Elke Van den Brandt has transformed Brussels' streets – and taken a political battering for doing so.

As the city’s mobility minister, she’s championed slower speeds, safer roads and public spaces that feel more like “living rooms than corridors”.

We talk about her 30km/h city-wide limit, the backlash it sparked, the silent majority that supports it and the power of empathy, small projects and showing up in person.

It was a superb insight into how political bravery, behavioural science and empathy (backed up by strong leadership) can work together to reshape cities for the better.

Karen Vancluysen has an infectious passion for sustainable transport and urban mobility. As 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗦, she runs a network of over 100 European cities and regions, all innovating to accelerate the transition to more sustainable mobility.

In today’s episode, we chat about the places that are leading the charge, and the challenges of the growth of populism. She gives advice to political leaders aspiring to make change happen and is inspirational on what has been done - and what more needs to happen.

We end with her recommended mobility ‘grand tour’ of Europe, to see what’s already been achieved on the ground.

It’s a great start to Season 3!

Welcome back to The Freewheeling Podcast, everyone.

Should ER target public transport with their protests? Who are ER and what do they want? This episode gets under the skin of this fascinating organisation

Head of Sustainable Mobility at IKEA on how to eliminate carbon emissions within the next ten years