Mobility justice is important because it promotes social equality and inclusion and can reduce conflicts in society. It contributes to sustainable development by increasing the use of active transportation and reducing emissions. Fair accessibility also improves educational and employment opportunities and increases the satisfaction of citizens.
The mobility (in)equity atlas provides clear indicators and visualizes complex spatial relationships. The aim is to identify critical areas of transport poverty where socially disadvantaged groups live in transport-deprived areas. David Durán, head of the Mobility Justice research group, discovered for example that single parents in Berg am Laim are particularly affected by mobility injustice.
For the first time, the atlas includes data on social aspects and combines these with mobility data from Munich's neighborhoods. For example, it shows low accessibility to health services in areas with many elderly people or low availability of cycle paths in neighborhoods with a high proportion of migrants. The frequency of traffic accidents in areas with many families with children is also shown.
The atlas is intended as a tool to highlight discrepancies in mobility equity and initiate discussions. Users can analyze the data and identify critical values in order to take targeted measures. A summary map shows where socially disadvantaged groups and transport disadvantages overlap.
Thanks to the atlas, all Munich residents can join in the discussion and contribute to improving mobility in the city. In the future, the model will not only be used in Munich, but also in Germany and around the world. Initial tests in Tunis showed that mobility needs vary greatly from region to region: Cycling has a lower priority there compared to minibuses.