Urban Transport and Mobility

Abstract

Urban areas and their populations are expected to grow substantially in the next 40 years, particularly in the least developed countries that are less likely to tackle the resulting problems. The objectives of urban transport policy are unlikely to change significantly. However, priorities are likely to change over time. Climate change, resource depletion, health and resilience are expected to be of growing importance. Congestion, pollution, safety, accessibility and the attributes of climate change are likely to grow even more rapidly than urban populations, as a result of growing motorization and urban sprawl. There are considerable opportunities for technological innovation, particularly in motive power sources and vehicle design, and to a lesser extent in the form of driverless public transport systems. Such technologies will not provide a complete answer to the problems which cities will face. Behavioral change will be of equal importance and will require a growing emphasis on demand management. Innovations in the range of transport policy instruments can be expected to continue, reflecting recent trends in which as many as ten new policy approaches have arisen in each decade. This will provide a wider range of options for cities but will increase the need for objective evaluation of these innovative solutions. The development of packages of policy measures, including new technologies and new and existing transport policy instruments will be of increasing importance. More effort is needed to understand the design of effective policy packages in different contexts, both through underpinning research and through the collection of empirical evidence as leading cities apply such packages. Innovation in urban transport policy can be applied at several stages in the policy process. At the early stages of understanding problems and developing possible solutions, innovations in decision-support tools and in the policy making process can help overcome barriers to progress. In considering the range of possible solutions, innovations in technology and also in policy instruments can contribute to a richer policy package. Once policies are being prepared for implementation, innovations in governance, finance and in increasing public acceptability will help to streamline the implementation process. Finally, when one city has achieved success with an innovative policy, innovations in learning culture and in information exchange can help ensure effective policy transfer to other cities. To be fully effective, innovation needs to be pursued, and encouraged on all of these fronts