Promoting safe, active mobility for children through community-based interventions in Greece, Italy, and Türkiye: The WalkingBus project approach

¹ School of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, PO Box 452, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
² School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design, Hellenic Open University, Parodos Aristotelous 18, 263 35 Patras, Greece
³ Tero, Adrianoupoleos 33, 551 33 Kalamaria, Greece
⁴ Mine Vaganti NGO, Via Fiore Bianco 13/A, 071 00 Sassari, Italy
⁵ KARGENC Club, Kemalpaşa Mah. Üniversite Cad. No:4/B Kat:3 D:7 Serdivan, 540 50 Sakarya, Türkiye
⁶ Coventry University, Priory St., CV1 5FB Coventry, United Kingdom

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The WalkingBus project aimed to promote safe, active school travel for children aged 6–12 by piloting supervised group walking routes in Greece, Italy, and Türkiye. Inspired by the “walking school bus” concept, the initiative emphasized community participation and inclusivity, engaging schools, municipalities, families, and volunteers in a co-creation process. Across the three countries, nine routes were implemented, involving 196 children and 92 trained volunteers, which significantly surpassed participation targets. A comprehensive evaluation framework, combining pre- and post-intervention surveys with qualitative feedback, revealed increased rates of walking to school, enhanced perceptions of safety, and strong satisfaction across all stakeholder groups. Notably, 90% of participating children in Türkiye reported enjoying the experience, and 83% of Greek and 50% of Turkish families perceived safety improvements. The project demonstrated logistical feasibility, with no safety incidents reported, and stimulated interest from local authorities regarding formal adoption. Challenges included coordinating schedules, ensuring consistent volunteer engagement, and adapting to local urban conditions. The paper outlines the methodological framework, implementation process, evaluation outcomes, and policy implications, positioning WalkingBus as a cost-effective and replicable model aligned with European priorities on sustainability, public health, and child-friendly mobility.