In this knowledge-sharing Webinar, Thorsten Willemstein discusses how Rotterdam wants to improve road safety, with specific examples of projects Rotterdam is conducting. Topics discussed in this Euroean city case study include:
How to get more children cycling and walking to schools,
Educating children about traffic,
An annual tour around high schools,
Cycling lessons for children and adults,
Providing bicycles for people with a low-income.
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
If you found this webinar useful, see our webinar series Gender and Place in Europe, for more European case studies. Or check out the recommended resources mentioned in the training:
Licht Aan – interactive game to raise awareness about the importance of lighting on bikes
There are translation tools on both pages.
Presenters
Thorsten Willemstein is a Mobility Advisor at the City of Rotterdam, where he specializes in traffic safety and urban mobility initiatives. Since February 2023, he has led projects to enhance traffic safety around schools and improve overall traffic safety in the city with different stakeholders. With a background in built environment from Breda University of Applied Sciences and previous advisory roles in the City of The Hague and ABG-councils, Thorsten applies his expertise to make Rotterdam’s transportation systems safer and more efficient.
School placemaking engagement event - Corstorphine Connections, St Margarets Park
Over the past year we’ve delivered a number of online workshops designed to help our partners deliver more impactful and inclusive engagement as part of their projects. Now, we’re pleased to offer bite-sized videos of 10-15 minutes on a number of these topics, for you to view and process at your own pace.
Planning engagement for your project
This video provides a practical focus on creating your community engagement strategy and plan of activity.
Creating a great Stakeholder Map
The stakeholder map forms the foundation for your project and sets the scene for effective community engagement. In this video, we provide tools to increase your confidence in identifing key project stakeholders.
Planning effective communications
An effective communications plan can make or break your project. This video helps you to:
assess the communication needs of different stakeholders
identify which methods and media are effective depending on the stakeholder and the context
learn how to disseminate information, attract participation and generate vibrant conversation.
Integrating behaviour change measures
The video explores behaviour change in the context of active travel projects, covering subjects including:
the importance of target audiences
relevant theories of behaviour change
behaviour change planning and designing activities.
Gender & Place in Europe is a virtual series that featured planners, researchers, and practitioners from around Europe to share case studies and lessons learnt from first hand experiences in making places more gender equitable.
This series provides a platform for inspiring approaches to reducing gender inequalities in the built environment, with a focus on data, engagement and policymaking. Revisit the archive of presentations and videos to learn about:
How to collect relevant data
How to implement gender mainstreaming within local authorities/public sector bodies
Overcoming misconceptions and getting the messaging right
Practical design examples of how gender mainstreaming can reshape a place
21 March: What local authorities can learn from the experiences of women nightshift workers in Barcelona
Barcelona-based feminist urban planning collective, Collectiu Punt 6, shared highlights from their award winning publication, Nocturnas. Nocturnas provides an in-depth study of the experiences of women nightshift workers in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (BMA) to shine a light on how the design of cities affect women’s everyday experiences of transport, work options, and their personal lives.
Presented by sociologist and planner Sara Ortiz Escalante, this webinar also provided examples of how the collective has worked with local authorities to conduct night time audits and implement measures to embed a gender-responsive lens in planning.
Gender budgeting has been legally binding in Vienna since 2005, and four years later it became a legal obligation for all of Austria. In Vienna, gender budgeting acts as a foundation for the city’s gender mainstreaming work, a critical part of Vienna City Council’s approach to service delivery.
In this webinar Ursula Bauer, Head of Section for Gender Mainstreaming in Vienna City Council demonstrated how the city has embedded and embraced gender mainstreaming. She covered the practical steps to take to embed this perspective within a local authority – from building a bank of evidence to reporting and controlling.
This webinar charted a long term view of the benefits and impacts of gender budgeting and gender mainstreaming in Vienna, and how other local authorities can learn from the city’s experience.
In our second session about Barcelona, we received an insight into how Barcelona City Council is reshaping the city through gender mainstreaming. This presentation covered the subject across many scales – from an overarching gender mainstreaming strategy of the city to investigating how public spaces can be improved through a gendered lens.
Attendees received an overview from Estel Crusellas Tura, who has worked on Barcelona’s gender mainstreaming strategy since 2013. She’s currently part of the Directorate of Gender Services and Time Policies team, where, among others, she is in charge of the II Plan for Gender Justice (2021-2025) for the Barcelona City Council.
Blai Martí, an expert in gender mainstreaming in local policies, gave further detail on the council’s design guidance and methodologies to implementing gender mainstreaming across the city. He specialises in gender budgeting, mobility services and urban planning within the Barcelona City Council.
The presentation slides and recording are available below.
Our closing panel addressed the present and future of gender mainstreaming in Europe, looking at topics such as engagement, data collection, allyship, and recommendations to take forward in your work.
About the panel:
Shgufta Anwar, Founder, Women on Wheels Shgufta is the founding director of Women on Wheels, a Glasgow-based community cycling hub for women. A service designed and led by women, Women on Wheels deliver a range of cycling activities to get women back on a bike or onto a bike for the very first time. Their vision is ‘to make women on wheels the norm, not the exception.’
Sara Candiracci, Associate Director, Cities, Planning and Design Team, Arup Sara had the role as research director for Arup’s report ‘Cities Alive: Designing cities that work for women‘, published in 2022, that explored the importance of gender-inclusive and responsive approaches within urban planning when creating thriving cities that benefit all residents.
Romain Loubiere, Co-Founder, Cyclable by Design Romain is an urban planner who records various data as part of his work – amongst other – to highlight how women are still under-represented in Paris’ cycling boom. He is a member of both the collective FéminiCités and Femclub that investigate urban planning through an intersectional gender lens.
The panel was chaired by Tiffany Lam, DEI Lead at Sustrans whose research specialties include safer cities for women and girls and gender-inclusive cycling.
Gender mainstreaming resources, reports, and case studies mentioned in the Gender & Place in Europe Series are recapped in this downloadable list below. Please note: some resources are not in English; web-based translation tools can be used to access the content.
The Climate Emergency & Infrastructure Constructive Conversations – 14 March 2024.
This session focused on creating climate neutral towns and cities. We discussed plans to achieve net zero, and the part that active travel infrastructure can play in this goal. From climate action towns and networks, to net zero cities we explored what this means for those of us working to deliver infrastructure to people living in communities to help bring this about. Our expert panel spent half an hour discussing these questions and more.
Following watching the recording you may find it useful to take a few minutes to reflect on the discussion.
What is still circling around in your head on this topic?
What do you feel is ‘squared away’ – you feel you have a much clearer understanding of?
What key takeaways or highlights do you have from the discussion?
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
Below are contact details for some of our panelists if you wish to contact them directly, and some links to further information relating to this topic that you may find useful.
Knowledge repository on the NetZeroCities portal. You can register to the portal if you would like but you can still access the knowledge repository without registering. What might be of particular interest is the Climate City Contracts, which can be accessed through filtering resources by type as seen on the left hand side of the page.
The recently published European Declaration on Cycling is a useful documents for language around active travel, although not especially relevant to the UK, a useful resource non the less.
Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel will spend half an hour discussing key questions and more around the chosen topic. Following this, you can take part in an optional small group discussion where you can share your own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Other sessions
The ‘Climate Emergency and Infrastructure series’ of constructive conversations explores sustainability in construction of active travel projects.
The ‘By Design’ series of constructive conversations explores how urban design in active travel projects can help to address some of the big issues facing society today.
Look out for more series on different topics in future, and if there is a topic you would like to suggest for a series, or a standalone session, please do get in touch with us placesforeveryone@sustrans.org.uk.
By Design Constructive Conversations – 19 March 2024.
This session focused on strengthening social connections by design. How does the design of our streets and public spaces foster, or discourage social connections? Do benches reduce social isolation and enhance wellbeing? and does more social connection within a community mean higher resilience?
Our expert panel spent half an hour discussing these questions and more around how urban design can increase social connections, and therefore result in better well being for people living in our communities.
Following watching the recording you may find it useful to take a few minutes to reflect on the discussion.
What is still circling around in your head on this topic?
What do you feel is ‘squared away’ – you feel you have a much clearer understanding of?
What key takeaways or highlights do you have from the discussion?
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
Ryan Woolrych, Professor Ageing and Urban Studies, Director of the Urban Institute, Heriot-Watt University – R.D.Woolrych@hw.ac.uk
Grace and Lennon, Students at Morgan Academy, Dundee – If you would like to work with students at Morgan Academy, please contact Gregor McBain – Deputy Head – gmcbain678@dundeeschools.scot
Useful Links and Resources
For further information on working with young people, please see the work Sustrans have been doing with A Place in Childhood –
Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that is owned by the UK Police Service with the specific aim to reduce crime and help people live more safely. The site includes various guides and resources, as well a UK wide network of Designing out Crime Officers.
The Schools Health and Wellbeing Improvement Research Network (SHINE) can also help you to connect with young people in project areas – they have a newsletter where opportunities for schools to get involved in projects can be advertised if the project clearly demonstrates benefits for the school community and aims to support positive health outcomes for young people – this can include provision of spaces aiming to improve physical and mental wellbeing, for example by encouraging young people to be more active, or by providing safe space for people of all ages to socialise and feel safe. If you are working in a Local Authority, your Education or Learning and Development teams are likely to already be linked in with SHINE and may also be able to assist with this process.
Projects can also apply for SHINE affiliated status – A member of the SHINE team would meet with affiliated project teams to support you to find/connect with a school or Local Authority (if you are a community or public sector organisation) who would be interested to engage with you. However, this is a longer process than promotion via the newsletter – the application is reviewed by a panel to ensure that it demonstrates mutual benefit for the school.
Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel will spend half an hour discussing key questions and more around the chosen topic. Following this, you can take part in an optional small group discussion where you can share your own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Other sessions
The ‘By Design’ series of constructive conversations explores how urban design in active travel projects can help to address some of the big issues facing society today.
Look out for more series on different topics in future, and if there is a topic you would like to suggest for a series, or a standalone session, please do get in touch with us placesforeveryone@sustrans.org.uk
Big Walk and Wheel 2023 launch in Edinburgh. P4 and P7 schoolchildren celebrated the launch with a walking disco and bike and scooter activities in the playground. Project use only.
Overview
Presented by Sustrans Scotland, through the Engage Inspire Learn training and events programme, we invite you to join us as we explore how to design and implement behaviour change plans in order to increase the use of new and existing active travel infrastructure.
We will bring together Places for Everyone, Co-Design and National Cycle Network partners and active travel professionals from across Scotland for a full day of learning and sharing relevant example.
Why attend?
This workshop aims to:
Expand your knowledge and awareness of behaviour change;
Explain the role that social marketing can play;
Demonstrate how you can create and implement social marketing orientated behaviour change plans;
Encourage knowledge sharing and best practices;
Provide a platform for you to ask questions and take part in discussions;
Provide a platform for you to network and engage in facilitated networking opportunities;
Inspire you to apply learnings to your own projects.
The Climate Emergency & Infrastructure Constructive Conversations – 24 April 2024
In this session we discussed embedding sustainable procurement practices in construction of active travel infrastructure. What sustainable materials are out there? What should you be considering in terms of cost vs benefit? What should you be asking for from suppliers and contractors you engage to carry out work on your projects?
Our expert panel spent half an hour discussing these questions and more around procurement in the construction industry, and for active travel in particular.
Following watching the recording you may find it useful to take a few minutes to reflect on the discussion.
What is still circling around in your head on this topic?
What do you feel is ‘squared away’ – you feel you have a much clearer understanding of?
What key takeaways or highlights do you have from the discussion?
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
Below are contact details for some of our panelists if you wish to contact them directly, and some links to further information relating to this topic that you may find useful.
Sustainable Procurement Ltd provides services for public and private sector procurers, as well as private and third sector suppliers. Services range from sustainable procurement strategy for clients to innovation in the supply of specific products and services – Sustainable Procurement Limited – Homepage
Sustrans has been working to decarbonise our activities. if you would like to see our Carbon Reduction Plan, you can find it here: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/legal/
Scottish Collaboration of Transportation Specialists was mentioned as a resource for sharing learning – www.scotsnet.org.uk
LCRIG mentioned by David, has a mission, centred around collaboration, innovation, skills, and a dedicated commitment to decarbonisation in the highways sector, facilitates positive change within the highways community and among our members. We act as a vital link between central and local government, the supply chain, and the wider highways community. LCRIG
The Procura+ Network has been developed by and for procurers and staff dealing with sustainability and innovation issues in public authorities. There is a fee to join the network, but the website also has a wealth of case studies and resources from across the EU. Procura+ | Procura+ European Sustainable Procurement Network (procuraplus.org)
Zero Waste Scotland has developed an online interactive guide to reduce waste, and enhance reuse and recycling, through design and resource efficiency for construction, renovation and demolition, it was developed back in 2016 so some of the targets have shifted, but the same principles would apply. https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/procuring-resource-efficient-construction-projects
Phil has provided this example of a trialed low carbon aggregate. Sustrans cannot make any recommendations regarding this material here. If you think it would be suitable for use in a Sustrans funded project you are working on, please discuss this with your grant advisor. https://www.lowcarbonmaterials.com/acla
About Constructive conversations
Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel will spend half an hour discussing key questions and more around the chosen topic. Following this, you can take part in an optional small group discussion where you can share your own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Other sessions
The ‘Climate Emergency and Infrastructure’ series of constructive conversations explores sustainability in construction of active travel projects.
The ‘By Design’ series of constructive conversations explores how urban design in active travel projects can help to address some of the big issues facing society today.
This roundtable brought together researchers and practitioners to discuss the enablers and barriers of active travel to schools, including bike buses, walking buses, safer school streets, and community participation.
The panellists explored examples of bike and walking buses across the UK, the rationale and significance behind them, and how local authorities can support bike and walking buses whilst managing risks.
This session was jointly presented by the Engage-Inspire-Learn programme within Places for Everyone as well as the Education & Young People team at Sustrans.
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
• Strathclyde Active Mobility Hub Survey: This survey supports the work from our panellists from the University of Strathclyde. Please take a moment to share the impact of their panel contributions on your practice.
• Download the FRideDays Bike Bus Toolkit and explore Sustrans’ support to set up a bike bus in your community
• Watch videos that showcase the work of the FRideDays Bike Bus team for inspiration, starting with Radnor, Ty’n y Wern, or Gwaelod y Garth
• You can get in touch with the Sustrans Bike Bus team at bikebus@sustrans.org.uk or follow the team’s activites on Twitter/X @fridedaysbb
• Access the Walk to School resources from Living Streets, including resources for Early Years, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools or Universities
• Learn more about the Shawlands Bike Bus and the coverage of their award-winning traffic calming technology in The Guardian
By Design Constructive Conversations – 21 February 2024.
This session focused on designing for diverse accessibility needs. What prevents people with varying disabilities or mobility needs being able to safely and confidently navigate public spaces? How can design features address these needs and make life easier for everyone – without one interfering with another?
Our expert panel spent half an hour discussing these questions and more around how urban design can ensure that designs are accessible to everyone regardless of their circumstances, and provide spaces where anyone can travel actively, where they live, work or socialise.
Following watching the recording you may find it useful to take a few minutes to reflect on the discussion.
What is still circling around in your head on this topic?
What do you feel is ‘squared away’ – you feel you have a much clearer understanding of?
What key takeaways or highlights do you have from the discussion?
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
Below are contact details for some of our panelists if you wish to contact them directly, and some links to further information relating to this topic that you may find useful.
Information on the inclusive design reports Robert has been working on, and other reports produced by living streets – the Slips, Trips and Falls report may also be of particular interest. Our Key Reports and Research | Living Streets
Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel will spend half an hour discussing key questions and more around the chosen topic. Following this, you can take part in an optional small group discussion where you can share your own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Other sessions
The ‘By Design’ series of constructive conversations explores how urban design in active travel projects can help to address some of the big issues facing society today.
Look out for more series on different topics in future, and if there is a topic you would like to suggest for a series, or a standalone session, please do get in touch with us placesforeveryone@sustrans.org.uk
The Climate Emergency & Infrastructure Constructive Conversations – 24 January 2024.
In this session we took a deep dive into the refreshed PAS 2080 standard (the standard for managing carbon in infrastructure). What does the introduction of this standard mean for active travel infrastructure projects? How can it be embedded into working practices, and what do project teams need to be thinking about so that they are ready for the changes it will bring to construction requirements?
Our expert panel spent half an hour discussing these questions and more around how PAS 2080 can help speed up decarbonisation in the built environment sector.
Following watching the recording you may find it useful to take a few minutes to reflect on the discussion.
What is still circling around in your head on this topic?
What do you feel is ‘squared away’ – you feel you have a much clearer understanding of?
What key takeaways or highlights do you have from the discussion?
Feedback Survey
We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete our short feedback survey after you’ve watched the recording.
Below are contact details for some of our panelists if you wish to contact them directly, and some links to further information relating to this topic that you may find useful.
Maria Manidaki, Technical Director – Decarbonisation, Mott MacDonald
Our panelist, Maria, suggested looking at the ‘PAS City’ example on page 24 in the above guidance, which illustrates a worked example of a fictional project and how they applied the PAS 2080 carbon management process and the key decarbonisation principles.
Grab a cuppa, get comfortable and join us for some informal constructive conversations about some of the challenges in delivering active travel infrastructure.
At each 1 hour session, our expert panel will spend half an hour discussing key questions and more around the chosen topic. Following this, you can take part in an optional small group discussion where you can share your own experiences on the topic, present a related issue in a live project, and receive advice and feedback from peers.
Other sessions
The ‘Climate Emergency and Infrastructure’ series of constructive conversations explores sustainability in construction of active travel projects.
The ‘By Design’ series of constructive conversations explores how urban design in active travel projects can help to address some of the big issues facing society today.
Look out for more series on different topics in future, and if there is a topic you would like to suggest for a series, or a standalone session, please do get in touch with us placesforeveryone@sustrans.org.uk.
