Governing mobility hubs in the sustainable urban mobility transition: Dynamics of stability and change

Abstract

Multimodality describes the combination of several transport modes and plays an essential role in the transition to sustainable urban mobility. Mobility hubs are physical locations where people change modes of transport and, therefore, bring forth multi-actor and multi-level governance arrangements. Mobility hubs are also a means to tackle the (re-)distribution of urban space and prioritization of environmentally friendly modes of transport. Nevertheless, research on sustainable mobility has identified an implementation gap in the sector. To date, academic literature on mobility hubs and multimodality has predominantly focused on design and user needs, integration into urban space, and environmental impact. In contrast, this article asks how the governance framework affects the implementation of mobility hub networks. The theoretical approach combines an analysis of governance arrangements with literature on smart mobility governance. This multifaceted analytical framework facilitates the examination of various dimensions and dynamics of the governance arrangements behind mobility hubs. Based on a qualitative content analysis of local policy documents and 12 semi-structured expert interviews with local and regional stakeholders, this study analyzes two case studies, in Munich and Vienna. The analysis reveals fragmented multi-level and multi-actor governance arrangements that require complex coordination processes and experimental governance. Parking management and shared mobility regulation are powerful municipal instruments for shaping mobility policies and installing mobility hubs. However, the dominant normative ideas of automobility and neoliberal logic of scarcity and behavioral change are hindering the pursuit of more ambitious changes in urban infrastructure. Mobility hubs can only fulfill their potential to add and connect mobility services if they simultaneously tackle the predominance of automobility.