Approach to ensure inclusiveness for the identification of real mobility and public space re-design needs towards sustainability

Abstract: The paper presents the methodology specified and followed in the context of the European funded project ELABORATOR, to provide a comprehensive framework that acts as a practical tool to advise all relevant parties of mobility innovation chain towards achieving a higher level of inclusivity in all phases of new mobility solutions and services’ design, implementation, deployment and evaluation. ELABORATOR aims to support cities in their transition towards climate neutrality by promoting zero-emission, active and human-centred mobility, with a special focus on inclusion. The methodology followed by the project goes beyond the technicalities of sustainable urban mobility solutions and via its inclusive research approach investigates the complex and differentiated needs conveyed by multiple stakeholders and citizens especially women and vulnerable to exclusion groups, in 12 European cities and beyond. The specified inclusion plan is enforced and validated through focus groups (1 per city) and co-creation workshops with over 200 participants of different user groups. This enriches understanding of how these needs are embedded in different social and cultural milieus, how they are interwoven with expectations and needs, how they form differentiated patterns of urban mobility as well as how they can be communicated to enhance the implementation of sustainable urban mobility solutions.The proposed research framework interacts with vulnerable to exclusion groups so that: i) a great diversity of social groups of future users and stakeholders are well represented; ii) a conscious, welcoming, and stimulating environment is created; iii) everyone in those groups feels comfortable in sharing visions, doubts and needs. The investigation, discovery, development and evaluation of the inclusivity of innovative urban mobility solutions by a large under-researched vulnerable to exclusion groups and further stakeholders’ is a complex task and is achieved through well-defined requirements, specifications, methods, tools as well as the combined access of different disciplines.The methodology followed consists of three main activities and is conducted on four distinct phases, namely the Set up phase, the Discovery & Definition phase, the Implementation phase and finally the Evaluation and Dissemination phase. The activities are related with the provision of i) an inclusive vocabulary that includes a catalog of appropriate terms to be used by all relevant parties, ii) acknowledgement of what we mean by “Vulnerable to exclusion groups” and iii) guidelines and indicators towards inclusive mobility interventions implementation and evaluation. Towards this direction, the production/capital oriented structure of societies/cities is investigated and how this norms and patterns affect women and other vulnerable groups. The challenges that women and other more vulnerable groups, such as elderly, children, people with disabilities etc. face in their daily mobility are also explored in order a set of urban quality inclusion indicators for public space and mobility to be defined. The proposed criteria are relevant to 5 broad categories: Safety & Security, Accessibility, Vitality, Public space & Mobility equipment, and Inclusive signs and representations.In more detail, the whole process consists of different steps that are followed in every phase. In the first phase specific guidelines on how to establish inclusive methodologies and co-creation tools and ensure broad representation of diverse citizen groups are provided as well as guidelines on inclusive decision-making and participation. Within the second phase an prioritization of interventions is done based on principles of inclusiveness, identified during the first phase, and using participatory decision-making as well as collective understanding of safe, sustainable, and inclusive urban transportation for all. During the third phase the enforcement of the guidelines for proposed inclusive spatial Interventions are taking place via the well-established participatory co-production processes and the definition of inclusive validation processes. Finally, the evaluation and dissemination phase that runs in parallel with the previous ones refers to the evaluation of mobility interventions using the inclusive indicators and following the inclusive and open process for evaluation.

Keywords: Inclusion, Mobility, Gender Perpsective, Vulnurable User Groups, Urban Public Space, Methodology, Indicators, Sustainability

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005335

Cite this paper:

​