Sustainable mobility policy on a rural-urban spectrum: exploring spatial differentiation within the Swedish context

Abstract

The continued reliance on cars presents a challenge for sustainable mobility policy. A wide range of approaches exists to address this issue, from promoting more sustainable vehicle options to replacing cars altogether. However, national sustainable mobility policies related to car use often suffer from spatial blindness – which implies a limited contextual differentiation based on the specific characteristics of the area in which they are implemented. Enhancing policy differentiation may improve policy effectiveness. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature on sustainable mobility policies and explore practical approaches to achieving greater policy differentiation, using Sweden as a pilot case. Our findings suggest that existing sustainable mobility policies, typically based on a common urban-rural distinction, can be adapted to a spatially differentiated spectrum that considers variations in population density. This study contributes a practice-oriented perspective to the discussion on policy differentiation, articulated through a policy model that integrates quantitative analysis and a literature review. Additionally, it provides a review of potential sustainable mobility policy measures and examines their applicability across different spatial contexts.

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