Paris named best European city for child-friendly mobility

Paris has been ranked the top European city for child-friendly mobility in a new report from the Clean Cities Campaign. The study assessed 36 major cities across the continent on how well they support safe, healthy, and accessible travel for children. It focused on measures such as the availability of cycle lanes, low-speed zones, traffic restrictions around schools, and air quality.

The French capital came first thanks to its comprehensive efforts to create a safer environment for children. Key policies include the widespread 30 km/h speed limit across most of the city’s streets, a growing network of protected cycle lanes, and traffic restrictions near schools. Other high-ranking cities included Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Lyon, and Helsinki, all recognised for their leadership in promoting sustainable, child-focused mobility.

Barcelona was the highest-ranking Spanish city, coming seventh overall. Its “Superblocks” scheme and the “Protegim les escoles” programme were noted for successfully reducing car traffic and improving safety around schools. London also scored well, especially for its extensive rollout of “school streets” that temporarily restrict traffic at pick-up and drop-off times – a policy now in place at over 500 locations across the city.

The Clean Cities Campaign stresses that designing cities with children in mind not only improves safety but also promotes healthier lifestyles and greater independence. ETSC supports this approach, calling on cities across Europe to prioritise safe speeds and infrastructure that protects the most vulnerable road users.