What is mobility (in)justice and why should we fight it? Insights from an international symposium

Abstract

Justice consists of morally required rules dictating what is right and deserved. When addressing mobility, it becomes crucial to determine the rules defining "mobility justice" and emphasize its importance for inclusion in laws, plans, and policies. While literature often discusses resource distribution and processes, it is essential to identify people’s perceptions of key rules and reasons for combating mobility injustices. To explore the perceived definition and importance of mobility justice, we conducted an international symposium on this topic with 200 participants. It consisted of online talks from experts from academia, government and mobility practitioners, and an online board where participants were required to fill in information before the webinar. Data were inductively qualitative coded from multiple sources, including pictures, text from the chat box, and the presentations of the experts. Results show that mobility injustice is associated with car-oriented development, unequal access and limited freedom in mobility choices. In contrast, mobility justice is seen as universal accessibility, freedom and the safe, inclusive design of active transportation modes and public transport. The importance of mobility justice lies in its integral role in sustainable development, the protection of fundamental rights, the contribution to environmental, economic and social sustainability and the promotion of a democratic society. In summary, the key rules perceived as mobility justice are access, participation and freedom, prioritizing safe, inclusive and high-quality active modes and public transport over car-centric development to ensure sustainable urban development and fulfil the human right to well-being.