Cycling is not only one of the most sustainable modes of transport, it’s also the most resilient one we have, alongside walking. Resistant to disruptions such as transport strikes, fuel shortages, congestion, infrastructure and power failures, conflicts and natural disasters, cycling helps ensure continued access to essential services even when other transport options fail.
We have witnessed the resilience of bicycles in many instances in Europe in just the past few months and years. Bicycles have become an indispensable means of transport and delivering humanitarian aid since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with transport infrastructure destroyed or inaccessible. Bicycles were used to transport and distribute basic necessities following the devasting floods in Valencia, Spain in October 2024. And bicycles were one of the few functioning modes of transport during the sweeping power outages in Spain and Portugal in April 2025 as public transport and trains were shut down, planes were grounded and traffic lights ceased to function.
Jill represented ECF in an ITF Ministerial Roundtable session on “Strategic public transport funding: Delivering sustainable and equitable mobility”. Her discussion points included:
The ministerial roundtable discussion took place under Chatham House rules so we cannot attribute quotes to participants, but it is fair to say that ECF’s points were well received by the transport ministers in attendance, including from France, Ireland, Montenegro, Chile, Azerbaijan and others.
The PATH coalition also used the occasion of the ITF Summit to co-organise and host a well-attended side event with the World Bank and the Netherlands Ministry for Infrastructure and Water Management entitled “Walking and cycling: An ACTIVE PATH towards more resilient transport”. Moderated by FIA Foundation Deputy Director Sheila Watson, the event also featured as panellists Bronwen Thornton, CEO of Walk21, Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Global Director of Transport for the World Bank, Lucas Harms, Deputy Director Active mobility at the Netherlands Ministry and Christoph Waack, Cycling Officer of the City of Leipzig. The speakers highlighted how governments can develop and implement policies that deliver important benefits by integrating walking and cycling into climate and transport resilience strategies. They also discussed how useful frameworks, practical tools and guidance can help policy and decision makers at all levels to plan and make the investment case for safe walking and cycling.
A further highlight of the ITF Summit, and a historic first, was the adoption by ITF ministers of policy recommendations. The recommendations, which concerned road safety and the use of AI, set out “general policies that could be adopted” said Chile’s Minister Juan Carlos Munoz, who chaired the Council of Ministers, and “could enlighten the way” for the implementation of transport policies in each country.
ITF Policy Recommendation on Comprehensive Road Safety
ITF Policy Recommendation Concerning the Use of Artificial Intelligence by Transport Authorities
The road safety policy recommendation document has particular relevance to ECF’s road safety priorities and work, covering points such as building road safety policy and initiatives on data and evidence, prioritising interventions where the greatest number of lives can be saved, safe speed management, and accelerating deployment of vehicle technologies.
The annual ITF Summit remains an important forum for promoting ECF aims, exchanging views with transport policy and decision makers from Europe and beyond, and networking with the international transport community. See you next year in Leipzig!
We have witnessed the resilience of bicycles in many instances in Europe in just the past few months and years. Bicycles have become an indispensable means of transport and delivering humanitarian aid since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with transport infrastructure destroyed or inaccessible. Bicycles were used to transport and distribute basic necessities following the devasting floods in Valencia, Spain in October 2024. And bicycles were one of the few functioning modes of transport during the sweeping power outages in Spain and Portugal in April 2025 as public transport and trains were shut down, planes were grounded and traffic lights ceased to function.
And so it was fitting that the theme of this year’s International Transport Forum Summit was “Transport Resilience to Global Shocks”. CEO Jill Warren represented ECF and the Partnership for Active Travel and Health (PATH) at the three-day event, and she and her PATH co-founding partners, including Sheila Watson, Deputy Director of FIA Foundation and Bronwen Thornton, CEO of Walk21, had a lot of knowledge and insights to contribute.
PATH used the occasion of the ITF Summit to launch an updated version of its Active Travel Policy Template - a practical and inspiring how-to guide for countries which they can use in developing or refreshing national walking and cycling policies. PATH founding members also promoted the policy template in events and exchanges with numerous ministers from the ITF Member Countries and their teams.
Jill represented ECF in an ITF Ministerial Roundtable session on “Strategic public transport funding: Delivering sustainable and equitable mobility”. Her discussion points included:
- The importance of coherent strategies and policies and how they can help in identifying appropriate fiscal instruments to help fund and boost ridership of public transport.
- The need to integrate cycling with public transport to improve first and last mile journeys and to support longer trips using sustainable transport modes.
- The importance of broad buy-in for sustainable transport policies across multiple areas of government including transport, health and climate, among others.
- The advantages of providing bikeshare options and subsidising them as part of a comprehensive public transport system.
The ministerial roundtable discussion took place under Chatham House rules so we cannot attribute quotes to participants, but it is fair to say that ECF’s points were well received by the transport ministers in attendance, including from France, Ireland, Montenegro, Chile, Azerbaijan and others.
The PATH coalition also used the occasion of the ITF Summit to co-organise and host a well-attended side event with the World Bank and the Netherlands Ministry for Infrastructure and Water Management entitled “Walking and cycling: An ACTIVE PATH towards more resilient transport”. Moderated by FIA Foundation Deputy Director Sheila Watson, the event also featured as panellists Bronwen Thornton, CEO of Walk21, Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Global Director of Transport for the World Bank, Lucas Harms, Deputy Director Active mobility at the Netherlands Ministry and Christoph Waack, Cycling Officer of the City of Leipzig. The speakers highlighted how governments can develop and implement policies that deliver important benefits by integrating walking and cycling into climate and transport resilience strategies. They also discussed how useful frameworks, practical tools and guidance can help policy and decision makers at all levels to plan and make the investment case for safe walking and cycling.
A further highlight of the ITF Summit, and a historic first, was the adoption by ITF ministers of policy recommendations. The recommendations, which concerned road safety and the use of AI, set out “general policies that could be adopted” said Chile’s Minister Juan Carlos Munoz, who chaired the Council of Ministers, and “could enlighten the way” for the implementation of transport policies in each country.
ITF Policy Recommendation on Comprehensive Road Safety
ITF Policy Recommendation Concerning the Use of Artificial Intelligence by Transport Authorities
The road safety policy recommendation document has particular relevance to ECF’s road safety priorities and work, covering points such as building road safety policy and initiatives on data and evidence, prioritising interventions where the greatest number of lives can be saved, safe speed management, and accelerating deployment of vehicle technologies.
The annual ITF Summit remains an important forum for promoting ECF aims, exchanging views with transport policy and decision makers from Europe and beyond, and networking with the international transport community. See you next year in Leipzig!
