Investigating mobility gaps in university campuses

Abstract

The objective of the present research is to carry out a gap analysis between current mobility situations and the needs, future plans and priorities regarding a number of thematic areas on the issue of mobility in university campuses. For this purpose, an interview was conducted involving 36 experts from seven Southern European Universities. More specifically, experts from each university were asked to analyse and rate both the current and the desired situation in the campus under their responsibility with focus on the following thematic areas: parking management, soft modes infrastructure, public transport, car related issues, road infrastructure, environment and energy, mobility management, freight infrastructure and management, and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. Results indicate the different gaps that exist depending whether the campus is located inside or outside the urban area. More specifically, for campuses located outside urban areas, car-sharing and carpooling systems are missing and are identified as important, together with pedestrian and cycling paths for the mobility inside the campus. On the other hand, the highest gap in campuses located inside urban areas is parking management and the role of ICT tools to support every campus sustainable mobility plan.