Accessibility refers to connecting places to people effectively. The term incorporates the notions of: (1) mobility; (2) proximity to destinations; and (3) connectivity, reflecting that the purpose of transport is to access locations.
Attractiveness gap refers to the disparity in appeal between private vehicles and sustainable modes of transport.
Bike-and-ride refers to trips in which users get to a public transport station (e.g. a train or bus station) with a bicycle or by using micromobility. Bike-and-ride differs from bike-on-board, where users bring their bike on board vehicles.
Car-centric travel patterns refer to the situation in which private car trips represent the bulk of trips.
Feedback loop refers to a non-linear cause-effect relationship. In a linear causal relationship, one variable affects a second, and the cause-effect chain stops there. In non-linear cause-effect relationships, one variable affects a second, which in turn affects the first once again, to produce a circular rather than a linear cause-effect chain. Feedback loops can be reinforcing or balancing. A reinforcing feedback loop is one in which a first variable alters the second, which then affects the first variable in the same direction. Reinforcing feedback loops accelerate over time, and systems dominated by reinforcing feedback loops lead to exponential growth (positive or negative). A balancing feedback loop is a feedback loop in a system’s structure in which variables affect each other in opposite directions. Systems dominated by balancing feedback loops seek an equilibrium – that may be above or below the current state of the system. More complex behaviours, e.g. oscillations, s-shaped growth and overshoots, are produced by the interactions between several feedback loops and time delays.
Functional Urban Area encompasses the entire urban continuum, including both the city and its surrounding commuting zone. The commuting zone consists of nearby administrative units where at least 15% of employed residents commute to the city.
Intersection density is a measure of connectivity of street networks. A high intersection density indicates distances are shorter and more conducive to taking trips by active modes.
Leverage points are the areas of the system with high potential for change. High leverage points are places in which a small intervention may lead to the transformation of key feedback loops (i.e. a system transformation) capable of triggering large behavioural changes.
Micromobility includes personal vehicles smaller and lighter than cars designed for short-distance travel, such as (e-)bikes, and (e)scooters.
Mindsets or mental models are unquestioned ideas or assumptions through which humans understand the world.
Mobility designates physical movement and can be measured in terms of vehicle-kilometres, passenger-kilometres, tonne-kilometres, or number of trips. The term includes physical movement by all transport means.
Modal shift refers to the change in transportation use from one mode, such as cars, to another, like public transit, cycling, or walking.
Motorization rate is the number of cars per 1000 inhabitants.
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause health problems.
Rebound effects measure the degree to which a reduction in costs of driving translates into more kilometres driven than would otherwise have been the case.
System structure (or design) refers to the way in which parts are organized or interconnected in a system.
Systemic changes refer to changes in the system’s structure (feedback loops) and/or the mental models that shaped that structure.
Systems approach refers to the study of how a system’s structure affects results and behaviour patterns over time. Analysts using this approach focus on understanding the interconnectedness within a system and the mental models shaping the system structure to identify leverage points and trigger changes leading to better-functioning systems.
Transformative policies are defined as those able to modify the system structure, so that the design of the system can foster patterns of behaviour aligned with desired results. In systems jargon, transformative policies “push” on high leverage points.