Agenda

Speaker: Enrica Papa, University of Westminster, London
Title: "Accessibility planning for sustainability"

Abstract: 

The concept of accessibility is of primary importance in transport and land use strategic decision making processes. The benefits of using the ‘accessibility approach’ are well-known and widely documented both in the technical and academic literature. However, in practice, traditional transport planning approaches, which are strictly focused on mobility, are still mostly used. The seminar documents the findings of a research project with two key goals. First, to identify the main barriers to the adoption of the accessibility approach in land use and transport planning practice. Second, to outline a comprehensive pathway to change this situation and make accessibility a much more central concept in key decision-making circles. The conclusions are clear. It is necessary to focus less on technological issues such as what are the best instruments and decision-making tools to promote the accessibility approach. Conversely, it is necessary to focus more on the institutional, organisational and cultural barriers to this approach. The major barriers are perceptions related to financial costs, pro-mobility established powers, mainstream economic science and appraisal tools, and the governance frameworks of contemporary universities and research organisations. Based on empirical work, a set of pro-accessibility measures is presented to help addressing the abovementioned barriers.

The seminar will be followed by a PhD talk: Conducting research: workshop on research methods