Innovations for sustainable public transport : Experiences and challenges in the Scandinavian countries

The aim of the project has been to analyse institutional and planning conditions for public transport in the Scandinavian countries from a comparative perspective, looking at the county of Skåne (Sweden) and the municipalities of Aarhus (Denmark) and Trondheim (Norway). The report considers qualitative case- studies of public transport in Skåne, Aarhus, and Trondheim, and uses an empirical material consisting of written material and interviews. It concludes that: (i) new forms of coordination between organizations and policy areas are called for in a number of critical areas, if public transport is to contribute effectively to the development of an efficient and sustainable transport system (for example, forms for the coordination of public transport, land use, and infrastructure planning); (ii) public transport must not be seen as an end in itself, or as merely a technical transport system; (iii) the successful pursuit of public-transport innovations relies upon complex, interwoven stories and arguments that persuade diverse actors and organizations to collaborate and act on their shared meanings; and (iiii) there is a need to challenge the planning myths used to mobilize support for land-use and traffic- system developments that undermine the long-term competitiveness of public transport