FOLLOW

Walkable cities are safe, healthy, and friendly. Although urban planning has a key role in shaping citizens’ mobility patterns and behaviour, some tools can aid with the challenge of encouraging people to walk.

FOLLOW aims to test a route planner that encourages walking by minimising the negative effects that a lack of safety and accessibility can cause, especially in vulnerable groups (e.g. the elderly, people with mobility devices or pushing baby strollers). By directing people towards routes that prioritise safety and accessibility (e.g. by mapping potholes and the physical barriers on sidewalks), the tool contributes to the well-being of citizens. For mobility stakeholders the tool helps fill the knowledge gap about reactions and take up of these initiatives, which is crucial information for city planning. The tool is being tested in two European cities – Brest and Dublin- with a customised design for each, which will demonstrate the tool’s high scalability to other contexts.