Urban, Planning and Transport Research

Shaping User-Centered Mobility Tools for More Accessible Environments

As urban areas continue to densify and diversify, the evolution of urban mobility policies represents a critical area of inquiry for understanding the socio-technical dynamics shaping contemporary cities. Over the past fifty years, there has been a notable shift from a car-centric paradigm towards a growing emphasis on sustainability and urban liveability. This transition—characterised by phases of expansion, containment, and the rise of liveable cities—reflects a complex interplay of demographic, economic, technological, and political factors, significantly influenced by the multidisciplinary contributions of academic research. Emerging technologies in transport and mobility offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance accessibility through personalized navigation systems, adaptive interfaces, and innovative mobility solutions. These technological advances, when properly designed and implemented, have the potential to remove barriers that have historically limited mobility for many users. The development of mobility systems that serve all citizens equitably has gained attention, revealing gaps between policy aspirations and implementation, particularly for vulnerable populations whose mobility needs often remain inadequately addressed.

This Article Collection situates itself within this evolving context by critically examining the dominant paradigms in transport planning and the emergence of sustainable mobility as an alternative conceptual framework. It highlights the increasing relevance of a User-Centred Design (UCD) approach in the development of digital mobility solutions, such as public transport applications, aimed at effectively addressing users' heterogeneous needs. Research methods including contextual interviews and usability evaluations, reveal significant gaps in current solutions regarding personalization, data reliability, and contextual integration.

Concurrently, the “peak car” phenomenon emerging in economically advanced regions suggests a potential recalibration of vehicular traffic growth trajectories, creating opportunities for policies that discourages private car usage. Understanding these trends requires an analytical approach that transcends traditional transport-centric perspectives, integrating broader socio-technical systems that shape mobility behaviour and accessibility outcomes for diverse user populations. This integration creates a unique opportunity to develop transport systems that are both more environmentally sustainable and socially equitable.

This Article Collection seeks original contributions that explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the evolution of user-centred urban mobility. We welcome empirical and theoretical studies that investigate:

• The impact of sustainable mobility policies on urban quality of life and behavioural change;
• The application of UCD methodologies in the development of inclusive digital mobility solutions that address the diverse user needs;
• The effectiveness of user-friendly technologies in removing barriers for vulnerable populations;
• The methodological innovations in assessing, supporting and implementing UCD practices withing transport planning;
• The implications of the “peak car” phenomenon for reconfiguring urban spaces and fostering decarbonization;
• The role of socio-technical systems in enabling equitable mobility models;
• Public acceptability and stakeholder engagement in the development of accessible mobility policies and technologies.

We invite the academic community to contribute papers offering novel theoretical perspectives, rigorous methodological analyses, and robust empirical findings that advance our understanding and practice of urban mobility in the twenty-first century.

Ilaria Delponte, engineer and PhD in “Places and Times of City and Territory” at the University of Brescia (IT), is Associate Professor in Town Planning at the University of Genoa, where she has been carrying on her research on urban and territorial governance since 2004. Her studies are particularly focused on transport, energy, logistics and port management. She led projects at the regional, national, EU and Mediterranean level and is vice-director of the Italian Center of Excellence on Logistics, Transport and Infrastructures and Scientific Responsible for the National Association of Italian Municipalities. She has been Visiting and Research Professor at the World Maritime University in Malmo (SE) and Institut de Géographie of the Sorbonne University in Paris (FR).

Pierluigi Coppola, Ph.D. in Road Infrastructure and Transportation Systems, is Full Professor of Transportation Planning at the Politecnico di Milano (Italy), and lecturer of  the “Transportation Networks and Smart Mobility: Methods and Solutions” summer course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research interests include Land-Use and Transports Interactions, sustainable urban mobility planning, travel demand behavior modeling and forecasting. He is author of more than 130 scientific papers in journals and conference proceedings, and member of the editorial boards of transportation research journals such as Case Studies on Transport Policy (Elsevier). He has been the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association for European Transport (AET) and is currently Steering Committee member of the World Conference of Transportation Research Society (WCTRs). Prof. Coppola has been involved in several transportation projects in Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. He is expert advisor of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and Coordinator of the Pillar 2 (Transport sub-group) of the European Strategy of the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR).

Giovanni Calabrò is a researcher in transport systems with a strong focus on urban mobility innovation. His recent work explores Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT), traffic flow prediction, and agent-based modelling for integrated mobility solutions. With experience in developing simulation tools and data-driven methods to enhance transport efficiency, his research combines computational modelling, artificial intelligence, and real-world mobility data. He is a regular contributor to international conferences and interdisciplinary transport research initiatives.

Fabiano Pallonetto is Professor of Management Information Systems at Maynooth University and Program Director of the MSc in Business Analytics. As Director of the IRESI.eu research group, he leads multidisciplinary projects on energy-systems integration, smart grids and sustainability, coordinating Horizon Europe and national. An accomplished entrepreneur, he has co-founded four technology start-ups—including two successful exits—and actively forges university-industry partnerships to accelerate the green transition. His publications and policy outreach focus on digital energy solutions, flexibility markets and community-centred renewable adoption, underpinned by a commitment to training the next generation of data-driven sustainability leaders.

None of the Guest Advisors for this Collection have any conflicts of interest to disclose.

For more information on this Collection, please contact Dr. Molly Cole, at molly.cole@taylorandfrancis.com