Option generation for policy measures and packages: the role of the KonSULT knowledgebase

Objective

Option generation is an essential element in the development of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), but is also one of the areas of greatest weakness. This paper focuses on the assessment of a measure option generator as a decision-support tool to enhance the development of SUMPs. Its aim is to assess whether this option generation facility can assist cities in developing more effective policy measures and packages and, if so, in which contexts it is most helpful.

Methods

After reviewing the literature the paper proposes nine criteria which such tools should satisfy. It briefly describes the option generator within the Knowledgebase on Sustainable Urban Land use and Transport, KonSULT. It then describes a survey in which KonSULT was tested by nine cities from across Europe. It uses the results to assess the option generator against the nine criteria.

Results

The nine cities all found that KonSULT contributed to their understanding of the option generation process for SUMPs, and to their awareness of the range of policy measures available and their use in packages. Of them, five identified new policy measures, and seven new approaches to packaging such measures. Not surprisingly, a facility such as KonSULT was more valuable for those with less experience of urban transport policy, which suggests that it should be promoted in particular for training programmes, for younger professionals, and to cities embarking on SUMP development for the first time.

Discussion

The research methodology did not allow us to assess KonSULT against the criteria of treatment of transferability and of ability to reflect the aspirations of different types of user. These are areas for further testing. Indeed, there remains a dearth of literature on the specific issue of policy transferability.