Table 4 Overview of key challenges in the Cities-4-People pilot cities from initial research results
From: Co-creating sustainable urban metabolism towards healthier cities
Research results: identified challenges | Locations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oxford | Budapest | Trikala | Üsküdar | Altona (Hamburg) | |
Public Transport | Bus services are not frequent enough and not well connected.The time lost in congestion. Lack of real-time service information. Service costs. | Time lost in congestion. Lack of full integration of transport modes and their operators. Lack of an integrated service connecting urban and suburban routes. | Traffic congestion in the city centre. Lack of dedicated bus lanes. Service price. Low-frequency of services (weekends, holidays and late hours). Poor real-time service information. | Heavy street congestion. Lack of integration of transport modes. Limited service hours and frequency. Service prices. Poor maintenance of vehicles. | Large distances between stations and stops. Low frequency of services. |
Walking | Narrow paths, difficult walking flow. This is aggravated by uneven surfaces and poor pavement maintenance. Cars park on pavements. Lack of continuity of walking paths. Concerns about safety–perceptions of crime. | Air and noise pollution impacts the choice of walking. Lack of continuity between pavements and underpasses. Lack of green spaces and resting areas. | Poor pedestrian infrastructure to serve mobility-impaired citizens. Poor pavement maintenance. | Pavements are too narrow and shared by cars and restaurant tables. Lack of green spaces and resting areas. Too much jay-walking. | Air and noise pollution impacts the choice of walking. Narrow pavements, shared with bikes and parked cars. |
Cycling | Lack of continuity of cycle paths. Safety concerns due to poor condition of sustainable transport infrastructure on cycling routes. | Infrastructure needs expanding to service a larger and more diverse audience. | Poor connectivity of cycle paths. | Geography – hilly. Underdeveloped cycling infrastructure. | Lack of bicycle parking. Disconnected cycling routes. Poor signage. |
Private Vehicle | Congestion. Lack of affordable parking provision inside and outside the city. Road network. | Congestion. Road conditions. Not enough parking spaces in the city centre. | Traffic congestion in the city centre. Illegal parking in the city centre. Taxi prices are competitive with that of public transport. | Congestion. Lack of parking. Driving can be stressful. | Congestion. Lack of parking. Unstructured and illegal parking. |
Sharing Servicesa | Bicycles | Bicycles | Bicycles (but limited) | Not known to respondents | Bicycles, Cars, however not very widespread |