Planning factors in municipal bikesharing network design: A qualitative study

Urban mobility planning is increasingly characterized by the pressure to establish low-emission, space-efficient, and socially inclusive transport services. One such planning task for decision-makers in public institutions is the efficient design of bicycle-sharing networks. This study examines the factors that influence decision-making in this process, both among practitioners and within the research literature on decision support systems (DSS). Employing a dual approach of academic literature review and 16 qualitative interviews with public sector planners, we identify and compare different dimensions of key factors affecting location choice. The results reveal significant contrasts, for instance, between the emphasis placed by academic researchers on ensemble optimization of quantifiable factors and the more target-complex, intuitive approaches pursued by public planning practitioners. We blend core characteristics from both perspectives in a synthesis analysis. We argue that future efforts should aim for more vertical planning assistance, citizen involvement for diversified demand indications, integration of local factors into DSS, and standardized data formats to enable better DSS integration. Our study offers a rare qualitative insight into a complex choice problem faced by public decision-makers, linked with predominantly quantitative research.