tESTBED LOCATIONS
Empowering communities in urban outskirts
Located in peripheral neighborhoods of six European metropolitan areas, testbeds will serve as key sites for collaboration and knowledge exchange with communities, SMEs, and local authorities.
By focusing on the specific mobility needs and accessibility challenges of each area, the project will develop tailored solutions.
Province of Bergamo, Italy
Cologno al Serio e Urgnano
The Province of Bergamo is a territorial authority with responsibilities in urban and transport planning and policy, consisting of 243 municipalities. The Province of Bergamo aims to experiment with solutions to improve workplace accessibility by addressing the last-mile problem, particularly in the plain areas characterized by a presence of industrial platforms with limited access to public transport or active mobility options. COMMON_ACCESS works with stakeholders in Cologno al Serio e Urgnano to investigate and develop community led-responses to mitigate local accessibility challenges.
Key topics:
Access to work | Access to public transport | Mobility
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Littlemore & Wallingford
Oxfordshire has 725,000 residents across rural and urban areas, and is governed by Oxfordshire County Council which delivers services such as transport, education, social care, climate action, and public health.
Research activities in Wallingford and Littlemore include proximity‑based workshops and interviews with local stakeholders, community interviews and accessibility scenario workshops.
Key topics:
Access to healthcare | Community venues | Youth services | Access to public transport.
East Flanders, Belgium
Merelbeke-Melle
Province Oost-Vlaanderen (Province of East Flanders) is a regional government institution in the Flemish region of Belgium. The Province of East Flanders plays an important role in promoting mobility and accessibility in urban outskirts by collaborating with local municipalities and other stakeholders to ensure that transportation and accessibility needs are met for all residents.
COMMON_ACCESS collaborates with stakeholders in the recently merged municipality of Merelbeke-Melle, discussing local accessibility needs and sharing attitudes and approaches to different mobility strategies.
Key topics:
Access to healthcare | Community venues | Youth services | Access to public transport.
Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Metropoolregio Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA) faces different challenges in mobility and accessibility and aims to improve the quality of life by supporting active modes of transport and reducing car dominance in central and suburban areas. Accessibility and proximity have been central to questions surrounding the spatial distribution of various functions, facilities, and services in both urban and rural areas across the region strategically in the region.
COMMON_ACCESS studies these accessibility needs within the region, working with communities to understand what commoning practices address these issues and how communities are mitigating challenges for themselves.
Key topics:
Access to public transport | Mobility | Housing | Land use
Pavia, Italy
Pavia
The Province of Pavia is a territorial authority with its own statute and regulations, consisting of 190 municipalities located between the mountains and the Po Valley flatlands. In its Provincial Territorial Plan, particular attention is given to sustainable mobility policies aimed at reducing car dependency. This is achieved by improving both physical and social accessibility through territorial planning pathways tailored to the various settlement types within the province. These plans span across different administrative and sectoral areas (transport and urban planning, welfare system provision).
Key topics:
Access to transport | Sustainable mobility | Social | Youth services | Access to public transport.
Bavaria, Germany
Vaterstetten
Vaterstetten is a constantly growing community located on the eastern outskirts of Munich, in the Ebersberg district of Bavaria, with a population of around 25,600. It also projects steady population growth of 4–6% over the next 15 years, reflecting the area's dynamism and development.
Since 2012, Vaterstetten has implemented a Community Development Program (GEP), a strategic program for the municipality's urban development. Research conducted by COMMON_ACCESS with the local community and municipality focus on addressing accessibility needs in line with the GEP programme's key areas such as settlement development, commercial and public space planning, and green space management.
Key topics:
Access to public transport | Access to green space | Car dependency | Community venues