Constraints to the transition to fossil-free passenger transport – As perceived by rural inhabitants

Abstract

Passenger travel by car currently accounts for a significant part of greenhouse gas emissions, but reducing dependency on the car in rural areas while ensuring accessibility is challenging. This study offers a user perspective on the constraints to fossil-free mobility in a remote rural area of Sweden, drawing on focus group discussions with inhabitants of six rural settlements.The study took place in Västerbotten and Norrbotten, Sweden's two northernmost regions where the climate is sub-arctic, population density low, and car dependence high.It explores constraints including the shift from personal and individual responsibility for transport to more collective solutions. Both contextual and individual aspects impact on people's ability to change, including social networks, working arrangements, socioeconomic preconditions, and personal flexibility.