Perspectives on mobility cultures in megacities

Abstract

Megacities are facing multiple challenges in urban mobility, linked to energy scarcity and climate change, unprecedented urbanisation and suburbanisation, as well as local issues of social and spatial inequalities, traffic impacts on health, severe congestion, conflicts over urban space and complex regional governance tasks. This chapter explores how megacities can address these issues to create well-functioning mobility systems, while simultaneously enhancing their liveability, economic performance and sustainability. Every city is unique and complex, so there is no one simple solution. It is argued here, however, that the mobility culture concept helps us to navigate a path through this complexity and find suitable mobility solutions in each city. Some key outcomes of the mobility culture research and workshop exchanges are discussed in terms of local policies for challenges, urban structure and transport supply, the critical value of urban space, travel demand management and creative processes in urban mobility development. Appropriate local strategies have to be developed by communities in a bottom-up and top-down approach.