Just Transition x SMC Platform and Active Travel & Health Webinar: Breaking Free—Reducing car reliance in Small and Medium-sized Cities

Just Transition x SMC Platform and Active Travel & Health Webinar: Breaking Free—Reducing car reliance in Small and Medium-sized Cities 

23 October 2025 - 10:00-11:30 - Online 

This webinar is organised by the Small and Medium-sized Cities Platform and the Active Travel & Health Working Group with the support of the Just Transition Taskforce.

Small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) face unique challenges when it comes to reducing car dependence, often lacking the dense networks and resources of larger urban areas.

This exciting webinar will explore how SMCs can break free from forced car ownership, addressing the ‘car need’ with a focus on peri-urban and rural contexts, where alternatives are limited but modal shift goals should nonetheless be met.

Drawing on practical case studies, this session will explore innovative strategies and solutions presented by a diverse group of knowledgeable speakers. From bold cities challenging the status quo to game-changing organisations demonstrating the power of genuine commitment to urban transformation, the webinar will provide guidance and inspiration to break free from heavy reliance on cars.

Speakers

• Wieger Postma, City of Leeuwarden
• Annarita Leserri, Pinbike
• Isabel Garnika, City of Vitoria-Gasteiz
• George Gorgogetas, e-trikala

Moderated by Ingeborg Bennink, EU Project Advisor at the EU Office at Cities Northern Netherlands

About the Just Transition webinar series

This webinar is part of POLIS’ Just Transition webinar series dedicated to transport poverty. The series examines how cities and regions can address mobility injustice through targeted, inclusive local action. 

The series offers a timely platform to explore how local authorities and other urban mobility stakeholders can support fair and sustainable mobility. Building on POLIS’ recent policy paper on the SCF, each session tackles a key theme at the intersection of climate, equity, and mobility, showcasing strategies that drive structural change on the ground.

For any questions, please contact Alessia Giorgiutti, AGiorgiutti@polisnetwork.eu, Laura Babío, LBabio@polisnetwork.eu, Claudia Ribeiro, CRibeiro@polisnetwork.eu, Marina Martin Vilches, MMartin@polisnetwork.eu, and Andréia Lopes Azevedo, ALopes@polisnetwork.eu.