Topic outline

  • Unit 1: Introduction

    The project CH4LLENGE addresses the most pressing challenges in the development and implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. This course addresses how integrated planning and the development and implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans can contribute to solving urban transport problems and achieving more sustainable mobility in cities and regions.

  • Unit 2: Background and context

    This unit talks about Sustainable Urban Moblity Plans, what makes them different from traditional transportation plans, and why they are valuable for a city.

    • Book 2.1: Transportation trends and impacts

      Global transport trends have far-reaching impacts on people, the environment and the economy. It's up to us to make the most of positive trends while mitigating those trends which are creating sustainability challenges globally and locally.

    • Book 2.2: Why a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan?

      This Book introduces the concept and the benefits of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans as a new planning paradigm. It also looks at the SUMP approach in the European and international policy context.

    • Unit 2: Your Task Page

      Find out about the urban and regional transport challenges in your country.

  • Unit 3: Introduction to sustainable urban mobility planning

    This unit spotlights the key characteristics a SUMP should have, how the SUMP development process is structured and introduces European and international planning practices.

    • Book 3.1: Main characteristics of a SUMP
      The SUMP concept is a new way of planning urban mobility. Find out what turns a plan into a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and how it differs from more traditional planning approaches.
    • Book 3.2: The sustainable urban mobility planning process

      Preparing a SUMP is a complex, multifarious and collaborative task. The SUMP cycle for developing and implementing a SUMP will help you structuring the planning process and cooperate with all relevant institutions, organisations and the community.

    • Unit 3: Your Task Page

      Is there a national framework for urban mobility planning in your country?

  • Unit 4: Prepare well!

    There are many bodies and levels with whom you will need to communicate and cooperate in the context of sustainable urban mobility planning. Therefore, the key to a smooth and successful SUMP development process is to plan the process well and to develop a strategy: know where your city is coming from, where you want it to go, and the actors and resources needed to get you there.

    • Book 4.1: How to get started with improving existing transport planning practices?

      Elements of sustainable urban mobility planning may already exist within the national transport policy or in a city's current transport planning practices. However, more work may be needed to scale up political commitment to overall sustainable mobility principles. How can you determine your potential for a successful SUMP? This unit explains how cities can make the first move.

    • Book 4.2: Defining the development process and scope of the plan

      Successful SUMPs rely on a well-planned, holistic development process: stakeholders and citizens are involved early on, multiple sectors and city departments cooperate regularly and policies are developed so that they are complementary to existing policy documents and frameworks at the local, regional and national levels.

    • Book 4.3: Analysing the mobility situation and developing scenarios

      What is the outlook for your SUMP's development? Analysing the problems and opportunities and developing scenarios can give a clearer picture of the road ahead for goal-setting and measure identification.

    • Unit 4: Your Task Page
      Have a closer look at exemplary transport and mobility scenarios.

  • Unit 5: Work together to set goals and identify measures

    Now you are ready to get started with the main steps of developing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan: coming up with a vision, targets and concrete measures.

    • Book 5.1: Developing a common vision

      Developing a common vision is one of the cornerstones of every Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. It provides the basis for all subsequent steps that will define concrete targets and measures.

    • Book 5.2: Setting priorities and measurable targets

      Building upon the vision requires selecting a well-thought-out set of targets that focus on selected areas (indicators).

    • Book 5.3: Developing effective packages of measures

      The development of effective packages of measures is at the core of sustainable urban mobility planning. Essentially, at this stage, measures are identified in response to the questions: what, how, where and when? Only well-selected measures will ensure that the defined objectives and targets are met. 

    • Unit 5: Your Task Page

      How would you develop a common vision and transport objectives for your city?

  • Unit 6: Generate momentum!

    This is the final stage of the SUMP cycle - elaborating and implementing the plan. This is when resonsibilities are agreed upon, monitoring and assessment is put into place, and the plan is adopted and implemented.

    • Book 6.1: Agree on clear responsibilities and allocate funding

      Closely connected to the selection of (packages of) measures is the determination of clear responsibilities and the elaboration of an action and budget plan. At this stage you are aiming to answer the questions: who, how much responsibility and how much should it cost?

    • Book 6.2: Build monitoring and assessment into the plan

      Monitoring and evaluation are essential management tools - they keep track of the planning process and measure implementation, they help those involved to understand what works well and less well, and they build the business case and evidence base for the wider application of similar measures in the future.

    • Book 6.3: Adopt the sustainable urban mobility plan

      The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan summarises the outcomes of all previous activities. Now before jumping into the implementation phase, it's time to do the finishing touches to the SUMP document and to ensure that it is viewed as legitimate by political representatives, stakeholders and citizens. The document, including the action and budget plan, should be formally adopted by political representatives.

    • Book 6.4: Implement the plan, communicate well and learn the lessons

      As the SUMP document is a strategic document, it provides the framework for implementation, but it does not specify in detail how a measure will be implemented. The implementation process also needs to follow a structured approach to refine targets and to plan, detail, manage, communicate and monitor the implementation of measures.

    • Unit 6: Your Task Page

      Select indicators to track your city's SUMP progress and brainstorm about communication methods to keep citizens and stakeholders informed and involved.

  • Unit 7: Conclusion

    What have you learned and what else can you learn from the CH4LLENGE project?

    • Book 7.1: Reviewing

      Review of the key messages and resources of this course

    • Book 7.2: Other resources

      A few more resources that may be useful

    • CH4LLENGE e-learning course evaluation Feedback

      Congratulations! You have completed the CH4LLENGE e-learning course on sustainable urban mobility planning. Please take a few minutes to let us know about your experience with the course. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and will be used to improve future e-learning courses.