Connecting Strategic Road Transport Research with Public Transport
The legacy of STREnGth M in the UITP context
Running from 2023 to its conclusion on 31 January 2026, the Horizon Europe–funded STREnGth M project brought together 23 partners and set out to bolster European road transport research, strengthen global cooperation, and accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility. Building on earlier initiatives such as FOSTER ROAD, FUTURE RADAR and FUTURE HORIZON, the STREnGth M project responded to a clear need for stronger coordination, greater strategic clarity and improved uptake of research results.
Over the course of the project, a comprehensive set of tools and methodologies was developed to support these ambitions. These included stakeholder mapping, monitoring of global progress in road transport innovation, and strengthened mechanisms for international exchange and cooperation. Central to the project was the development and continuous updating of road mapping mechanisms, designed to anticipate future research and innovation needs and to support strategic research agendas at European, national and international levels. In parallel, STREnGth M carried out a systematic assessment of education, training and skills, identifying barriers that hinder the deployment of research outcomes and proposing ways to address them.
Many of these achievements were showcased at the STREnGth M Final Event, held on 29 January in Brussels. The event highlighted both the relevance of the project and its concrete contributions. Discussions underscored the importance of structured road mapping, evidence-based identification of research needs, robust education and skills analysis, as well as targeted dissemination strategies. A key message emerging from the event was that research impact does not end with technological development, but depends on coordinated governance, skills development and active stakeholder engagement.
For UITP, a proud partner in the project, this resonates strongly, public transport often sits at the intersection of road transport research, urban policy and real-world implementation. The strategic frameworks developed under STREnGth M help create an environment in which public transport solutions can be better integrated into European and global research agendas.
UITP-hosted webinar: connecting strategy and practice
This link between strategy and implementation was explored in depth during the UITP-hosted project webinar on 23 January, titled “From Road Transport Research to Real-World Mobility: Connecting STREnGth M with Public Transport Practice”. The webinar served as a bridge between the project’s strategic outcomes and concrete examples from the public transport sector.
The session opened with an overview of STREnGth M by Marina Martin Vilches (POLIS Network), who presented the project’s objectives, structure and key activities. She highlighted how STREnGth M supported the coordination of strategic research agendas, strengthened links between European and global research ecosystems, and helped identify barriers to implementation. Her contribution set the scene by illustrating how support actions such as STREnGth M foster coherence across research efforts and create pathways towards real-world impact.
This strategic perspective was followed up by the next speaker, Oliver Lah (UEMI), who addressed road transport innovation from a global viewpoint. Focusing on emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America, he highlighted the diversity of mobility needs, the role of informal transport systems, and the importance of considering a wider range of vehicle segments beyond private cars. He underlined that public transport, shared mobility and system-level solutions are critical to sustainable mobility transitions in these regions, and that European expertise can play a valuable role when adapted to local contexts.
The discussion then shifted firmly to implementation with a presentation by Flavio Grazian (UITP) on the EBRT 2030 project. Coordinated by UITP, EBRT 2030 demonstrates how European research and innovation can be translated into zero-emission Bus Rapid Transit systems across multiple cities in Europe and beyond. Through real-life demonstrations, the project shows how innovation can reduce emissions, improve operational efficiency and enhance passenger experiences. This contribution illustrated how eBRT systems represent one practical method of improving road transport for the public at large.
Finally, Johanne Dølvik (Ruter) presented an autonomous, on-demand public transport pilot developed under the Horizon Europe ULTIMO project. Her presentation showed how emerging technologies such as automated vehicles can be integrated into public transport systems to complement high-capacity services and reduce reliance on private cars. This example reinforced the message that innovation delivers great value within the context of public transport strategy.
You can view the webinar through UITP’s MyLibrary linked below
https://mylibrary.uitp.org/Record.htm?&record=19373072124911912549
To conclude, the STREnGth M project, its Final Event and the UITP-hosted webinar tell a clear and coherent narrative, strategic coordination of road transport research is essential, it is also paramount to effectively connect that strategy to real-world public transport practice. We are very glad to have been part of this project, through its growth, development and conclusion.
