Safety of Cyclists, Pedestrians and Users of Micromobility Devices

The EU grant opportunity titled "Safety of Cyclists, Pedestrians and Users of Micromobility Devices" falls under Horizon Europe, specifically focusing on enhancing road safety for vulnerable users through research and innovation. It is categorized as a Horizon Research and Innovation Action (RIA) and the grant type is a Horizon Lump Sum Grant. The total budget for this call is €10 million, with an indicative funding of approximately €5 million allocated per project, and two grants expected to be awarded. The application process involves a single-stage open call, which will be open from September 16, 2025, until the submission deadline on January 20, 2026.

Eligible applicant types include universities, research institutions, small to medium-sized enterprises, and consortia that collaborate on related projects. The geographic eligibility extends to EU member states and associated countries. Although the specific countries are not detailed, the project focus is on urban environments within the EU.

The objectives of this funding opportunity are comprehensive. It aims to improve road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility users by developing and testing tailored safety measures, infrastructure designs, and innovative technological solutions like Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technologies. The call recognizes the increasing use of e-bikes and e-scooters, which raises new safety challenges. The proposals are expected to address the safety needs of diverse user groups, including those with vulnerabilities such as disabilities.

Proposals must incorporate pilot testing strategies in real urban settings and include data collection on safety risks and factors contributing to accidents. The focus is on community safety, effective urban planning, and the integration of micromobility in sustainable transport policies. Activities may involve collaborative efforts with recognized initiatives in urban mobility and road safety.

Co-funding is not required, and applicants are encouraged to engage social sciences and humanities expertise to maximize societal impact. The evaluation of proposals will be based on thorough criteria laid out in the Work Programme, taking into account financial capacity, operational capacity, and the overall quality of the submitted research plans.

This funding opportunity aims to not just develop practical safety solutions but also to generate knowledge and best practices that can guide authorities in creating safer urban environments for all road users.

The EU funding opportunity HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-13 focuses on enhancing the safety of cyclists, pedestrians, and users of micromobility devices. It falls under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically Cluster 5 Call 01-2026 (WP 2025). The action type is HORIZON-RIA, which stands for Horizon Research and Innovation Actions. The grant agreement type is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. It is a forthcoming opportunity with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 16 September 2025, and the deadline for submission is 20 January 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The topic budget for the year 2025 is 10,000,000 EUR, and the indicative number of grants is around 2.

The expected outcomes of this funding opportunity are: Improved road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, e-cyclists, and users of micromobility devices; In-depth analysis and assessment of the safety associated with micromobility modes; Increased use of active and micromobility modes across all age and socioeconomic groups due to improved safety; Standardisation guidelines for authorities on reporting crashes involving micromobility modes; Guidelines for city authorities on incorporating micromobility modes in Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs); Development of mitigating solutions for the adverse impact on safety due to the changing car fleet; In-depth analysis of the impact of road infrastructure on the safety and comfort of cyclists, pedestrians, and micromobility users; Assessment methodologies to evaluate the safety potential and effectiveness of advanced safety measures.

The scope of this opportunity includes: Addressing the increasing share of trips made by active modes in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; Recognizing the focus cities are placing on the mobility and safety needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility device users; Acknowledging that pedestrians and cyclists are heavily affected by crashes; Addressing the exponential increase in the use of electrically assisted devices (micromobility modes) for personal mobility and last-mile delivery; Recognizing the varying sizes and operating speeds of micromobility modes and their adoption by various user groups; Addressing the significant knowledge gap related to the operational safety of micromobility vehicles in cities.

Proposals submitted under this topic should address the following aspects: Collect and use exposure data when analyzing the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility users, and identify crash contributing factors and their interactions; Provide an extensive analysis of the safety needs, as well as tailored safety measures for cyclists and each type of micromobility mode, while taking into account the trip purpose and the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the users; Assess the actual and perceived safety risk of pedestrians and cyclists due to the emergence of micromobility modes that operate at higher speeds and that have increased in size and weight; Quantify the impact of the geometric design, quality, and continuity of the cycling infrastructure on the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and micromobility users, considering their increasing demand, operating speeds, and size of vehicles; Assess the potential effectiveness of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies in decreasing conflicts and near misses between pedestrians, cyclists and micromobility vehicles, and users and motorised vehicles; Identify best practices in the design of bicycles and micromobility vehicles in terms of stability and the avoidance of single crashes, contributing to the underlying development of a draft European regulatory framework on the type-approval of micromobility vehicles or self-certification based on harmonised standards; Identify, define and pilot test the following in at least two clearly identified real-life urban environments: new geometric designs of infrastructure to ensure safe, seamless, and comfortable mobility for pedestrians, cyclists and users of micromobility modes while accounting for the increasing demand, higher operating speeds and weight and size of e-bikes, e-scooters and all types of micromobility devices; smart technologies (V2X) to assess their effectiveness in preventing and decreasing conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, micromobility modes users and motorised traffic; road safety requisites, requirements, rules and/or regulations that could be put in place by local authorities in order to increase the take-up and the safety of active and micromobility modes in all age and socioeconomic groups, by 20% compared to the baseline at the start of the project; development of a comprehensive, real-time information platform for cyclists that includes data on route accessibility, signage, and infrastructure conditions.

Special focus should be paid to supporting the safety of user groups with particular vulnerability including people with disabilities (physical, mental, cognitive, developmental, intellectual, sensory, etc). Proposals are invited to explain how the work supports local/regional/national authorities’ efforts to deliver on the objectives of the Vision Zero Strategy, the Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety and the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 as well as on the integration of road safety policies and programmes in Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning. Proposals should plan for an active collaboration with the well-recognised initiatives in the field of road safety and urban mobility such as the European Road Safety Observatory and the CIVITAS initiative. In addition, proposals should demonstrate that the proposed approaches build upon the results from previous research actions and liaise and collaborate with the projects that will be selected under topic “HORIZON-MISS-2025-06-CIT-CANCER-01: Walking and cycling: increasing their modal share to reap health benefits and emission reductions and integrating active mobility and micro-mobility devices, with smart technologies and infrastructure”. This topic requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts and institutions, as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities, with a focus on human-technology interaction, responsiveness of safety solutions and how this varies across different population groups, and behavioural norms.

The general conditions include: Admissibility Conditions regarding proposal page limit and layout; Eligible Countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes; Other Eligible Conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes; Financial and operational capacity and exclusion as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes; Evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes; Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual; Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes; Legal and financial set-up of the grants, where eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Specific conditions include: Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA), with application form templates available in the Submission System; Standard application form (HE RIA, IA); Evaluation form templates will be used with the necessary adaptations; Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA); Guidance from the HE Programme Guide; Model Grant Agreements (MGA) including the Lump Sum MGA; Call-specific instructions including a detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance on lump sums; Additional documents such as the HE Main Work Programme 2025, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidelines and manuals related to legal entity validation, grant agreements, and the Funding & Tenders Portal.

This funding opportunity aims to improve road safety for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists by addressing the challenges posed by the increasing use of micromobility devices in urban areas. It seeks to generate knowledge, develop guidelines, and pilot test solutions that can be implemented by local authorities to create safer and more sustainable urban mobility environments. The call emphasizes the importance of considering the needs of all road users, including those with disabilities, and encourages collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the call encourages the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities disciplines to enhance the societal impact of the research activities.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit organizations, and other types of organizations involved in research and innovation. The mention of LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative) also suggests that any legal entity validated by the EU is eligible. Local, regional, and national authorities are also implied as potential beneficiaries.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. The call includes different types of actions: Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of the projects, particularly the need for pilot testing in multiple urban environments and collaboration with various initiatives, it is highly likely that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, if not required. The partner search announcements further suggest that consortia are expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries. The text mentions that non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible for funding if they have made specific provisions, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the transport sector, specifically focusing on urban mobility, road safety, and the integration of active mobility and micromobility devices. It also emphasizes the importance of social sciences and humanities (SSH) in enhancing the societal impact of the research.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the geographic scope includes the EU and associated countries. The call is relevant to local, regional, and national authorities within these areas.

Project Stage: The project stage spans from development and validation to demonstration and implementation. The call seeks research and innovation actions, as well as innovation actions, implying that projects should be beyond the initial idea stage and ready for practical testing and implementation. Pilot testing in real-life urban environments is a key component.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1,500,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €30,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies. For the specific topic HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-13, the budget is €10,000,000 with an indicative funding of around €5,000,000 per grant and an expected 2 grants.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, Horizon Europe grants often involve some level of co-funding, which would be detailed in the specific call documents and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

This Horizon Europe call focuses on enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users, specifically pedestrians, cyclists, and users of micromobility devices, within urban environments. The call recognizes the increasing popularity of active and micromobility modes, such as e-bikes and e-scooters, and the associated safety challenges. Projects funded under this call are expected to contribute to improved road safety, better integration of micromobility into urban planning, and the development of innovative solutions to mitigate safety risks. The call emphasizes the need for data-driven analysis, tailored safety measures, and the effective use of technology to protect vulnerable road users and promote sustainable urban mobility. Applicants are expected to collaborate with relevant initiatives and engage social sciences and humanities expertise to ensure the societal impact of their research and innovation activities. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the call follows a single-stage submission process.