GuidelineCore resource

Citizen Activation Guide: Promoting Year-Round Active Mobility (YRAM)

Tallinn University of Technology · 2025

Summary

The Citizen Activation Guide (CAG), developed by Tallinn University of Technology as part of the BATS project, provides a practical framework for municipalities and mobility planners to engage residents and encourage year-round active mobility, particularly during colder and darker seasons. The guide is structured around three questions: WHY citizen engagement is needed, TO WHOM activities should be targeted, and HOW participation and behaviour change can be supported. It explains how to assess local mobility conditions, identify residents' needs, motivations and barriers, develop user personas, and select appropriate participatory or behavioural approaches. Practical guidance covers communication campaigns, focus groups, workshops, digital mapping, public meetings, walking and cycling field visits, citizen advisory committees, and nudging techniques. The accompanying CAG Canvas supports systematic planning, while templates for resident surveys, focus groups and campaign checklists help practitioners implement and evaluate engagement activities. The guide also includes examples from seven BATS pilot areas across the Baltic Sea Region and links citizen engagement activities to monitoring and evaluation. It is particularly useful for cities seeking to move beyond generic awareness campaigns towards targeted, evidence-informed approaches that address the specific barriers preventing people from walking and cycling throughout the year.

Topics

Behaviour & Mobility Management Communication & Engagement Policy, Strategy & Governance

Target audience

Urban planners Traffic planners Promoters & advocates

Mode

Walking Cycling Wheeling

Conditions

Winter Cold Dark

Population group