ICTA-UAB researchers participate in the Bike Bus Summit 2026 in Lisbon
Researchers from the ICTA-UAB participated in the Bike Bus Summit 2026, the international gathering dedicated to the growing global movement of “bike buses”, groups of children cycling to school together accompanied by trained marshals.
Held in Lisbon, Portugal, on 29–30 April and organized by Bicicultura, the summit brought together educators, researchers, city officials, community leaders, parents and mobility advocates from around the world to exchange knowledge and experiences on safe, active and sustainable school mobility.
Among the participants were ICTA-UAB researchers Jordi Honey-Rosés and Gemma Simon i Mas, whose work has contributed to documenting and analysing the international expansion of the Bike Bus movement. Their research includes the study “A global overview of Bike Bus: A journey toward a child-friendly city,” published in the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation.
The Lisbon event followed previous editions in Barcelona (2023), Frankfurt (2024) and Worcester (2025), reflecting the rapid growth of the initiative across Europe and beyond.
The summit programme included keynote talks, practical workshops, networking sessions and live Bike Bus demonstrations across Lisbon. Discussions focused on route planning, safety protocols, policy frameworks, community engagement and the role of active school mobility in creating healthier, more child-friendly cities.
Gemma Simon i Mas participated in sessions focused on “Community Engagement & Impact” and on the development of child-friendly and independent mobility. Jordi Honey-Rosés contributed to discussions connected to the international growth of Bike Bus initiatives and the broader transformation of cities through active school mobility.
The Bike Bus movement originated in 2020 in Vic, Catalonia, where teachers at El Petit Miquel school began cycling groups of children to school together through congested urban streets. Since then, the initiative has expanded internationally and is increasingly recognised as a practical response to traffic congestion around schools, declining rates of children’s independent mobility, public health concerns and climate challenges.
Research conducted by ICTA-UAB has contributed to understanding how Bike Buses can support safer routes to school, foster community ties and encourage children’s autonomy in urban environments. Their work has also explored how grassroots initiatives can evolve into scalable city-wide systems for sustainable mobility.
According to the summit organizers, the Bike Bus movement is “about more than just cycling”; it is also about promoting safer streets, daily independence and healthier, happier cities.
The Lisbon summit reinforced the growing international momentum behind Bike Buses and their potential to transform the daily journey to school into a safer, more social and climate-friendly experience for children and families worldwide.