Many cities in the Western Balkans and Central Asia are experiencing mobility challenges characterized by increasing car traffic, inefficient public transport, inadequate walking and cycling facilities and poor parking management. These challenges contribute to congestion, air and noise pollution, and road safety concerns, impacting the cities’ attractiveness and livability, economic productivity as well as public health and the environment. There is an urgent need to recalibrate transport investments so that they benefit all road users without aggravating urban air pollution, ensuring equitable access for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Cities around the world, including cities in hard hit landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and territories in Western Balkans and Central Asia, are now taking up the task to develop “15-minute city” roadmaps for their mobility and land-use systems, as guiding frameworks to ensure a green and inclusive recovery from the pandemic. Hence, this project aims to support 2 cities in the Western Balkans and 3 cities in Central Asia with the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP), embracing a participatory process involving all stakeholders including government, transport operators, citizen groups, businesses and regulatory authorities – to ensure that “no one is left behind” and to promote a fair distribution of accessibility to opportunities between different neighborhoods across the cities.