Developing national action plans on transport, health and environment. A step-by-step manual for policy-makers and planners

A national transport, health and environment action plan (NTHEAP) is a key mechanism for developing sustainable and healthy transport in a country. It provides a comprehensive and intersectoral way to plan and take action on transport, environment and health at the national level. NTHEAPs also call for work across sectors, and action can result in reducing health inequalities, thus contributing to achieving the aims of important European policies and strategies: Health 2020, the European policy for health and well-being; the 2010 Parma Declaration on Environment and Health; and the Action Plan for Implementation of the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2012–2016.

This manual was developed to guide NTHEAP development by countries. It proposes four phases: planning, development, implementation and evaluation. It does not provide specifics on how to establish general policies or strategies on sustainable and healthy transport, an activity that usually precedes the development of NTHEAPs. The manual provides practical advice on each of the phases (and the steps that comprise them) in an NTHEAP and highlights good practices from the European Region.