Raise your voice for walking: Public consultation on the European Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility (SSSM)

The European Commission is working on a comprehensive Strategy for a Sustainable and Smart Mobility. The strategy will set a pathway for the sector towards the sustainable and digital transitions, building a resilient and crisis-proof transport system for generations to come.

In this context, the European Commission launched a Public Consultation on the European Strategy for Sustainable and Smart Mobility (SSSM). The Strategy was announced as part of the European Green Deal, and will replace the 2011 Transport White Paper as the European Commission’s vision for transport.

It will set out the objectives, key policy areas and an action plan. It is vital that walking is well represented in this document. The consultation will close on September 23rd 2020. 

This is your opportunity to show the European Commission that EU citizens want to see walking valued at the European level. 

To help visualise the value Walk21 borrowed the methodology used by European Cyclists’ Federation to estimate the economic value of cycling. Their 2016 report identified that every year, cycling in 28 EU Member States (MSs) creates economic benefits of 150 – 155 billion €. Our estimates for walking suggest a value of 254 billion € with much of the additional value relating to tourism.