There are major opportunities for achieving large health gains for the European population, and for children in particular, through transport and urban development policies that reduce exposures to road traffic injuries, air pollution and noise while providing opportunities to enhance physical activity through cycling and walking.

In addition to technological improvements (e.g. in fuels, vehicle emissions and active/passive safety), key interventions are those creating conditions that promote sustainable urban mobility and overcome present barriers to walking and cycling and to the use of public transport. They should be regarded as a priority and a sound investment by the health, transport and environment sectors.

By replacing car trips with those by non-motorized vehicles or public transport, such interventions would allow an increase in physical activity as well as an improvement of road safety, and contribute to reducing energy consumption and emissions of air pollution and noise.

These policies require stronger political leadership and long-term commitment; greater capacity to integrate health aspects into transport policies; more cross-sectoral collaboration at different levels of decision-making, involving the health, transport, land use and environment sectors and stakeholders, in particular at the urban level; and an increased capability to share experience and put into practice what we learn from each other.