Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100152
Raffaello Furlan , Reem Awwaad
{"title":"Sustainable Urban Mobility in Qatar: Transforming Doha’s Built Environment through Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)","authors":"Raffaello Furlan , Reem Awwaad","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Automobile dependence has long shaped mobility patterns across urban and suburban landscapes, resulting in congestion, social fragmentation, and economic inefficiencies. In response to climate change, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and volatile oil prices, cities worldwide are turning to public transit as a sustainable alternative. Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) are increasingly recognized as a policy tool to reshape mobility, urban form, and urban livability.</div><div>Middle Eastern cities, historically reliant on private vehicles, are now making significant investments in transit infrastructure. Doha, the capital of Qatar, has undergone rapid economic and demographic expansion over the past two decades, largely driven by the hydrocarbon sector. To manage urban growth and enhance mobility, the city is implementing an integrated public transport system including the Doha Metro, Lusail LRT, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).</div><div>This study investigates three interrelated dimensions: (1) the integration of transit infrastructure with land use as part of Doha’s urban transformation, (2) the development trajectory of the Lusail LRT system, and (3) the policy relevance and livability impacts of TODs in Doha. The methodology combines spatial analysis of land use and transit networks with policy review and stakeholder perspectives, allowing for qualitative assessment of TOD opportunities, challenges, and impacts on urban quality of life.</div><div>The findings reveal that TODs can inform policy interventions aimed at reducing car dependence, enhancing accessibility, promoting mixed-use development, and fostering walkable, socially cohesive communities. Furthermore, they provide a transferable framework for developing socio-culturally contextualized TOD strategies in rapidly urbanizing, car-dependent settings. These insights extend beyond Doha, offering guidance for other Gulf cities seeking to balance modernization with sustainable and culturally sensitive urban development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100152"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Accessibility routing model for the safe navigation of vulnerable road users in urban environments","authors":"Konstantinos Kaselouris, Xenia Karekla, Anastasia Koupani, Konstantinos Gkiotsalitis","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring equitable access to urban environments is essential for inclusive cities. This study presents the development of an Accessibility Routing Model that improves navigation for physically able, mobility impaired, and visually impaired pedestrians. Unlike previous research that focused on footway width and slope to evaluate accessibility, this study, through an optimisation model, integrates key accessibility criteria, such as footway width, footway slope, kerb design, tactile paving, and the presence of obstacles. Based on extensive audits conducted in the municipality of Penteli (Athens), data were collected from over 400 locations, and accessibility maps were produced for each user group. The routing algorithm calculates the shortest accessible path or, if necessary, an alternative path with minimal violations of accessibility standards. A mobile application was developed to deliver real-time route suggestions tailored to users’ abilities. The paper highlights gaps in urban design and emphasizes the urgent need for improvements to foster independence and social inclusion for vulnerable road users. Keywords: accessibility mapping; accessibility routing model; navigation; inclusivity; mobility impaired pedestrians; visually impaired pedestrians.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100164"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-06DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100163
Zehra Özcelik, Cenk Hamamcioglu
{"title":"From district to street: A multi-scale analysis of spatial justice through the 15-minute city framework in Beyoğlu, Istanbul","authors":"Zehra Özcelik, Cenk Hamamcioglu","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100163","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the 15-minute city approach from an accessibility perspective; it discusses the most important parameters of accessibility at the point where they intersect with spatial justice. The hypothesis is that if the principles underlying the 15-minute city approach, such as proximity, service distribution, diversity, and density, align with the foundational components of spatial justice, then the implementation of a 15-minute city framework can contribute to designing more equitable and mobility enhancing urban environments. To test this, the study identifies shared indicators between the two frameworks and investigates how they manifest in the context of a dense in Istanbul. Adopting a multi-method approach, the research integrates three complementary techniques: (1) GIS-based network analyses to assess proximity and density of key services; (2) a household survey to evaluate perceived accessibility; and (3) street-level physical space observations to assess the inclusiveness and adequacy of the built environment on a micro scale. The case study is conducted in Beyoğlu, a historically layered and spatially fragmented district, allowing for the examination of both structural and experiential components of access. The results indicate that, although spatial proximity and service density vary significantly across neighborhoods, there are still gaps between objective accessibility and daily experiences. The results demonstrate that the 15-minute city approach can promote spatial justice when proximity is supported by socially responsive infrastructure, inclusive design, and attention to affordability and governance. By synthesizing the principles of spatial justice with the 15-minute city approach and testing them empirically in Beyoğlu, the study contributes a conceptual framework and practical guidance for context-sensitive, equity-oriented urban policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100163"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145464938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-04DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100142
Segundo Paico-Saavedra , Alberto Rojas-Rivero , Raúl F. Elizondo-Candanedo , Aldo Arranz-López , Julio A. Soria-Lara
{"title":"Digital and socioeconomic inequalities in perceived mobility restrictions for activity participation: Captive users in Madrid","authors":"Segundo Paico-Saavedra , Alberto Rojas-Rivero , Raúl F. Elizondo-Candanedo , Aldo Arranz-López , Julio A. Soria-Lara","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100142","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100142","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although COVID-19′s impact on mobility has been widely studied—often highlighting the disproportionate burden on vulnerable groups—two aspects remain understudied: the need for a multidimensional approach to vulnerability, and the role of perceived rather than observed mobility restrictions in shaping access during crises. This study addresses this gap by investigating how structural vulnerabilities (e.g., transport mobility, digital access, and socioeconomic) shaped the ability to engage in work and educational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Madrid Region. A survey of captive public transport users was conducted, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify key dimensions of vulnerability. These dimensions -related to socioeconomic status, digital access, household characteristics, and commuting conditions- were then included in an ordinal logistic regression to assess their influence on perceived mobility difficulty. The results reveal a complex and layered geography of vulnerability. Individuals with limited teleworking capacity, digital exclusion, and economic precarity were significantly more likely to report mobility restrictions, especially in suburban and peripheral areas with fewer transport alternatives. In contrast, those with greater digital access, financial resilience, or private mobility options reported fewer barriers. The findings emphasize that transport-related disadvantages cannot be understood without digital and social inequalities. Policy implications include the need to integrate digital accessibility into transport equity frameworks, improve service provision in structurally dependent areas, and recognize informal household-level mobility strategies as assets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100142"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100133
Valeria Caiati , Soora Rasouli , Helber López
{"title":"Exploring the future of Mobility as a Service (MaaS): A co-design approach to scenario planning in European cities","authors":"Valeria Caiati , Soora Rasouli , Helber López","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article contributes to the discourse on Mobility as a Service (MaaS) by presenting four plausible scenarios for its development in Europe up to 2030. Unlike previous scenario studies, which often relied on desk research or focused on narrow contexts, this study employs a co-design methodology that involved interdisciplinary experts from both public and private sectors across Europe. Their perspectives are integrated throughout the process, from identifying key uncertainties to building the scenario narratives. This approach supports a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities shaping MaaS futures. The four resulting scenarios (i.e. <em>Mobility Walled Garden, Open Data Power in Standby, Everyone on Their Own</em>, and <em>Open Ecosystem</em>) reflect how different configurations of market competition and API openness shape the trajectory of MaaS. While open standards and interoperability emerge as key enablers, their impact depends on the presence of supportive governance and institutional coordination. Imbalances, such as strong data frameworks without market diversity, or open competition with fragmented and poorly coordinated services, can weaken long-term system resilience. The scenario framework offers a structured lens for anticipating these tensions and guiding strategic decisions in MaaS development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144297024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100148
Bartosz Bursa , Felix Mölk , Gottfried Tappeiner , Sebastian Vicoli , Alessa Heeß , Markus Mailer
{"title":"Digital Trojan horse – urban tools in a non-urban environment. How to inform tourist travel decisions by means of a multi-service mobile app","authors":"Bartosz Bursa , Felix Mölk , Gottfried Tappeiner , Sebastian Vicoli , Alessa Heeß , Markus Mailer","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the impact of a multi-service mobile app on tourist decision-making across three key stages: destination selection, long-distance travel, and local mobility at the destination. Utilizing discrete choice experiments (DCEs) with 266 survey participants, the study evaluates the effects of an app that integrates information and booking interface for transportation, attractions, and local facilities. The results highlight that while the impact of the app is generally low, its added value becomes more substantial in complex and time-sensitive stages of travel, such as on-site mobility. The app’s availability increases the market share of destinations by up to 4.5 percentage points and increases the attractiveness of rail travel by 27 % under specific scenarios. The willingness to pay for the app is in the range of 7-12 € per night for destination choice, 10–20 € for mode choice for long-distance travel to destination, and 1-1.28 € per trip for local trips at the destination, indicating that it is commercially viable to develop and maintain. Despite these benefits, the app's effectiveness is contingent on user awareness and integration with high-quality local transport services. The study introduces the app as a \"digital Trojan horse,\" leveraging its functionalities to unobtrusively promote sustainable travel options. This research underscores the need for collaborative app development across destinations and suggests further investigation into large-scale deployment and heterogeneity in user preferences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100148"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correlates of formal and informal public transport usage in Windhoek, Namibia","authors":"Hilma Nuuyandja , Noleen Pisa , Houshmand Masoumi , Chengete Chakamera","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the growing body of literature on public transport systems in African cities, there remains limited empirical research on how neighbourhood characteristics, land use patterns, and commuting behaviour collectively shape the choice between formal and informal public transport modes. This study addresses this gap by examining the correlates of transport mode usage in Windhoek, Namibia, with a focus on municipal buses (formal), traditional taxis, and e-hailing services (informal). It investigates three key questions: How do neighbourhood characteristics, land use patterns, and commuting behaviour correlate with formal public transport usage? How are these factors associated with taxi usage in Windhoek? And what drives the adoption of e-hailing services in the city? The hypothesised correlations between these factors were tested by collecting data from a household survey of 1000 respondents in Windhoek and developing three multiple linear regression models to analyse the relationships. Results indicate that accessibility-related variables, particularly proximity to formal public transport stops and service frequency, are the strongest predictors of formal public transport usage, while affordability and service quality are key drivers of taxi usage. Population density and car ownership show divergent effects across modes: taxis and e-hailing services are more commonly used in low-density areas and among car-owning households, suggesting that informal modes often complement, rather than substitute, formal transport services. The findings reveal context-specific patterns of transport behaviour in a hybrid mobility system, contrasting with trends in high-income cities. This study contributes new empirical evidence from Windhoek’s under-studied transport context and offers policy-relevant insights for improving accessibility, affordability, and integration in rapidly urbanising African cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100149"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145104206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100160
Nils Lukas Harder , Vania Ceccato
{"title":"Mobility-related harassment: Assessing individual and situational factors","authors":"Nils Lukas Harder , Vania Ceccato","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mobility-related harassment in public spaces is a persistent barrier to safe and inclusive urban mobility. Yet, research on the situational factors that contribute to such harassment remains limited. Mobility-related harassment limits access to public spaces and transit, making it fundamental to identify both individual and situational risk factors to improve urban safety. This study contributes to this knowledge base by examining mobility-related harassment in the province of Valencia, Spain, using data from an open-access Mobility Survey (<em>N</em> = 445) and from fieldwork inspections. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and regression models are used to analyse individual and situational factors linked to mobility-related harassment. The findings reveal that disability is a key determinant of mobility-related harassment, with additional risks for individuals travelling with dependents, and bicycle usage, even after accounting for frequency of transit usage, neighbourhood centrality, and income levels. Fieldwork inspections reveal that these incidents are concentrated in areas near transit environments and green spaces with limited surveillance. The findings underscore that effectively reducing mobility-related harassment in public spaces requires attention not only to traditional individual characteristics (e.g., gender, age) but also to disability and the situational factors in which harassment occurs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100160"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100169
Jadiel Tiago, André Lopes, Maria Luiza Carvalho, David Vale
{"title":"Challenges to inclusive mobility as a service: Findings from a stakeholder workshop in Lisbon","authors":"Jadiel Tiago, André Lopes, Maria Luiza Carvalho, David Vale","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100169","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100169","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is widely discussed as a strategy to promote more sustainable and integrated mobility systems. However, its potential to reduce socio-territorial inequalities remains uncertain. While the literature identifies structural barriers, such as governance fragmentation, digital integration challenges, and financial viability, these analyses often remain at a general level. To complement these insights, we adopted a participatory workshop as a methodology, with stakeholders from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, including operators, service providers, municipalities, authorities, and users. The discussions revealed how different actors interpret and prioritize barriers, exposing mismatches between institutional roles, coordination difficulties, and unequal digital and operational capacities. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the implementation of inclusive MaaS through the perspectives of those directly involved. The results not only align with the literature but also add contextualized dimensions related to leadership gaps, inter-municipal cooperation, and territorial disparities. Although focused on Lisbon, the insights may inform future approaches to MaaS implementation in other metropolitan contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100169"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of Urban MobilityPub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-08-14DOI: 10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100144
Julia Hansel , Roxani Gkavra , Kelt Garritsen , Anna Grigolon
{"title":"Exploring mobility justice: The interplay between mobility behaviour and public participation","authors":"Julia Hansel , Roxani Gkavra , Kelt Garritsen , Anna Grigolon","doi":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100144","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.urbmob.2025.100144","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainable transformation of the mobility sector suggests promoting multimodal mobility behaviour, integrating public transport with active (and shared) modes of transportation. Equally important is the role of public participation in shaping these mobility solutions. This exploratory study examines the empirical interplay between involvement in participatory processes, socio-demographics, and individual mobility behaviour, framed through the lens of mobility justice, encompassing distributive, deliberative, and procedural justice. The study addresses three key questions: (1) How does individual involvement in public participation relate to mobility profiles? (2) What inter-individual differences emerge based on sociodemographic and vulnerability factors? (3) What are the implications from a mobility justice perspective? Using survey data from 2,506 respondents, the analysis employs statistical testing and regression modelling to identify determinants of mobility profiles in terms of travel frequency by different modes of transport. The findings reveal that frequent users of shared mobility are more likely to engage in participation processes, both historically and in the future. Furthermore, prior participation significantly predicts future willingness to engage. The results lead to two critical conclusions: (a) frequent shared mobility users' participation aligns with the idea that 'sharing is caring', and (b) the unequal representation of mobility profiles in participatory formats risks perpetuating and exacerbating mobility injustices. Researchers and practitioners must account for diverse forms of vulnerability to harness the democratic and sustainable potential of participatory processes. This approach ensures inclusive expertise from citizens while avoiding the overrepresentation of already privileged groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100852,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Urban Mobility","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100144"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144829752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}