Sustainability through Safer Streets — European Road Safety Excellence Award to NTUA

The transformation of European cities into safer, healthier and greener environments is a defining priority of contemporary urban policy and one in which evidence-based research can deliver immediate, life-saving impact. On 16 October 2025, in Brussels, the NTUA Road Safety Observatory received the European Commission's "Excellence in Road Safety" Award (People's Choice category) in recognition of the impact of its sustained campaign promoting the adoption of 30 km/h city-wide speed limits across European municipalities. The award recognises the work of the Observatory, led by Prof. George Yannis of the School of Civil Engineering and its flagship "30 Marathons in 30 Months" initiative, through which the Observatory has demonstrated the robust scientific evidence linking lower urban speeds with substantial reductions in road fatalities, particularly among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Beyond the immediate safety dividend, city-wide 30 km/h limits play a documented role in reducing local air pollution, urban noise, and the dominance of private-car infrastructure, all central to the European agenda for healthier, lower-carbon and more liveable cities. The recognition reinforces NTUA's positioning at the interface of engineering research and public policy, and demonstrates how academic excellence in the science of urban systems can translate directly into European-level impact for the citizens and communities it serves.