For years, municipal mobility policy focused primarily on traffic flow and efficiency. But those who do not own a car, cannot cycle, walk, or travel independently by public transport were unintentionally left out of the picture. Traffic models hardly took these limitations into account. That is now changing.
Transport equity refers to the lack of suitable transport options that prevents people from participating fully in society. The approach taken by DRO-DMI, a consortium of private and public parties including the municipalities of Almere and Amsterdam, started with a simple but sharp observation: existing traffic models lack crucial information. Both municipalities saw in their own practice how vulnerable groups – people who cannot cycle, have limited mobility or cannot use public transport independently – are completely overlooked in the model world. Almere decided to investigate this, together with consultancy firm Goudappel and Amsterdam. They entered into dialogue with the target group and conducted a large-scale survey in Flevoland.
Cycling crucial to staying mobile
The interviews reveal that cycling in the city is often crucial to staying mobile. Those who are no longer able to do so are dependent on expensive, limited-access, and sometimes unreliable public transport or taxis. “Small groups without a financial and/or social safety net experience the most severe and often invisible consequences,” explains Gerry de Koning, smart mobility program manager in Almere. The survey also showed that no less than 11 percent of people cannot cycle, 18.8 percent have limited mobility, and 10.4 percent cannot travel independently by public transport. De Koning: “These figures make it clear that transport equity is not a marginal phenomenon, but a problem that should not be underestimated if traffic models do not take it into account.”
Taking vulnerable groups into account
In the Digital Management of Public Space (DRO-DMI) program, the municipalities of Amsterdam and Almere, together with consultancy firm Goudappel, changed course. They developed a traffic model that does take these vulnerable groups into account. This helps municipalities to develop policies that do justice to all residents. “By not focusing exclusively on cars, but rather on the possibilities and limitations for walking and cycling, we get a much more inclusive picture of mobility,” says De Koning.
Second opinion
The new model enables municipalities to develop more targeted policies. “They can now see who will be affected by a measure and respond immediately.” In Almere, for example, the model serves as a second opinion. De Koning: “Suppose you want to scrap or reduce a public transport line because it is underused. The model shows how many people will lose their transport options as a result. As a municipality, you can then reconsider that option or choose alternatives.” Even small interventions can make a difference, De Koning believes. “The interviews revealed that some people cannot get to a bus stop without resting along the way. A few benches along the route can make the difference between staying at home or being able to participate.”