Participation, acceptability and equity aspects of urban vehicle access regulations: who benefits and who needs to adapt?

Abstract

Cities are increasingly adopting urban vehicle access regulations (UVAR) to reduce the negative externalities of motorized traffic. Although UVAR schemes are introduced to create a more livable and attractive city, they also restrict access for certain road users, in this way creating unequitable situations. To enhance the effectiveness and acceptance of the scheme, it is therefore important to ensure that user needs are met. In this paper, we combine a literature review on user needs with a case study analysis of twelve Western-European cities, specifically focusing on participation, acceptability and equity aspects during the UVAR process. Resultantly, we show that involving a diversity of stakeholders and understanding the impact of the scheme throughout different stages of the process are important for a successful and equitable outcome of the scheme.