Beyond infrastructure: Unpacking the complexity of exclusion and implications for just mobility transitions

Abstract

There is an emerging awareness that the transition towards sustainable transportation systems may contribute to widening social disparities, especially related to access to opportunities and services among marginalised communities manifested as transport exclusion. However, mechanisms that lead to or compound transport exclusion are less understood and empirics uncovering how marginalised communities experience exclusion are limited. This study uses a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of exclusion in mobility among ‘community leaders’ representing marginalised populations, including children, elderly, low-income individuals, disabled people, LGBTQ+, and communities of colour. We use the case of cycling to provide a lens into such transitions, as cycling is often referenced as a mode with sustainable and inclusive benefits. The study is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which offers a unique context to situate mobility justice dilemmas due its matured cycling environment and policies. Findings highlight the complexity of exclusion and the need for a holistic, comprehensive approach to transportation planning to ensure a just mobility transition. The study calls for a transformation towards epistemic and procedural justice where knowledge, skills, and representation at all municipal levels become more inclusive of diverse perspectives in planning practices and decision-making processes, requiring a combination of top-down and bottom-up strategies.