Speakers
Description
Recently, a range of community-driven practices aimed at improving accessibility has gained increasing prominence and recognition. These initiatives, which emphasize the critical role of accessibility as a fundamental resource for activity participation and social inclusion, are characterized by a reliance on collaboration among individuals actively engaged in the co-creation and governance of shared mobility solutions, as well as community-managed proximity and digital services. In this framework, these practices challenge the traditional view of accessibility as an individual concern, reframing it as a collective matter that can be addressed through collaborative efforts to meet shared needs. In essence, they suggest that accessibility can be understood as a common good.
Despite its transformative potential, this perspective remains underexplored in planning theory and practice. Nevertheless, it offers promising opportunities to innovate the conceptualization, analysis, and delivery of accessibility through new approaches to proximity, mobility, and digital connectivity. This potential is particularly evident in spatial contexts where access to activities requires resource-intensive motorized travel due to the scarcity of accessible facilities in proximity. Such contexts include peri-urban areas, urban peripheries, and other low- to medium-density areas, which often exhibit lower levels of accessibility compared to the so-called "15-minute city" model associated with dense, compact urban centers. These areas frequently pose significant barriers to access and participation, particularly for specific populations such as young and older people, and those without access to private motorized transport. In such scenarios, initiatives in which accessibility is commoned through the co-production and sharing of opportunities for access and participation by a community—broadly defined to encompass private citizens, NGOs, local authorities, and private companies—offers a promising solution to local challenges. These initiatives address specific accessibility needs that might otherwise remain unmet by conventional forms of provision, such as market-driven services or state-managed infrastructure. Moreover, they provide critical and innovative insights into how inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions can be fostered, even beyond compact urban environments.
Recognizing the social and political significance of reframing accessibility as a common good, this paper builds on the theory of the commons and the concept of "commoning mobility" proposed by Nikolaeva et al. (2019) to introduce the notion of Commoning Accessibility (CA). This innovative conceptual framework redefines accessibility as an essential resource for activity participation and needs fulfillment, one that can be commoned through specific collaborative initiatives (Commoning Accessibility practices) co-produced and maintained by the collective actions of proactive actors (Communities of Access). The concept of CA originates from a comprehensive research project on commoning accessibility in Europe (the Common_Access project, available at https://commonaccessproject.com) and is outlined in Deliverable 2.1 of the project. This paper elaborates further on the concept, incorporating insights from recent research developments.
This paper aims to deliver new and impactful policy insights for developing and promoting innovative methods and regulatory frameworks for accessibility provision within communities under the CA framework. The paper presents a range of examples and case studies, analyzing these experiences through a multidimensional lens to uncover critical insights for urban planning and fostering the effectiveness and scalability of these practices across a variety of territorial contexts.
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
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