I was thrilled to contribute as an ad hoc expert on inclusive design for active mobility for the Beyond the Urban Network with URBACT. This experience was incredibly rewarding, as it focused on embedding inclusion and accessibility into both urban and rural mobility solutions.

The Beyond the Urban network brings together ten European municipalities and regions that will collaborate to improve urban-rural mobility through the testing and implementation of sustainable, accessible, and integrated mobility solutions, with a focus on intermodality, multi-level governance, inclusion, gender equality, and digital tools.

This ten European municipalities and regions are:

• LEAD PARTNER : Creacció Agència d’Emprenedoria of Vic – Spain
• Santa Maria da Feira – Portugal
• Hradec Kralove – Czech Republic
• Machico – Portugal
• Szabolcs 05 – Hungary
• Tartu – Estonia
• Bram – France
• Bucharest-Ilfov Intercommunity Development Association for Public Transport – Romania
• Treviso – Italy
• Kočani – North Macedonia

The preparation for my presentation involved online meetings with the lead expert, where I gained valuable insights into the network’s priorities. This helped me tailor the presentation and workshop structure to address the specific needs of the participants. A strong emphasis was placed on accessibility challenges faced by people with disabilities and how inclusive design can bridge these gaps in urban and rural mobility.

To enrich the workshop experience, I invited two guests with mobility and visual impairments to share their experiences navigating inaccessible public spaces and transport systems. Their stories were powerful, highlighting the real-life obstacles they face daily and the pivotal role cars play due to a lack of accessible alternatives. Their testimonies deeply resonated with participants, sparking a more engaged and insightful discussion than anticipated.

I wish the workshop had been extended so we could dedicate more time to accessibility analyses. Since we couldn’t complete the analyses during the session, we decided to continue the discussion individually. This gave participants additional time to reflect on the challenges shared and develop practical solutions tailored to their contexts.

As part of this effort, I also drafted an article, “Turning Accessibility and Inclusion into Measurable Factors in Active Mobility”. The article provides context on accessibility considerations, practical examples of overcoming barriers, and actionable insights to inspire URBACT networks to foster inclusive mobility solutions.

This experience has been deeply inspiring, and I’m grateful to URBACT for the opportunity to collaborate on such meaningful work. The workshop and article will support the network’s continued efforts toward accessibility and inclusion in mobility.