moving forward (together)

At POLIS, leading by example and progressing together have been integral to our agenda. The second edition of Cities in motion showcases the remarkable contributions of our members: from capital cities like London, Brussels, and Madrid, to smaller municipalities such as Leuven, Groningen, and Strovolos, and leading knowledge institutes such as Cerema, CERTH, and Open Mobility Foundation - among many others.

It also reviews current actions, combining city expertise, pilot input, project partners, and relevant policy positions, including the soon-to-be-published Micromobility and E-mobility x Vision Zero papers, the Dynamic Curbside Management report, and SuM4ALL's Gender balance toolkit.

People in line to board a bus

In this second issue, we continue to emphasise the importance of inclusivity in urban mobility, an area to which POLIS has dedicated significant effort in recent years. In 2021, we introduced the Just Transition Agenda, placing affordability, safety, and inclusivity at the core of sustainable mobility policy. After all, moving forward requires not leaving anyone behind, and our articles reflect that by bringing attention to often underestimated yet essential aspects of inclusive mobility. Thus, we examine the relationship between mental health and travel, tackling the gender imbalance that exists within the transport sector, addressing existing weight bias in active mobility, and exploring what creating accessible futures truly entails.

'Leadership for action' also includes exclusive interviews with diverse mobility champions. With whom exactly, you wonder? Featuring road safety activist Giovanni Pintor, advocates and professors Francis Ray White and Rachel Aldred from the University of Westminster, and many more, this edition of Cities in motion offers something for every reader.

As we see across this issue of Cities in motion, universities, unions, foundations (and more) are a driving force behind progress, inspiring and bringing diverse stakeholders together. True leaders recognise that no city is an island, and that only by working with private partners, civil society, and citizens, they will be able to navigate political complexities, embrace innovation while making it policy-responsive, and create equity.

Karen Vancluysen, POLIS Secretary General

 

Read Cities in motion Volume II: 'Leadership for action', HERE.

 

Fly Me… to the Doom?

Fly Me… to the Doom?

While urban integration remains a distant dream (at least for the time being), forward-thinking cities and organisations are already taking strides towards leveraging the potential of drones in transp...Read more
Read more 02/10/2023
E-Transition, Women’s Revolution

E-Transition, Women’s Revolution

'Africa e-mobility revolution' is how Ampersand, a Rwandan start-up, presents its work with e-moto taxis in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, largest city, and economic centre. But, aside from technological...Read more
Read more 02/10/2023
(Do Not) Curb the Enthusiasm

(Do Not) Curb the Enthusiasm

Dynamic curbside management could help solve current and future mobility issues. But what is it? And how can it be implemented? European cities and regions are facing increasing demands for the mobil...Read more
Read more 10/10/2023
Light Vehicles, Heavy Impacts

Light Vehicles, Heavy Impacts

Political debates related to noise and air pollution often ignore the negative externalities of mopeds and motorcycles. The LENS project aims to provide tools and enforcement techniques for cities, as...Read more
Read more 11/10/2023
Weight Bias on Wheels

Weight Bias on Wheels

Exploring the perceptions and realities surrounding fat erasure in cycling and active transport has never been more urgent — now is the time to uncover potential pathways to challenge societal norms...Read more
Read more 11/10/2023
Ambition Pays Off

Ambition Pays Off

La Rochelle’s Deputy Mayor Bertrand Ayral reveals how La Rochelle has continually pushed the boundaries of mobility planning, paving the way for other cities. An interview with Bertrand Ayral, elab...Read more
Read more 13/10/2023
Strovolos Strides Out

Strovolos Strides Out

Established in 1986 and with a population of over 70,000 inhabitants, the municipality of Strovolos is the second largest municipality in Cyprus after Limassol. But, aside from its facts and figures,...Read more
Read more 13/10/2023
A Balancing Act

A Balancing Act

There is growing pressure on the urban space and energy grid from public on-street charging infrastructure, and while local authorities are facilitating their deployment, these efforts do not come wit...Read more
Read more 13/10/2023
A Toolkit for Change

A Toolkit for Change

Worldwide, the transport sector is facing a significant gender imbalance and the sector finds itself at an important moment for action. Developed by POLIS with funding from the FIA Foundation and co-a...Read more
Read more 17/10/2023
Accessible Futures

Accessible Futures

New mobility services (NMS) mean so many different things to so many different people. How can we merge research outputs with user views to ensure that everyone is on board? Basically, how can we co-c...Read more
Read more 02/11/2023
A Public/Private Affair

A Public/Private Affair

As shared micromobility sweeps through cities, regulations and monitoring have become the preferred tools for taming its unruly nature. But are these rules truly unlocking the potential of micromobili...Read more
Read more 02/11/2023
Building Bridges, Greening Cities

Building Bridges, Greening Cities

Project SUMP Turkey is designed to enable and promote the uptake and implementation of the SUMP concept in Turkish cities. It fosters continuous Policy Dialogue among Turkish stakeholders and EU count...Read more
Read more 02/11/2023
Leadership in Action, Now!

Leadership in Action, Now!

The decisions urban mobility leaders make — and do not make — today will determine the trajectory of life for every citizen. A cleaner, more equitable future is theirs for the taking, should they...Read more
Read more 03/11/2023
Thinking Big, Acting Bold

Thinking Big, Acting Bold

In June, Stockholm hosted POLIS’ Leadership Summit. The event convened high-level decision-makers from across the transport sector for a frank, honest and — most of all — collaborative exchange...Read more
Read more 03/11/2023
Take the LEAD

Take the LEAD

By using an Urban Consolidation Centre (UCC) to deliver parcels with clean vehicles to the city's heart, Madrid reduced the travelled distance by 30% and greenhouse gas emissions by 80%, demonstrating...Read more
Read more 06/11/2023
Uber Makes a Shift

Uber Makes a Shift

Eve Henrikson, General Manager of Uber Eats for Europe, discusses the sustainable transformation of Europe’s home delivery sector, from innovative approaches to tackling environmental challenges and...Read more
Read more 06/11/2023
The Other Side of Climate Neutrality

The Other Side of Climate Neutrality

POLIS' Climate Neutral Cities Mission Taskforce was established at the end of 2022 and POLIS started to work with cities more in concrete ways and supporting them with their work on climate city contr...Read more
Read more 08/11/2023
A Good, Green Deal

A Good, Green Deal

On 19 April 2023, a unique coalition of 50 public and private participants signed the Green Deal for Sustainable Logistics to promote sustainable logistics in Brussels. This initiative aims to make Br...Read more
Read more 08/11/2023
Tax: Fix the Clicks!

Tax: Fix the Clicks!

In the heart of Barcelona, a high-stakes struggle unfolds — the quest for public space amid a bustling cityscape. As tourism and e-commerce converge, the challenge intensifies. But the City Council...Read more
Read more 10/11/2023
Advocacy Rules

Advocacy Rules

The WHO may have declared COVID-19 as no longer representing a 'global health emergency', yet there is one silent epidemic that continues to pervade our cities and regions: each year, road safety cras...Read more
Read more 10/11/2023
Zero Carbon, Vision Zero

Zero Carbon, Vision Zero

The decarbonisation of urban mobility is a political priority all over Europe. With public incentives and market growth, the number of e-vehicles is expanding. But zero emissions are not enough — el...Read more
Read more 20/11/2023
Beyond Data-Sharing

Beyond Data-Sharing

MDS, CDS, API… These acronyms may leave many scratching their head in puzzlement; however, they are fast shaping the face of new mobility services and how local authorities and operators are coordin...Read more
Read more 04/12/2023
PAV…E the Way

PAV…E the Way

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to revolutionise transport, but challenges still remain before they become a common sight on our streets. The PAV Interreg project has conducted successful...Read more
Read more 04/12/2023
Managing a Multimodal Groningen

Managing a Multimodal Groningen

The city of Groningen has a tradition of progressive mobility policy, which focuses on a healthy living environment and changing travel behaviour. With new frameworks for multimodal traffic management...Read more
Read more 04/12/2023
Digital Divide

Digital Divide

The journey of open data in mobility: exploring how public authorities have navigated progress, hurdles, and the promise of a data-driven future. The sharing of mobility data by public authorities to...Read more
Read more 04/12/2023
Access Denied

Access Denied

Digitalisation in public transport benefits many travellers. However, it requires extra efforts effort from a smaller yet sometimes already less resilient group of people. The low visibility of this g...Read more
Read more 04/12/2023