Active2Public Transport at the Danube Region Steering Group Meeting on Sustainable Energy

On April 7, 2025, the Active2Public Transport (A2PT) project took part in the 30th Steering Group Meeting of Priority Area 2 (Sustainable Energy) under the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) in Prague. Steering Group meetings serve as key forums for discussing PA2 strategies, ongoing projects, and regional energy policies.

Transport contributes 25% of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions, ranking second after energy production. A2PT tackles this by integrating active travel with public transport, offering fast, innovative, and eco-friendly mobility solutions to cut energy use and emissions.

The cornerstone of this approach is the Danube A2PT Action Plan, a comprehensive transnational framework that will be complemented by national and regional action plans. This strategic blueprint aims to seamlessly integrate Active and Public Transport (APT) into key transport nodes, paving the way for the development of modern, multimodal mobility hubs.

"Greener and less energy intensive Danube Region is one of the goals of PA2. The support to active and public transport will help us achieve such a goal," emphasized Tomas Vondra, a PA2 coordinator from Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

The A2PT project is not just about ideas—it’s about real change and taking action. To prove that sustainable transport can work, the project will launch seven pilot programs in nine different countries. These pilots will test practical solutions for modal shift towards active and public transport that could be used in many other places.

To make it easier for cities and regions to apply these solutions, A2PT is also developing an online toolbox. This will be a helpful resource with practical advice on how to improve public transport by combining different types of travel, like walking, cycling, and buses.

"Our goal is to find innovative multimodal solutions to better connect active and public transport. By doing so, we want to show decision-makers and other stakeholders that the modal shift towards active and public transport can leverage a seamless, efficient, and eco-friendly transportation ecosystem," stated Irene Bittner, Lead Partner of Active2Public Transport from the Austrian Energy Agency.

EUSDR Priority Area 2 aims to foster the Green Energy transition in the Danube Region and coordinate regional energy policies with the focus of several key areas, such as energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, new and innovative clean energy technologies, etc.

The collaboration between A2PT and EUSDR PA2 highlights a joint commitment to sustainable transport and energy solutions. By integrating active mobility with public transport and supporting green energy initiatives, the Danube Region is taking decisive steps towards a more sustainable and connected future.

Irene Bittner

Lead Coordinator of the A2PT Project

Irene Bittner studied landscape architecture in Vienna and Copenhagen and focuses her work on sustainable mobility and livable streets. Among others, she has worked as a lecturer and researcher at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and the University of Graz. Since 2022, she has worked as a mobility expert for the Austrian climate protection initiative ‘klimaaktiv mobil’ at the Österreichische Energieagentur – Austrian Energy Agency. Irene holds a driver's license but has never owned a car in her life. She really enjoys traveling by train – for work and for holiday trips. Living in cities like Vienna, Copenhagen, Berlin, or Graz, she loves to take the metro, buses, and tramways, as well as cycling or walking to get in touch with urban street life. Sometimes, taking a taxi or using car sharing is sufficient to cover her need for the automotive travel experience or simply to transport goods.