The Transformational Potential of Public Participation in Transport

Abstract

Public participation is sometimes suggested as a way to establish legitimacy for contentious policies needed to realise a transformation in the transport sector to meet sustainability and climate goals. In this chapter, we first aim to summarise and draw conclusions from each part of the book, not least in relation to the transformative potential of public participation in the sector. The chapter also suggests recommendations for further research in the field. Important topics discussed are the diversity of public participation in transport; limits to participation; the specifics of participation in the field of transport; and the issue of consensus and dissensus. As regards transformation of the sector, public participation is considered a prerequisite, but the book also includes several cases where public participation does not seem to possess a transformational potential. We suggest representative, deliberative forms of participation as a possible solution to overcome dilemmas of representativeness, (lack of) knowledge, and the participation burden. We conclude that public participation is not easy, it has to be prepared and designed carefully to avoid unexpected consequences, and there is currently a need for more experiments and pilot projects on public participation in the field of transport.

Citation

Sørensen, C.H., Hansson, L. and Rye, T. (2023), "The Transformational Potential of Public Participation in Transport", Hansson, L., Sørensen, C.H. and Rye, T. (Ed.) Public Participation in Transport in Times of Change (Transport and Sustainability, Vol. 18), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 181-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-994120230000018012