On 25th September, Local Authority representatives and Local Link Managers from across Ireland gathered in Athlone alongside Irish and European mentors for the conclusion of Track 1 of the Smart and Sustainable Mobility Accelerator (SSMA) Programme. This event marked the third in a series of quarterly mentoring sessions, capping off a fruitful year of collaboration including a series of in-person and online training sessions, a cross-regional final conference, and the implementation of several lighthouse projects that have been the focus of participants in each local authority as a highly visible and replicable active travel or sustainable mobility project. 

The SSMA Programme, developed by BABLE Smart Cities in partnership with Ireland’s regional assemblies, is one of the 35 projects under the Department of Transport's Pathfinder Programme announced in October 2022. Designed to equip participants with skills and knowledge to break down barriers to implementation, this initiative aligns with the National Sustainable Mobility Policy (SMP) Action Plan 2022-2025, supporting Ireland’s drive towards a smarter and more sustainable transport system. 

In Athlone, participants shared updates on their lighthouse projects, including some who have already implemented them. They also met with experts in planning, governance, behaviour change, cocreation, and financing & technology. They had wide-ranging discussions especially emphasising the need for behaviour change and accessibility throughout the development and implementation of their projects.  

As the programme progresses, the next track will focus on empowering elected councillors in their role in creating change for more active travel and sustainable mobility in Ireland, with further training for innovation actors and community representatives to follow. Additionally, sustainable mobility practitioners across Ireland have access to a wealth of resources on the Sustainable Mobility Academy. 

The Smart and Sustainable Mobility Accelerator is one of the Pathfinder projects announced by the Department of Transport in October 2022. BABLE Smart Cities and the regional assemblies have developed the training programme and associated Sustainable Mobility Academy platform. For further information and resources for mobility practitioners in Ireland, visit www.sustainablemobilityacademy.ie.