Reducing resistance to urban transport system change

Abstract

Urban transport system change (UTSC) to transform and modify transport infrastructure, and to introduce policies and services to improve accessibility, efficiency, or health, is often met with fierce resistance. Resistance can be political, economic, social & cultural, or legal, with the ultimate purpose to maintain transport systems in their current form, or to even grant more freedoms to vehicles. The private car, which has specific relevance for rural and sub-urban populations, is at the heart of all conflicts, as UTSC is about reducing car numbers in cities. Against this background, the paper follows a critical problem solving approach to discuss the system of automobility and the psychological functions of the car. This provides an understanding of car attachment. By integrating a relational account of the situation with a critical problem-solving approach, the strategies that various stakeholders might employ to advance UTSC are then outlined. To this end, the paper presents the “5Cs of UTSC”, referring to communication, cost, commons, census, and counterfactual. These represent key strategies aimed at lowering barriers and resistance while garnering support for UTSC initiatives. Each strategy is discussed with reference to practical examples and can be employed by policymakers and urban planners to reduce resistance against urban transport system change.

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