Mobilities of Tomorrow : Developing mobility through public participation GIS in Lindholmen, Gothenburg

Sammanfattning: With the aim of assessing how to develop a socially sustainable mobility, this thesis applies a method of PPGIS (Public Participation Geographic Information System). The method of PPGIS was conducted through a survey aimed towards people who frequently visit the studied area (e.g., living, working, or studying there). The geographical delimitation of the study is set to Lindholmen, Gothenburg and focuses on the ongoing development of realizing the visions of the River City project (Gothenburg, 2012). Mobility in this work is understood as something more than just movement from point A to B and is mainly approached with support from Kaufmann’s (2002) theory of motility – the capacity to be mobile. Mobility that facilitates individual’s constraints and increases people’s motility is considered as socially sustainable. The concept of public participation is central, highlighting the importance of local knowledge and involvement in decision-making (Berman, 2017). The local knowledge, from contributors, was used as the basis of analysis for assessing mobility development. The participatory approach aims to improve neighbourhood quality, and to strengthen social inclusion. The PPGIS-process generated 173 responses. Recurring themes were suggestions for bicycle infrastructure and expanding the ferry lines. Negative inputs revolved around traffic volumes and construction. Future development in Lindholmen could focus on the attitudes and opinions of the contributors. The thesis concludes with a discussion on the collected data, stating that to improve what contributors complained about or asked for – in terms of traveling to, from, and within the area – is to take a step toward a more inclusive and accessible mobility. The contributions lie in the gathered empirical material, with specific suggestions to the mobility development of Lindholmen. Furthermore, the general debate on considering the needs and wishes of a place’s users highlights benefits with mobility development through public participation that should be considered in future projects or academic works.