Topic 1: Advancing urban mobility: innovations for inclusive and youth-centric mobility systems
Challenge Description
The mobility sector continues to be one of the major challenges for urban areas, and central for reaching emission reductions as well as improving accessibility of opportunities and local quality of life. Recent data on the rise of global temperature calls for faster implementation. Furthermore, access to mobility options is not equal: some target groups are currently underrepresented in planning and policy-making processes and face the risk of being left behind. Advancing urban mobility transition therefore requires attention to critical issues and key target groups of 15-minutes Cities. With key target groups in mind, it is necessary to advance learning from successful examples, transfer existing solutions, interventions and proven methods, and extend them beyond established domains.
Scope
Proposals submitted in this topic should address innovative strategies, policies and solutions to speed up the uptake of active and micro mobility and examine measures to link them better with public transport. This topic therefore emphasises the importance to create a cohesive, user-friendly network, in order to make sustainable transport modes the backbone and preferred option of urban mobility.
Moreover, it is crucial to focus on enhancing the mobility of children, adolescents and young adults, based on their specific needs, to foster sustainable and healthy transportation habits from an early age. Proposals are invited to investigate the impact of the built infrastructure on youth mobility, the role of educational and cultural institutions, and address the role of participatory planning. Thus, this topic encourages a holistic approach to the mobility of youth and a multi-level perspective on the scope of action.
As the 15-minute City concept ambitiously sets out to transform neighbourhoods and cities, which will have to come with major interventions in urban spaces and streets. Proposals in this topic are encouraged to look into effects of such polices, including potentially detrimental effects for local populations and phenomena of mobility poverty. Here, it is expected to apply an intersectional perspective on the term “target groups”, considering factors such as gender, age, socioeconomic status, etc.
Project proposals submitted under this topic should address one or several of the following issues:
- Which strategies and policies can be implemented to improve integration of active and micro mobility with public transport systems, particularly making them more accessible and user-friendly for underserved users and new target groups?
- How may urban mobility policies be tailored to promote sustainable mobility choices with children, adolescents, and young adults?
- What are effective ways to measure the success of initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable mobility choices among children and youth, and how can these measurements inform future decision-making?
- What is the impact of built infrastructure on the mobility patterns of youth, and how can urban mobility planning better accommodate their needs?
- How can educational institutions contribute to shaping transportation habits and connected health benefits of children and youth?
- How may community engagement and participatory approaches be integrated into urban mobility planning processes to ensure that the voices and needs of children, adolescents, and young adults are represented?
- What are the potential effects on local populations of implementing the 15-minute City concept, particularly focusing on issues such as mobility poverty and inequality in access to transportation options?
- How can an intersectional perspective be strengthened in urban mobility planning, considering factors such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status, to ensure that policies are inclusive and address the needs of all members of society?
Expected Outputs and Outcomes
Rather than provide isolated technical solutions, projects are expected to address this topic in a systemic way. Project outcomes should be impact-oriented and process-oriented, and therefore as concrete and user-centred as possible. Expected outcomes include, but are not limited to:
- Overviews of good practice, policy recommendations and guidelines for innovative concepts and solutions to accelerate implementation active and sustainable mobility modal use
- Strategies and frameworks for replication, knowledge-transfer and collaboration amongst stakeholders to speed up, expand and adapt proven methods for urban mobility transition
- Needs oriented experience on ways to redefine school environments together with educational institutions, children and youth
- Analysis of impacts of implementation of 15-minute City concepts and related urban interventions on local populations, with particular attention to the phenomena of mobility poverty
- Strategies to mitigate adverse consequences for vulnerable or marginalised communities
- Engagement of local stakeholders in definition of approaches in co-creative, experimental settings