This working paper was prepared by ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Cities at the London School of Economics, with research supported by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID). It was developed in partnership with the Coalition for Urban Transitions, which is a major international initiative to support decision-makers to meet the objective of unlocking the power of cities for enhanced national economic, social, and environmental performance, including reducing the risk of climate change. The research presented here was conducted in support of the Coalition’s National Policy Levers workstream. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the authors.
This paper explores the wealth of options available to national transport policy-makers who wish to support more compact and connected urban development, and provides clear inputs on how to prioritise, broadening the focus from facilitating movement, to achieving true accessibility. It outlines different types of transport policy instruments and governance reforms, and examines 21 widely discussed interventions – including five that global experts identified as particularly effective for making cities more accessible. It ends with guiding principles for choosing and implementing the options best suited to each national context.