Kolodziejczyk, Albert (2023) Bicycle (Revolution) Thieves - Exploring barriers to modal shift to cycling in Milan. Master thesis.
|
Text
Final_draft_Albert.pdf Download (2MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Sustainable mobility is a crucial element to combat the climate crisis. A readily available and overwhelmingly beneficial tool to start with is cycling. However, only two countries have managed to embrace cycling as a widespread modal choice – The Netherlands and Denmark. This paper aims at discovering what are the barriers that prevent modal shift to cycling, which barriers are prevalent and what are their underlying causes. Next, it aims at exploring possible solutions to overcoming it. The theoretical framework for this study is rooted in transition theory and the fundamental role of policy as a catalyst of transition to sustainable mobility. Moreover, the Banister’s classification of barriers to sustainable mobility serves as a roadmap to predict possible barriers. To address set aims, a qualitative research method is designed based on in-depth interviews with eight experts in a study case of Milan, Italy. The results show that the primary barrier to modal shift to cycling is the inability to limit cars, which is caused by a socio-political effect of car dependency. These findings transgress initial framework. To illustrate this relationship, a new model called “socio-political vicious cycle of car-dependency” is created, which, on the example of Milan, illustrates how increased car usage leads to marginalisation of other modes, including cycling, and to a further growth of car dependency. The underlying causes for this process are found to be related to the power disbalance which corresponds to the spatial theory and the dominance of the conventional paradigm of mobility. This paper recommends engaging in creation of new popular local visions of sustainable mobility, involving residents and other stakeholders. This can undermine the dominance of conventional mobility paradigm, allowing for pro-cycling coalition to form and change the power landscape in order to permanently dismantle car-dependency.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Society, Sustainability and Planning (MSc Socio-spatial Planning) |
| Supervisor: | Cordero Vinueza, V.A. |
| Date Deposited: | 02 May 2023 10:07 |
| Last Modified: | 02 May 2023 10:07 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4172 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |