Inclusive and sustainable urban mobility for youth – based on the perception of mobility systems – NextGenMobility

The NextGenMobility project seeks to create inclusive, sustainable urban mobility solutions tailored to the needs of young people by addressing their perceptions and usage of mobility systems. It emphasizes enhancing accessibility, safety and sustainability within urban environments, focusing on youth as an underrepresented demographic in mobility planning. Through a participatory approach, the project supports the 15-minute city concept, aiming to design urban areas where essential services are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.
A core feature of the project is the establishment of Urban Living Labs (ULLs) in three partner cities – Nyíregyháza (Hungary), Bram (France) and Oradea (Romania) – which serve as platforms for testing and co-developing youth-centred mobility solutions across diverse urban contexts: Nyíregyháza faces challenges related to mobility poverty, Oradea focuses on improving campus accessibility for a large student population, and Bram addresses connectivity gaps as a small town serving surrounding rural areas. This diversity ensures that the project outcomes are adaptable and transferable to a wide range of small and medium-sized European cities. Each ULL engages local stakeholders, including youth, city authorities, urban planners, NGOs and transport service providers, in collaborative efforts to integrate active and micro-mobility options with public transport. The solutions emerging from these labs will be responsive to local needs and context, fostering direct input from the communities involved.
Through City Information Modelling (CIM), youth mobility perception analysis and mobility audits, the project will gather comprehensive insights into young people's experiences and preferences in urban mobility. This data-driven approach will optimize urban transport systems for inclusivity, particularly targeting underserved communities. By combining quantitative and qualitative research, the project will develop adaptable and scalable solutions – such as toolkits, policy guidelines, and academic publications – to facilitate replication across European cities.
The NextGenMobility project is driven by a transnational consortium uniting partners from Hungary, France, Austria, and Romania, each bringing specialized expertise to address the mobility needs of young people in urban settings. This diverse team includes academic institutions leading research on perceptions (Eötvös Loránd University), CIM (Junia HEI for General Engineering) and mobility planning (Technical University of Vienna), private sector experts contributing knowledge about urban development and citizen participation (MEGAKOM Development Consultants, Association for Business Promotion in Romania) and local public authorities (municipalities) implementing ULLs. The consortium’s collaborative approach facilitates cross-national learning, allowing each city to adapt and refine strategies based on shared insights and local context. Together, these partners combine urban planning, behavioural science and participatory design to create youth-centric mobility solutions.
By developing, testing and sharing scalable and adaptable urban mobility solutions, NextGenMobility aims to make cities across Europe more inclusive, accessible and appealing to young people, ultimately contributing to the creation of climate-neutral, resilient small and medium-sized cities and neighbourhoods. The project’s comprehensive communication and dissemination strategy will ensure that findings reach a wide audience, facilitating knowledge sharing and enabling other cities to implement these youth-centric mobility solutions successfully.