Till Koglin

Pedestrian planning and the challenges of instrumental rationality in transport planning: emerging strategies in three Swedish municipalities

Abstract Despite having been subject to a strong and many-sided critique, instrumental rationality persists as paramount in transport planning practice and research. This paper argues that it is crucial to acknowledge the prescriptive and normative facet of instrumental rationality in order to understand its impact on transport planning. The aim is to explore to what extent pedestrian planning – within a specific geographical context – has subscribed to the methods employed within the limits of instrumental rationality. The study draws on data from interviews with urban and transport planners in three municipalities in the southern part of Sweden (Malmö, Lund, and Helsingborg) together with those municipalities’ urban and transport planning strategies. The material is analysed through three aspects related to (1) who the road user is in the realm of instrumental rationality, (2) what kind of knowledge is of interest within instrumental rationality and (3) how instrumental rationality takes physical form. The analysed material displays walking as increasingly being included in planning exercises and general design guidelines. However, these efforts do not form a consistent and thought-out strategy proceeding from instrumental rationality. Walking remains seemingly excluded from many methods defining this concept. Furthermore, the means are not described as explicitly related to certain ends, or vice versa.

Urban mobilities and materialities – a critical reflection of “sustainable” urban development

Abstract Urban mobilities are produced through different relations, interactions and materialities. Different combinations of these factors lead to different mobilities, some of which are more sustainable than others. Moreover, mobilities are influenced, shaped and produced through the materialities that create power relations between mobilities and people and that reinforce certain unsustainable ways of moving in the urban space. This paper focuses on the Western Harbour in the city of Malmö, Sweden, which is an area that has been developed during the era of sustainable development and thus the production of mobilities as part of the development should have been sustainable. However, it is shown in this paper that this has not been the case. In particular, peoples’ movements and how they use urban space have not been in focus during the development of the Western Harbour area. While cycling through the Western Harbour, the experience is that obstacles are often in the way and that the network within the area is not connected and is confusing. Moreover, the dominance of cars is very distinct. In this paper, I argue that these materialities influence mobilities and that this can lead to the dominance of unsustainable forms of mobility. By analysing urban mobilities in the Western Harbour, I show that urban planning, even though it might have sustainability as its foundation, can lead to materialities that produce unsustainable mobilities.

Evaluation of public transport: regional policies and planning practices in Sweden

Abstract This paper analyses regional public transport planning in Sweden. The aim is to provide an insight into how policy objectives are translated into action and to investigate how public transport measures are evaluated. The analysis is based on interviews with civil servants in five Swedish regions. Cost-benefit analysis is sparsely used (if ever) and the results further indicate that planning and evaluation of public transport is to a large extent centred around monitoring on-going trends, e.g. patronage and market share. Such information seems policy-relevant, i.e. is commonly asked for by the political level. The informants do ask for more knowledge regarding various effects (mainly social). However, it is less certain whether or not this knowledge would be used for economic evaluation. Regional and local public transport systems are complex, and intrinsically linked to land use and long-term regional ambitions. Instead of asking how public transport planning should be carried out, following CBA analyses, we should perhaps ask how the economic analysis could be tuned so that it becomes relevant for public transport planning. We foresee that the broader role of the public transport system will increase goal conflicts between, and within, authorities.

E-commerce and urban planning – comparing knowledge claims in research and planning practice

Abstract In planning for a future sustainable transport system, it is important to consider the likely effects of e-commerce. This paper analyses the understanding of impacts of e-commerce on urban planning as expressed in planning practice in a number of Swedish municipalities. Knowledge claims concerning the potential effects of e-commerce are studied through an analysis of planning documents and supplementing interviews. These knowledge claims in planning practice are contrasted with the findings presented and discussed in the research literature. The results indicate that the current understanding of e-commerce in Swedish planning practice is limited and that it is primarily viewed as an opportunity to address transport system issues by reducing passenger transport. However, the overview of the literature shows that e-commerce has so far only had limited effects on prevailing mobility habits and that freight transport has increased in parallel with increased e-commerce. Furthermore, e-commerce challenges city centres as commercial areas. Thus, from a planning perspective e-commerce should not be regarded as an easy solution for an unsustainable transport sector. To harness its potential benefits, there is a need to develop pro-active planning strategies that address the potential impacts of e-commerce.