Follower Cities engage with the JUST STREETS project by learning from pilot city experiences and exploring how tested approaches can be adapted locally. They contribute to co-developing action plans and refining solutions, with the aim of replicating, adapting, and scaling successful interventions in their contexts.

Haifa

Haifa is a coastal city in Israel of around 290,000 residents. Its steep topography and elongated urban structure create mobility and accessibility challenges, particularly in connecting neighbourhoods to public transport and essential services. These conditions can make everyday movement difficult, especially for older adults and people with reduced mobility.

Haifa also has one of the highest shares of elderly residents in Israel, with around 22% of the population classified as senior citizens. As a result, improving accessible pedestrian infrastructure and creating safe public spaces has become an important priority for the municipality.

  • Within the JUST STREETS project, Haifa selected two neighbourhoods as pilot areas where the city is focusing on improving the quality and accessibility of public space. The intervention focuses on identifying barriers within pedestrian environments and understanding how older residents experience public spaces in their daily routines.

    Particular attention is given to walking conditions in hilly areas and to the usability of local public spaces. The project combines spatial analysis with community engagement to better understand the needs of elderly residents and identify practical improvements.

  • Through JUST STREETS, Haifa aims to promote active ageing and support older residents in participating more fully in community life. Improving walking conditions and the accessibility of public spaces is expected to encourage more frequent use of neighbourhood environments.

    The project also aims to strengthen collaboration between municipal departments and introduce participatory approaches that place elderly residents at the centre of planning processes. In doing so, the municipality seeks to build knowledge and experience that can support more inclusive urban design across the city.

  • The primary beneficiaries are elderly residents living in the pilot neighbourhoods. The project will also benefit people with disabilities and other residents who rely on safe and accessible pedestrian infrastructure.

  • Several preparatory actions have already been undertaken. These include the approval of the project by the Municipal Council and the creation of a coordination forum bringing together different municipal departments.

    The municipality has also recruited and trained elderly volunteers who are participating in mapping exercises to identify barriers and opportunities in local public spaces. Initial fieldwork has already been carried out in one neighbourhood with support from local social workers.


London Southwark

Southwark, an inner London borough, faces several mobility and environmental challenges linked to a road network that has historically prioritised motor vehicle traffic. Although car ownership is relatively low by London standards, traffic continues to shape the quality and safety of many streets.

The impacts of traffic, including air pollution, safety risks, and limited public space, are often felt most strongly by disadvantaged communities who are less likely to own cars themselves.

Public transport services primarily connect Southwark with central London, which can make some local journeys more difficult and contribute to longer travel times for certain trips. In addition, parts of the borough face climate risks such as pluvial flooding and extreme heat events, which can disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.

  • The focus area for the JUST STREETS activities is Walworth, located in the centre of the borough. Walworth has relatively low car ownership but experiences many of the negative impacts associated with traffic-dominated streets.

    Much of the area was developed in the 1950s and 1960s according to car-oriented planning principles and continues to experience significant levels of through traffic.

    Within JUST STREETS, the key challenge is to move beyond traffic reduction measures and focus on how street space can be transformed into places that communities actively use and value.

  • Southwark joined JUST STREETS to strengthen its capacity to plan and deliver street transformations in collaboration with local communities.

    The project aims to deepen the borough’s understanding of residents’ perspectives and ensure that future street interventions reflect local needs and aspirations. By working closely with residents, the borough hopes to create public spaces that are inclusive, well-used, and supportive of safer and more sustainable mobility.

  • The intervention is intended to benefit people who live in, work in, and visit the Walworth area. In particular, it will support residents who rely on walking, cycling, and public transport and who are most affected by the impacts of traffic-dominated streets.

  • Southwark enters the JUST STREETS project with several initiatives already underway in Walworth. Measures have already been introduced in parts of the neighbourhood to reduce through traffic and improve street safety.

    Inspired by examples such as the “soft map” approach used in Amsterdam, the borough recently carried out a diary study with children and young people connected to Walworth. Participants were given prompts and asked to document their experiences by taking photographs and making notes. This activity helped provide insight into how young people perceive the area and how they experience local streets and public spaces in their everyday lives.

    Building on these insights, the borough is currently looking at projects around schools and how it can place the perspectives and experiences of young people at the centre of future projects.

Vratsa

Vratsa is a medium-sized city in northwestern Bulgaria (around 50,000 residents) that faces a number of challenges related to mobility, accessibility, and public space quality. Streets are often dominated by cars, while pedestrian and cycling infrastructure remains fragmented.

Accessibility barriers such as uneven sidewalks and missing ramps affect everyday mobility for many residents, including older adults, people with disabilities, parents with strollers, and children. At the same time, the city is exploring ways to create greener, healthier streets that are better adapted to environmental and climate challenges.

  • The JUST STREETS intervention focuses on an area located near a kindergarten, a primary school, and a language high school, as well as along the main route to the city’s sports park.

    This location has the potential to become a welcoming public space where children, parents, teachers, and residents can meet and spend time together. The project aims to transform this school-centred street environment into a safer and more accessible place that encourages walking and everyday social interaction.

  • By participating in JUST STREETS, Vratsa aims to explore new approaches to transforming streets into people-centred public spaces. The city seeks to test participatory methods and small-scale pilot interventions that improve safety, accessibility, and comfort in public space.

    Through this work, the municipality hopes to strengthen local capacity to plan streets that support walking, active mobility, and community life while responding to broader challenges related to climate and public health.

  • The intervention is expected to benefit a wide range of residents. Key beneficiaries include children and young people attending nearby schools, parents and caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities.

    Residents of surrounding neighbourhoods will also benefit from improved public space and safer walking conditions.

  • Some improvements have already been implemented in the project area. Street lighting has been renovated to improve visibility and safety, particularly during the winter months when daylight hours are shorter.

    Next steps include planning accessible pedestrian crossings and sidewalks, as well as engaging nearby schools, children, and families in discussions and surveys to help shape the future design of the area.

Zaragoza

Zaragoza, Spain is a city of around 700,000 residents. It is working to address challenges related to mobility, accessibility, and climate resilience. Like many cities, it faces pressure from car dependency and congestion, while some areas continue to experience uneven pedestrian infrastructure.

Climate conditions also present challenges. Increasingly frequent heat waves highlight the need for more shaded and climate-resilient public spaces that remain comfortable and accessible throughout the year.

The Zaragoza Delicias Multimodal Station is the city’s main transport hub, connecting Zaragoza to national rail networks. However, the surrounding area still lacks strong integration with cycling infrastructure and high-quality pedestrian connections.

  • The project focuses on the area around Delicias Station and the transformation of Avenida de Navarra, an important corridor linking the station with the city centre.

    The final phase of the avenue’s renovation provides an opportunity to apply participatory design methods while improving cycling connections and pedestrian conditions. The goal is to transform the corridor into a greener, more accessible urban space that better connects surrounding neighbourhoods.

  • Through its participation in JUST STREETS, Zaragoza aims to support the transition from car-oriented infrastructure toward a people-focused mobility model.

    The project seeks to create a safe, attractive, and climate-resilient corridor that connects the growing AVE neighbourhood with the rest of the city. At the same time, the city aims to strengthen its experience with participatory planning processes that involve local stakeholders in shaping urban transformation.

  • Residents and commuters travelling along the Delicias–AVE corridor are the main beneficiaries of the project. Particular attention is given to vulnerable road users such as older adults, children, and people with reduced mobility.

    Improved cycling connections and public spaces will also benefit commuters using the regional rail hub and residents of nearby neighbourhoods.

  • Zaragoza enters the project with several preparatory elements already in place. The municipality has developed preliminary concepts for cycling infrastructure around the station and has begun coordination with ADIF, the national railway infrastructure manager.

    In parallel, the city has expanded the electric BIZI bike-sharing system, improving last-mile mobility options for commuters arriving at the station.