Improving Transport Planning for Accessible Cities
Cities are places of opportunity. They provide not just jobs but a whole range of public, cultural, social and consumption amenities. Transport is what connects people to these opportunities and cities provide access with varying degrees of success – especially when it comes to modes of transport that favour a green transition. This report argues that building sustainable transport networks for accessible cities requires a holistic planning approach, a sound institutional framework, reliable sources of funding, strong governmental capacity, and should build on community engagement. Urban accessibility requires coherent allocation of responsibilities across levels of government to support strategic planning. The report proposes concrete actions that cities can take to adapt their institutional framework, to improve transport planning and ensure they have access to sustainable sources of funding to implement their plans.
Planning and governance for accessible cities
This chapter proposes some actions cities may undertake to improve planning and governance arrangements to build accessible cities. It argues that fostering urban accessibility requires a holistic planning approach, a sound institutional framework, reliable sources of funding, enhanced governmental capacity (staff) and strong community engagement. The chapter starts with an exploration of how cities organise their planning framework for accessibility. It then continues with a discussion on the different governance arrangements needed to promote and support urban accessibility policies. The discussion focuses on how cities adapt their institutional framework to improve transport planning and ensure they have access to potential sources of funding to implement those plans. The chapter highlights the need for improving governments’ need for qualified staff and access to reliable data. It concludes with a discussion on how community engagement can be better pursued to enhanced urban accessibility.