Triple Access Planning (TAP) for uncertain futures
The sustainability transition of cities is of central importance for achieving climate and sustainability objectives in ways which are deemed socially fair. The project explores approaches to better consider both uncertainty and different ways to strengthen accessibility through strategic transport planning. Scenario planning is applied together with seven cities. Guidelines will be developed, grounded in gained insights and experiences.
Conventional transport planning, which is still rooted in a forecast-led paradigm, has not realised societal sustainability objectives. Planning documents tend to rapidly become obsolete and lack resilience with regard to future developments. This project aims to improve the EU-guidance on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), addressing the movement and accessibility of both people and goods, through two significant novel considerations:
- Triple Access Planning (TAP), which acknowledges that future sustainable urban accessibility can be achieved through transport (physical mobility), land-use (spatial proximity) and telecommunications (digital connectivity). These three ways to achieve accessibility together constitute a Triple Access System.
- Accommodating uncertainty. Unpredictable change dynamics (such as demographics, economic developments, locational choices, regulatory context, technological breakthroughs, changes in travel demand and stakeholder behaviour) can be explicitly taken into account in urban mobility planning.
The project is highly collaborative and involves seven case study cities in five countries. Through a methodological approach that addresses theory, practice, design and application, TAP for uncertain futures guidance will be developed and evolved that complements existing SUMP guidelines. The strive is to strengthen resilience and adaptiveness in urban mobility planning by advancing theory and translating it into accessible practical guidance.
Project period: 2021-2024
Participating universities/companies/other organisations: KTH, Uni. of the West of England, Radboud Uni., Urban Plan. Inst. Slovenia, Uni. of Cagliari. Trafikverket, Transport Scotland. Norrköping, Bristol, Aberdeen, Nijmegen, Utrecht, Nova Gorica, Cagliari.
Collaboration: Consultancy firms: Mott MacDonald, MuConsult
Funding: ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity / Energimyndigheten, Formas, Vinnova
Project leader:
