Systemic barriers and drivers for a sustainable transformation of urban mobility: Lessons from Athens and Berlin

Kurzfassung

Many cities implement projects redistributing public space favoring active mobility and the quality of stay. Since the Covid pandemic the use of temporary and provisional measures increases strongly. Thereby, the municipal administration is key actor. Hence, it is crucial to research the implications of different administrative structures for the efficiency of a sustainable transformation of urban mobility. For this reason, two cities with different frameworks conditions are selected and a total of 18 expert interviews are conducted. Even though the two cities differ strongly, the main impacting factors appear relatively similar between the case studies. These can be condensed to five determinants: restrictive guidelines and laws, hindering administrative structure, insufficient resources, the unstable role of the civil society, and a lack of enforcement. Our research underlines the importance of addressing these deficiencies, as it helps to support the transition towards sustainable urban mobility and might give practitioners and politicians starting points for action.