Module 1: Getting started with the SUMP process and its basic principles
This module helps cities to get started with the Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning (SUMP) process by explaining its basic principles and how it differs from traditional transport planning, highlighting the focus on sustainability.
The introductory webinar outlines the key elements and steps of the SUMP process using city case examples and explores the requirements of the TEN-T regulation for the urban nodes, linking to the concept of Functional Urban Areas. It gives examples of how SUMP supports cities’ efforts for climate neutrality.
The special focus will be on lowering the barrier to adopting SUMP and initiating the process in small and medium-sized cities. The exchange workshop will offer support in stakeholder recognition and cross-sectoral coordination of sustainable urban mobility.
The module is delivered in cooperation with an experienced SUMP trainer, Dr. Kristina Gaučė, leading expert in sustainable urban mobility with over 20 years of experience in planning, policy development, and project management. She holds the role as a key trainer in capacity-building activities with JASPERS.
Module 1
What will you learn?
✔Principles of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning and key steps of the SUMP process
✔How to plan SUMP development for small and medium-sized cities, taking into account common challenges
✔Links between SUMP activities and the importance of an integrated approach
✔How trans-European transport network regulation is related to SUMPs, what are TEN-T requirements for urban nodes, and specifics of mobility planning in Functional Urban Areas
✔Advice for getting started and developing a successful SUMP
Agenda
Webinar: 14.01.2026, 09:00 CET
- 09:00–09:10 | Welcome & Framing Ira Sibelius Union of the Baltic Cities Sustainable Cities Commission/City of Turku
- 09:10–09:20 | Update of the SUMP Guidelines – What’s new? Rupprecht Consult
- 09:20–09:40 | Understanding the Principles of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning: Overview of SUM Planning principles, differences from traditional transport planning, updated TEN-T regulation and explanation of what it means to urban nodes. Kristina Gaučė, Gauce ir Ko
- 09:40–09:50 | Case Study: Developing SUMPs – challenges and lessons learned. City of Gdynia
- 09:50-10:10 | SUMPs for Small and Medium-sized Cities: Overview of SUMP cycle, most common challenges (including planning for the FUA) and short case examples on solving specific challenges (prioritising small European cities). Advice for successfully developing SUMP. Kristina Gaučė, Gauce ir Ko
- 10:10-10:20 | Lund municipality’s experiences in SUMP: integration, continuation, and lessons learned from LundaMaTs. Anders Söderberg, Lund municipality
- 10:20-10:30 | Wrap up and next steps
Workshop: 21.01.2026, 09:00 CET
Would you like improve your practical understanding of the SUMP process? This workshop gives you an opportunity to shape up a “mini-SUMP” in collaboration with other workshop participants. You will dive into a realistic city case and future scenarios, and practice setting goals, defining objectives, selecting indicators and choosing the effective measures to reach the objectives.
This is a unique opportunity to test your knowledge, exchange ideas with colleagues, and deepen your understanding of the full SUMP planning process in an engaging format.
- 09:00–09:10 | Welcome & Framing Ira Sibelius Union of the Baltic Cities Sustainable Cities Commission/City of Turku & Kristina Gaučė, Gauce ir Ko
- 09:10–09:30 | Best practices integrated urban mobility planning TBC
- 09:30–09:40 | Challenge Briefing Kristina Gaučė, Gauce ir Ko
- 09:40–10:55 | Group Work and Result Sharing
- 10:55-11:25 | Case Presentations from City of Greifswald and City of Cesis
- 11:25–11:30 | Wrap-Up & Next Steps Kristina Gaučė, Gauce ir Ko
Background & additional materials
Guidelines for Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. Second Edition (Rupprecht Consult (eds.) 2019)
The guidelines provide a comprehensive step-by-step description of the SUMP implementation and co-creation process. It provides associated activities, aims, task descriptions, guidance on timing and coordination, and how to address the involvement of regional and national government structures that delineate the legal frameworks within which a SUMP functions.
Topic Guide: Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning in Smaller Cities and Towns (Rupprecht Consult (eds.) 2021)
The guide applies the SUMP Guidelines to the planning realities of smaller cities and towns and their specific challenges, including fewer resources and experience in strategic mobility planning, stronger car-dependency and weaker public transport. The guide provides smaller cities and towns with planning methods, tools and policies that have proven to work well in smaller urban areas. It also includes a variety of good practice examples from all over Europe, highlighting the benefits of SUMP for some of the most common problems in smaller cities and towns.
CH4LLENGE SUMP Kits
The Intelligent Energy Europe project CH4LLENGE supported mobility practitioners in improving local transport planning processes and developing quality Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. It addressed the four most pressing challenges in sustainable urban mobility planning: participation, cooperation, measure selection, and monitoring and evaluation. In 2016, CH4LLENGE released four SUMP Kits to support mobility practitioners in SUMP preparation and delivery. Each kit consists of a Quick Facts Brochure, a SUMP Manual and an e-learning course. The brochures present concise summaries of the challenges while the manuals are dedicated to providing detailed advice underpinned by city examples.
Mobility Academy e-courses “SUMP learning programme for mobility practitioners” developed in CIVITAS SUMPs-UP project (2020)
The SUMP Learning Programme for mobility practitioners consists of 7 e-courses on different parts of SUMP cycle. The courses tackle different phases in the SUMP process starting from how to initiate a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and prepare a SUMP vision in cooperation with various stakeholders, elaborate the SUMP strategy and select SUMP measures and on how to finally implement SUMP. Each course contains 4-7 modules and concrete case examples from European cities. All courses also include exercises that help to review your city’s own SUMP practices and practice what you have just learned and links to useful webinars.
CIVITAS Urban Mobility Tool Inventory
This online database of over 200 tools and methods to local authorities make informed decisions on the right tools to use in their local context. It features a broad range of tools and methods – including guidelines, software, manuals, mobile apps, games, and planning approaches – that are useful for all steps of the urban mobility planning process, from scenario building and measure selection to implementation and evaluation.
SUITS Capacity Building Toolbox
Capacity Building Toolbox developed by the CIVITAS SUITS project (2021). The SUITS project developed a Capacity Building Program for decision makers and planners in small and medium sized cities to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions related to urban planning measures and to the deployment of innovative mobility solutions and technologies.
EU city database on SUMPs
The EU city database on SUMPs is an information repository featuring Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and other urban mobility plans in EU Member States. It provides information on the 431 urban nodes on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T network), and other EU cities with a population above 50,000, that are at different stages of SUMP development.
EU Urban Mobility Observatory Case Studies
The library includes numerous case studies and good practices on a variety of topics – from SUMP development to measure planning to implementation.
Exercises
Coming soon…