ECF and other partners of CycleRight, an Interreg Europe project, had the pleasure of visiting the seaside province of Livorno to explore its expanding cycling landscape. The CycleRight project aims to improve a set of policy instruments targeting sustainable urban mobility for a zero carbon economy by sharing good practices and knowledge on climate-resilient, accessible, safe cycling infrastructure.
Cycling in Livorno
Livorno boasts 1,200 square kilometres of land, 325,571 inhabitants, and one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean Sea. Its coastline is one of the most scenic stretches of the Italian peninsula, attracting millions of visitors annually. This tourism pressure creates significant seasonal mobility demands that must be balanced with residents’ everyday transport needs.
Across the province, critical infrastructure gaps persist: fragmented cycling networks, inadequate intermodal hubs and ageing road surfaces that discourage active travel.
To address these, cycling is a core component of Livorno’s sustainable urban mobility plan. It aims for a truly multimodal system that benefits people and the environment by streamlining policies and projects, many of them EU-funded. This plan also extends to neighbouring municipalities such as Pisa and Grosseto to strengthen accessibility and collaboration among areas.
Regional ambitions are increasingly visible on the ground, particularly in Livorno’s cycling infrastructure.
Regional strategies
This “wide-area” strategy is funneled through various levels of governance and projects.
One effort under the Tuscany region’s “Territori” strategic project, for example, is an impact assessment model for tourist cycling routes. Related to this is INTENSEible, a continuation of an Interreg Marittimo project (INTENSE) which plans to develop interconnections with EuroVelo routes, local, urban and rural connections, and connections between ports and railway stations.
The Tyrrhenian Cycle Route is one national route of great significance to the region, as it is the backbone connecting Tuscany’s main biodiversity hubs. The region plans to boost its usability by filling missing sections, involving local operators, and positioning the route as a cycling tourism destination.
Cycle infrastructure and network
The CycleRight group cruised through the town and saw various cyclists—women, parents with children, elderly, etc. This was a good sign of a healthy cycling culture and environment.
The cycle path experience was generally pleasant with accessible width, good gradient, and no barriers, though spacing can be increased (currently 1 meter) and conspicuity can be improved (road marking and retro-reflexivity). Some sections of asphalt were damaged over time or due to tree roots. Similarly, some overgrown vegetation disrupted cycle tracks, making 30-50 centimeters unusable.
The seaside cycle track can be a very powerful backbone of the city cycle network, but it is not always reachable from the city side because of busy roads and high kerbs. Utilising local streets can facilitate access, and some can even be integrated into the route itself. For example, Via Primo Levi could be an attractive alternative to Via Gaetano D'Alesio.
Innovations
Aside from developing the province’s network, technologies are also in place to make active travel and multimodality more appealing. Identibike is the first bike dynamic identification system that encourages more cycling through a reward system combined with a function that finds stolen bicycles. For public transport, there’s B On Time, a desktop and mobile app that makes travel planning easy across bus, train, ship, and bicycle networks.
Social inclusion is a core principle of Livorno’s sustainable mobility philosophy, and this couldn’t be clearer than at Parco del Mulino which has been engaging with people with intellectual disabilities for 20 years. In 2025, the historical site launched a new project that includes a bike repair and rental shop, providing more job opportunities for the community.
Looking forward
Since the City Council of Livorno approved the ambitious Biciplan in 2021, the cycling network has doubled from 20 km to 40 km, thus increasing modal share. Events for cyclists and families have also been successful.
With an active cycling community, expanding urban and provincial networks, and strong government collaboration, Livorno’s sustainable mobility goals are on the right track. This is largely due to the province’s eye for creating synergies, be it in projects and strategies—the challenge now lies in streamlining everything. It will be interesting to see, for example, how the Tyrrhenian Cycle Route and the beautiful Grand Tour of Etruscan Coast can amplify the local cycling scene and serve intermunicipal mobility needs.
Learn more about the CycleRight project here.
Cycling in Livorno
Livorno boasts 1,200 square kilometres of land, 325,571 inhabitants, and one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean Sea. Its coastline is one of the most scenic stretches of the Italian peninsula, attracting millions of visitors annually. This tourism pressure creates significant seasonal mobility demands that must be balanced with residents’ everyday transport needs.
Across the province, critical infrastructure gaps persist: fragmented cycling networks, inadequate intermodal hubs and ageing road surfaces that discourage active travel.
To address these, cycling is a core component of Livorno’s sustainable urban mobility plan. It aims for a truly multimodal system that benefits people and the environment by streamlining policies and projects, many of them EU-funded. This plan also extends to neighbouring municipalities such as Pisa and Grosseto to strengthen accessibility and collaboration among areas.
Regional ambitions are increasingly visible on the ground, particularly in Livorno’s cycling infrastructure.
Regional ambitions are increasingly visible on the ground, particularly in Livorno’s cycling infrastructure.
Regional strategies
This “wide-area” strategy is funneled through various levels of governance and projects.
One effort under the Tuscany region’s “Territori” strategic project, for example, is an impact assessment model for tourist cycling routes. Related to this is INTENSEible, a continuation of an Interreg Marittimo project (INTENSE) which plans to develop interconnections with EuroVelo routes, local, urban and rural connections, and connections between ports and railway stations.
The Tyrrhenian Cycle Route is one national route of great significance to the region, as it is the backbone connecting Tuscany’s main biodiversity hubs. The region plans to boost its usability by filling missing sections, involving local operators, and positioning the route as a cycling tourism destination.
Cycle infrastructure and network
The CycleRight group cruised through the town and saw various cyclists—women, parents with children, elderly, etc. This was a good sign of a healthy cycling culture and environment.
The cycle path experience was generally pleasant with accessible width, good gradient, and no barriers, though spacing can be increased (currently 1 meter) and conspicuity can be improved (road marking and retro-reflexivity). Some sections of asphalt were damaged over time or due to tree roots. Similarly, some overgrown vegetation disrupted cycle tracks, making 30-50 centimeters unusable.
Generous spacing between cycle track and greenery
Hedge overgrowing the cycle track
The seaside cycle track can be a very powerful backbone of the city cycle network, but it is not always reachable from the city side because of busy roads and high kerbs. Utilising local streets can facilitate access, and some can even be integrated into the route itself. For example, Via Primo Levi could be an attractive alternative to Via Gaetano D'Alesio.
Innovations
Aside from developing the province’s network, technologies are also in place to make active travel and multimodality more appealing. Identibike is the first bike dynamic identification system that encourages more cycling through a reward system combined with a function that finds stolen bicycles. For public transport, there’s B On Time, a desktop and mobile app that makes travel planning easy across bus, train, ship, and bicycle networks.
Social inclusion is a core principle of Livorno’s sustainable mobility philosophy, and this couldn’t be clearer than at Parco del Mulino which has been engaging with people with intellectual disabilities for 20 years. In 2025, the historical site launched a new project that includes a bike repair and rental shop, providing more job opportunities for the community.
Potential good practice – reallocation of road space on Via Galileo Galilei as an example of improving accessibility of schools.
Looking forward
Since the City Council of Livorno approved the ambitious Biciplan in 2021, the cycling network has doubled from 20 km to 40 km, thus increasing modal share. Events for cyclists and families have also been successful.
With an active cycling community, expanding urban and provincial networks, and strong government collaboration, Livorno’s sustainable mobility goals are on the right track. This is largely due to the province’s eye for creating synergies, be it in projects and strategies—the challenge now lies in streamlining everything. It will be interesting to see, for example, how the Tyrrhenian Cycle Route and the beautiful Grand Tour of Etruscan Coast can amplify the local cycling scene and serve intermunicipal mobility needs.
Learn more about the CycleRight project here.
