Across Europe, car congestion and safety concerns plague neighbourhoods around schools, with many families defaulting to car travel for their children’s school commutes. This reliance on cars can result in not only dangerous outcomes for children’s safety and health but also undermines cities’ long term environmental goals.
The school run contributes to traffic congestion, increases pollution, and instils a culture of car-dependency in future generations. If cities are to become more liveable, instil sustainable habits, and promote safe, accessible routes for children, they must reimagine the school commute. Budapest is stepping up as a leader in this arena.
Turning sceptics into advocates in District Eight
Through the Upper and Reallocate projects alongside bold policies by the city’s transport agency, Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK) and forward-thinking leaders, Budapest is aiming to reduce car dependency, improve public spaces and prioritise sustainable transport options, especially around schools.
Deputy Mayor Dániel Rádai, of Budapest’s District Eight, is one such leader. He is part of the city government led by Mayor András Pikó, which took office in 2019 and has overseen the transformation of District Eight. Formerly traffic-dense streets have turned into inviting pedestrian areas, parking spots have been reallocated and public green space expanded. District Eight is giving the streets back to people.
While initial public resistance was present, the city used small-scale, temporary projects known as tactical urbanism to demonstrate the benefits of such transformation. Seeing the difference, the public responded positively proving that communities value these changes once they experience them first-hand.
Rádai recounts an interaction at a public forum: “In the beginning, implementing these changes was met with a lot scepticism and resistance. A resident once angrily asked me if anyone actually liked the changes.
“I simply flagged down the next passer-by to ask for their opinion and they immediately praised the improvements, saying it had become much nicer to walk in the area. This moment highlighted a shift in perspective, showing that while initial reactions may be negative, engagement and conversation often lead to understanding and support.”
This moment highlighted a shift in perspective... engagement and conversation often lead to understanding and support.
During the elections earlier this year, residents spoke with their vote, rewarding the mayor in office with an even larger vote share than in the previous election.
District Eight’s ripple effect
District Eight’s transformation has encouraged other districts to take similar steps. For Budapest’s families, these changes are not just about convenience—they’re about quality of life. Safer, pedestrian-friendly spaces offer more independence for children, less traffic stress for parents, and a community that feels more connected and engaged.
Ádám Bodor, BKK’s Mobility Director, is witnessing the effects. His team regularly visits schools to provide educational lessons about sustainable transport in the city to students in different age groups and motivates district governments to improve walking, cycling safety on streets surrounding the schools.
In a recent visit to a school in District Eight, a survey of around 50 students revealed that more than 80% arrive by public transport or other active modes. In districts where the modal share is much lower, parents express concerns that the area around the schools are too dangerous when asked why they don’t take public transport, walk or cycle to school.
BKK has launched school zones in several neighbourhoods to slow traffic, restrict car access, and create safer spaces for children to walk or bike. These zones use traffic calming measures, ‘kiss and ride’ spaces, and pedestrian-friendly designs. Features like speed bumps and improved signage alert drivers to children crossing to make school commutes safer and more appealing for families.
Reaching parents, one child at a time
If their kids are excited about cycling or walking to school, that’s one of the most effective ways to influence the parents’ behaviour.
Reaching the next generation is also about reaching their parents. Bodor explains that ahieving this group has been a hard task for BKK, saying: “Despite the good public transport services in Budapest families with young children are unfortunately one of the target groups we’ve had the most difficulty convincing to use public transport, walking and cycling.
“Now, we’re reaching the parents through their children. If their kids are excited about cycling or walking to school, that’s one of the most effective ways to influence the parents’ behaviour. They have a stronger influence on their parents than any other campaign or awareness raising activity we can run as a mobility agency.”
In the participating schools, nearly 60% of parents changed their transportation habits, opting for walking or biking. Children reported feeling safer, and schools became more pleasant, less chaotic places.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the changes have been in place, many wondered why this hadn’t been done sooner,” says Bodor. “They couldn’t understand how the chaos around schools—cars everywhere, honking, and unsafe conditions—had been tolerated for so long. Now, the benefits seem obvious.”
Since the changes have been in place, many wondered why this hadn’t been done sooner.
Reclaiming streets, changing lives
Budapest’s shift towards walkable, bikeable, and public transport-friendly infrastructure reflects a broader commitment to health, sustainability, and community. Leaders like Bodor view these changes as crucial to shaping future generations’ attitudes toward urban mobility.
Moving forward, the city plans to continue with more ‘superblocks’ and school streets that close entirely to cars, building on the success of pilot programs. These projects are inspiring similar initiatives in other districts and cities across Hungary, setting a new standard for how European cities can rethink transportation and public space.
The framework for this thinking is the new road network plan, approved by the city council 2024 as part of the road safety strategy. The road network plan aims to double the territory of 30km/h zones and residential zones (with 20km/h speed limit), and humanise the major streets and roads in Budapest by 2030. The interventions are defined according to the proposed role of each street, providing more space for sustainable mobility and life in the city.
At its core, this transformation is about creating a city that serves everyone—not just those with cars. By reclaiming streets for people and making public space work for families, Budapest is laying the foundation for a greener, more connected urban future.
Budapest’s approach proves that cities can choose to prioritise people over cars, creating spaces that support health, community, and sustainability. As Budapest continues to expand its vision for people-first infrastructure, the city is showing that small steps, like safer school zones and greener streets, can lead to big changes in how people live and move.
Other cities should take note—by rethinking school commutes, redesigning public spaces, and empowering local communities, cities create public spaces that work better for everyone.
