The eighth edition of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) Award was launched today at the 6th European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, which is taking place in Groningen (The Netherlands).

This year's award will focus on the inclusion of safe, active mobility in sustainable urban mobility planning (SUMP). This covers the development and promotion of walking and cycling as urban transport modes and the improvement of safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The topical focus is based on this year's EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK theme, which puts the spotlight on safe walking and cycling and the benefits it can have for our health, our environment, and our bank balance.

Recognising that Europe’s cities can no longer afford to rely on private vehicles for mobility needs, the 8th SUMP Award encourages planning authorities to promote and plan for active modes. In addition to flexibility, walking and cycling have many other benefits, such as social and economic accessibility, reliability, a low environmental footprint, and a positive impact on health.

The SUMP Award is presented together with the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK awards, and honours local authorities that have developed a SUMP that satisfies the diverse transport needs of people and businesses, whilst improving quality of life.

Applications will be accepted from European local and regional public authorities that have legal competence in developing and implementing a SUMP on their territory.

For more information about this year's edition of the award, the entrance criteria, and how to apply before the 31 October deadline, click here.

Today, 3 June, is the United Nations’ (UN) World Bicycle Day. It is a day to encourage UN Member States to include bicycle transit in their mobility policies, plans and projects.

Cycling is low emissions, affordable, and can improve riders’ health. Bicycles have even been associated with other benefits, including as a means of accessing education and healthcare, and as fostering social engagement and creativity. A 2018 study even found that European cities could avoid up to 10,000 premature deaths by expanding cycling networks.

In addition, cities that promote walking and cycling over private vehicles have also been found to be more attractive, with less congestion and a higher quality of life.

This EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK puts the spotlight on safe walking and cycling and the ways active mobility can benefit our health, environment, and bank balances. So this September why not #WalkWithUs and experience the benefits for yourself!

For more information about this year's theme, click here.

The 6th European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans will take place from 17 – 18 June 2019 in Groningen (The Netherlands), gathering policy makers, local authorities, urban transport planners, academics, NGOs and other mobility professionals to exchange ideas on sustainable urban mobility planning. All those involved in putting the SUMP concept into practice are invited to attend.

The conference is co-funded by the European Commission in cooperation with the Municipality of Groningen and is free of charge. Registration can be completed online.

The conference programme features speakers from cities across Europe as well as experts working in the field, and covers each aspect of sustainable urban mobility planning.

Juan Caballero of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Secretariat will present the campaign during the "Citizen Participation and Communications" session (A2 of the parallel sessions) on Monday 17 June.

A series of site visits will also be held, highlighting the sustainable mobility work of host city Groningen. Participants can join tours showcasing the city’s smart cycling routes, automated shuttle buses, transit-oriented development, and more. For a full list of site visits, click here.

For more information, visit Eltis. To join the conversation on Twitter, use the hashtag #SUMP2019. For inquiries, contact sump2019@eltis.org.

Representatives from countries across Europe will meet in the German city of Lindau this June for the 53rd EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Coordination meeting. Each representative will present an overview of Mobility Week planning in their country, sharing ideas and inspiration with their European colleagues.

The European Secretariat of the campaign will additionally give an update, outlining improvements to the registration process and requesting ideas on potential campaign focal themes for years to come. Representatives from the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission will join the meeting, providing an update on EU policy in the field of sustainable mobility and engaging in the discussion.

As the winner of the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK Award 2018 for smaller municipalities, Lindau offered to host the event, allowing participants to see first-hand the measures that helped the city to take home the award.

Attendees will take part in a cycling tour of the city, as well as learning more about the city’s plans for water taxis. Lindau will also present its future developments regarding walking policies in the urban area.

Towns and cities across Europe and further afield can now register their participation in EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2019.

The annual campaign, which takes place from 16-22 September each year, is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport and seeks to improve quality of life through promoting clean mobility and sustainable urban transport.

This year’s campaign puts the spotlight on safe walking and cycling and the benefits it can have for our health, environment, and bank balance. The 2019 theme is represented by the slogan Walk with us!

Towns and cities can register their participation online, selecting which of the three options – holding a week of activities focused on sustainable mobility, implementing one or more permanent transport measures, or holding a ‘Car-Free-Day’ – they will be carrying out to celebrate the week.

Last year’s EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK saw 2,792 towns and cities from 54 countries take part in the campaign.

Businesses, NGOs, schools and other actors, including cities, who want to get involved in the EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK campaign are also invited to register their MOBILITYACTION online.

A MOBILITYACTION is any action that promotes the idea of sustainable urban mobility. It can be limited to a specific day or last for several weeks/months and can take place at any moment of the year.

For more information and to register for EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK 2019, click here.