National Walking Case Studies

A new compendium of National Walking Case Studies was launched today in Vienna, Austria at the meeting of the Transport, Health, and Environment pan-European Programme (THE PEP).

THE PEP is a unique intersectoral policy platform for Member States and other stakeholders in the pan-European region to collaborate, develop shared policy approaches, and work towards achieving healthy, green and sustainable transport and mobility. The Pan-European Master Plan on Walking was published in October 2024 and makes the case for policies that encourage walking to be at the heart of all decisions and investments into the built environment and wider rural connections.

The 20 real-world good practices to support the Pan European Masterplan on Walking have been written by Walk21 in partnership with member states and are primarily for national authorities with responsibility for agreeing and delivering policies related to walking. These case studies show the role of national governments in supporting walkable towns, cities and communities.

Wiebke Unbehaun, Chair of the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme and Head of Department for Active Mobility and Mobility Management, at the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure Republic of Austria, said:  “I am grateful to the Member States who have supported the development of this inspirational document in partnership with Walk21 and to my co-leaders of the THE PEP / EHP Partnership Healthy Active Mobility in France and the Netherlands, as well as to UNECE and WHO / Europe who provide us with valuable support and secretariat services”.

Jim Walker, who represents Walk21 at THE PEP meetings, said: ” This is a great output of the partnership, demonstrating that across the 56 member states, there are very positive actions being delivered and benefiting people walking. I encourage all national governments to learn from these inspiring examples and explore how they might be adapted, funded and implemented in your own national context”.