Anna Antonakopoulou, Eva Grigoriadou, Pinelopi Alexiou, Ioulia Leventopoulou, Iasonas Sioutis, Vasilis Sourlas, Angelos Amditis and Evangelia Latsa, ICCS / URBANA

Overview

This paper presents ELABORATOR's framework for identifying mobility and public space redesign needs through an inclusive approach. It combines inclusive vocabulary, a broad definition of groups vulnerable to exclusion, participatory methods and evaluation criteria. The framework was developed through research and five two-hour training workshops involving 45 participants from 25 project partner organisations and representatives of 12 cities. It helps city teams include diverse experiences from the beginning and translate local needs into safer, more accessible and sustainable mobility interventions.

Research highlights

• The framework follows four phases: Set-up, Discovery and Definition, Implementation, and Evaluation and Dissemination.

• An inclusive vocabulary provides alternatives to discriminatory or exclusionary terms and recognises that language and social context differ across countries.

• A gender perspective and an intersectional understanding of vulnerability broaden the analysis beyond conventional definitions of vulnerable road users.

• Input from the 12 cities identified recurring challenges related to safety, vitality, accessibility, sustainable mobility, infrastructure and the transition away from car-centred mobility.

• The paper proposes five specific criteria and two transversal criteria: Safety and Security, Accessibility, Vitality, Equipment, Gender and Inclusive Representations, operation of the mobility system, and participation of users and potential users.

Practical relevance

The paper provides a practical reference for planning participatory activities, prioritising interventions and evaluating mobility projects with inclusion in mind. It does not report final intervention impacts. Instead, it establishes criteria and processes that cities can apply during co-design, implementation and before-and-after evaluation.

Publication details

Published in Human Factors in Architecture, Sustainable Urban Planning and Infrastructure, Volume 153, 2024, pages 26-36. DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005335.