Prioritising Safe Trips Over Safe Policy Processes - A Pilot Study on the Appropriateness of the Participatory Value Evaluation Method for Encompassing (Feelings of) Safety (and Security) in Public Transport

Sammanfattning: It is becoming more important that transport agendas acknowledge complex social sustainability matters like feelings of safety and security. For developing knowledge in this context today, participatory descriptive assessments hold a strong position. However, quantitative methods providing popular transport appraisals, have a clearer impact focus, but struggle with encompassing social sustainability matters. Filling the methodological gap that exists between the participatory descriptive tradition and the quantitative impact tradition, can be vital in moving methods closer to public and policy demands and norms. This work uses independent interdisciplinary collaboration and assesses the appropriateness of the Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) method for encompassing feelings of safety and security in public transport in the context of Stockholm, Sweden. The PVE method evaluates projects through participation and quantifies results without relying monetary valuation, while allowing for norms to be detected. By using in depth descriptive information as PVE input, this study aims to provide a methodological contribution by analysing the PVE method in a new complex setting with modifications made. Descriptive results from the PVE method is regarded to still advance knowledge on feelings of safety and security, while improving the impact focus of appraisals by evaluating projects. The method can benefit from a focus on transparency, attractive participation and quality in results and the amendment here called ‘re-categorisation’ was found necessary for PVE appraisals. Incentives to keep flawed processes can be found in political and policy realms and with no actor controlling the intersectoral (and interdisciplinary) issue of feelings of safety and security, traditions can have a strong impact. However, this study shows feasibility in improving appraisals given the contemporary public and policy standards.