From concept to practice: UPPER highlights “Mobility as a Right” for European cities
Image by UPPER Project
A new video interview released this week by UPPER shines a spotlight on a growing idea in European mobility policy: Mobility as a Right (MaaR).
Recorded during the project’s last General Assembly in CIVITAS City, Thessaloniki, the interview features Javier Bujeda, Expert in Sustainable Mobility for ICLEI Europe, one of UPPER’s project partners, explaining how cities can move from improving transport systems to guaranteeing access to mobility for all.
UPPER aims to strengthen public transport as the backbone of sustainable urban mobility and support the transition toward zero-emission cities. By combining “push” and “pull” measures, the project seeks to reduce reliance on private cars while making public transport more attractive, reliable and inclusive. The interview focuses on a topic central to this work: MaaR. Access to education, employment, healthcare and social life depends on the ability to move, making mobility a fundamental enabler of social and economic inclusion. MaaR reframes transport planning by viewing mobility not simply as a service, but as an essential element for accessibility and community participation.
The MaaR framework, developed by ICLEI Europe, provides practical guidance for applying this principle into policies, planning and governance, helping cities design transport systems that are clean, inclusive and accessible to everyone while supporting climate objectives.
The UPPER project provides a practical environment to apply these ideas. Through large-scale demonstrations in several European cities, the project tests measures that improve the attractiveness of public transport, optimise services according to user needs and encourage behavioural change toward sustainable mobility. Its ambition is not only technical innovation but also cultural change: increasing public transport use and user satisfaction while ensuring that no one is left behind.
By sharing lessons learned and policy recommendations, UPPER contributes to a broader European effort to advance inclusive, sustainable urban mobility. The release of the interview shows how European research projects, city networks and policy frameworks can work together, translating mobility concepts into practical solutions for people’s everyday lives.
