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Mobility challenges transcend city and even national borders. As people and goods move across longer distances, different levels of government must work closely together to strategically plan and deliver connected, efficient transport systems.
Move21 and Scale-Up rethink transport
A swift transition to zero-emissions and climate-resilient transport systems requires cities to rethink the divide between passenger and freight transport. As mobility flows increase across city and national borders, the two must be planned and delivered in an integrated, coordinated way. This is the approach taken by EU-funded projects, Move21 and Scale-Up, that have piloted forward-looking solutions across multiple urban nodes in Europe.
Scale-Up, developed and tested 28 innovative mobility measures across Turku, Antwerp, and Madrid. These aimed to scale urban mobility solutions both vertically (across governance levels such as Functional Urban Areas, Regions) and horizontally (across thematic intervention areas). Move21 worked with six cities to implement 15 transport-related innovations targeting a 30% reduction in emissions by 2030. With a shared focus on integrating transport, logistics, governance, and innovation, both projects highlight the power of collaboration to deliver scalable, system-wide change.
The vital link between local ambition and regional planning
Collaboration and shared learning are essential to building greener, more inclusive, and better-connected urban mobility systems. Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) are a vital link between local ambition and regional planning.
Since 2013, these plans have been widely adopted across Europe and beyond as a strategic framework for integrated urban transport planning. Embedding the development of multimodal mobility hubs within the SUMP framework is essential to ensure alignment not only at the urban level but also with broader European transport goals, including those of the Trans-European Transport (TEN-T) Network, the EU’s policy framework for a Europe-wide network of railways, roads, inland waterways, and ports.
Delivering such change requires navigating a complex landscape of actors and responsibilities of the multiple overlapping layers of decision-making at local, regional, national, and European levels that must be aligned to make urban mobility strategies truly effective. From definition to implementation, the projects’ pilot cities worked together to ensure that solutions in one area did not create problems in another. Their integrated models offer a blueprint for resilient, zero-emission mobility connecting the city and beyond.
Piloting multimodal hubs
Multimodal mobility hubs are physical spaces that bring together different modes of transport such as buses, trains, cycling, walking, and shared mobility services in one accessible location. Designed to make switching between transport options seamless, these hubs aim to simplify journeys, reduce reliance on private cars, and promote more sustainable travel behaviours. While most commonly developed for passengers, some also integrate logistics functions, such as parcel lockers, delivery bays, or cargo bike services, helping cities address the growing challenges of urban freight and e-commerce deliveries. Multimodal hubs are emerging as essential building blocks in the shift to more connected, cleaner, and more inclusive urban mobility systems.
In Rome, the city is aligning its SUMP with its logistics strategy. One example is the transformation of San Paolo metro station into a multifunctional mobility hub. Located in a densely populated area near St. Paul’s Cathedral, the station sits within a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and faces increasing delivery demands driven by e-commerce. To ease congestion and promote cleaner alternatives, the area now includes parcel lockers, secure bike boxes, and a cargo bike service available to residents and businesses.
The hub also provides dedicated space for bike storage and delivery vans. Early uptake has been strong, encouraging the city to consider replicating the model at other metro stations. Additional improvements are planned to enhance cycling infrastructure and better connect bike lanes with public transport, supporting a smoother shift to sustainable travel.
Turku’s bus station is evolving into a major mobility hub, with recent improvements designed to enhance the overall travel experience and integrate various transport modes. The station has introduced key services such as luggage storage and cycling gear vending machines. A significant innovation includes the pop-up bicycle maintenance service, which has proven highly popular, with around 240 services provided.
Additionally, the station has revamped its signage systems, both physical and digital, making navigation more accessible and user-friendly. Furthermore, the Park & Ride points around the city expand the city’s reach, linking public transport with private car use in key locations, with further plans to scale up this system across Turku. These improvements are part of a broader strategy to create multimodal hubs that serve as transfer points in a seamless travel chain.
In Gothenburg, the development of multimodal hubs began with a focus on improving the integration of shared bikes and car parking. This work helped shape a broader city strategy aimed at reducing private car use and making sustainable transport the easier choice.
One example is the Mobility Hotel in the Nordstan shopping centre, a zero-emission hub that combines services for both people and goods. It offers shared bikes and vehicles, a battery swap station, a cargo bike delivery centre, and even a co-working space. Located in the busy city centre, the hub helps ease congestion, improve air quality, and bring new life to underused commercial spaces. The initiative is a result of close cooperation between the city and private partners, showing how shared goals and shared spaces can lead to more accessible and efficient mobility.
From policy to practice
Moving from planning to real-world impact remains one of the biggest challenges in sustainable urban mobility. Cities need stronger support from national governments, not only in terms of funding but also through inclusive governance and shared planning platforms. Successful implementation depends on aligning transport with land use, improving the integration of different modes, and ensuring policies are co-created with local communities.
This requires investment not just in infrastructure but also in softer measures, such as workforce development, data literacy, and digital tools. Innovative procurement practices and a better balance between physical interventions and service design are also crucial to build a functioning, flexible, and inclusive mobility ecosystem.
Smart Ways to Antwerp stands out for its people-centred, multimodal approach to sustainable commuting. Launched in 2016 to ease the effects of major roadworks, it has since become a core element of Antwerp’s SUMP and regional commuting strategy. Its uniqueness lies in combining behavioural-change campaigns, real‑time multimodal journey planning tools (desktop and app), and strong employer engagement, especially within the port area.
The dedicated digital platform integrates live data on cycling routes, public transport, shared vehicles, road works, and low‑emission zones, offering users personalised route options – including calorie‑burning ‘most active’ journeys.
By partnering with over 160 employers and leveraging EU-funded projects, the programme has reached more than 74,000 employees, shifted modal share (car use down from 49 % to 44 %, cycling up from 31 % to 42 %), and placed multimodality at the heart of city-wide and port-based commuting. This comprehensive, integrated model spanning infrastructure, communication, technology, and institutional collaboration makes Smart Ways to Antwerp a pioneering example of how to embed sustainable commuting into everyday urban life.
A lasting legacy
The legacies of Move21 and Scale-Up lie in the practical tools, partnerships, and approaches they leave behind. From multifunctional mobility hubs to equity-driven design, cities have demonstrated how cross-city learning and functional area thinking can drive more sustainable and integrated transport systems.
Move21’s Living Labs are designed to continue beyond the project itself, supported by self-sustaining partnerships rooted in local ecosystems. Together, these initiatives offer valuable lessons and replicable models for scaling zero-emission mobility across Europe.
The seven Scale-Up Fellow cities have demonstrated that tested measures can be adapted to different urban contexts, with a flexible approach ranging from partial to full-scale replication. These efforts show a broad impact, extending benefits beyond core partners to a wider network of cities. While some cities implement ready-to-go measures, others focus on long-term infrastructure plans, reflecting varying levels of ambition and financial strategies.
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Want to learn more about Move21 and Scale-Up?
- Check out Move21’s Guide to Multimodal Hubs.
- Register to the ongoing SCALE-UP & MOVE21 e-course on integrating mobility measures.
- Register to the ongoing e-course on public private collaboration schemes.
