Doctoral thesis studied the role of public transportation

Every journey by public transport is more than just a trip from point A to point B; it is a social experience that is part of urban life. Yet, many European cities are unprepared to meet passengers' diverse needs and promote public transport as a sustainable and socially beneficial mode of travel because decades of transport planning have focused on technical solutions and encouraged car use. With this thesis, Louise Sträuli, challenges the status quo by looking at public transport as public space, and provides insights into pricing systems and passenger experiences of public transport in the cities of Tallinn and Brussels
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Published by the School of Humanities at the University of Tallinn in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Management and Spatial Planning at the University of Brussels, Sträuli's dissertation argues that public transport is a public space not only because of its financing and ownership status, but also because of its social function. It is a means for many people to move around cities and access services such as work, school, healthcare and community. It is also a space where people from different backgrounds find themselves temporarily thrown together and have to negotiate how to behave appropriately and considerately towards others beyond the formal rules. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, new norms of behaviour, including social distancing, have disrupted established patterns of interaction on public transport. How people meet and interact with others – for example, whether they provide assistance or space for prams and wheelchairs - shapes people's everyday experiences and determines how safe, comfortable and easy they find it to travel on public transport.

Moreover, ticket pricing and control systems can restrict or facilitate people's mobility. In Brussels, the high fare system means that many people cannot afford to buy regular tickets and therefore develop various practices and networks to avoid ticket controls, or resort to walking and longer detours. In Tallinn, the fare-free public transport policy has proven to have a social impact. In the study, Sträuli finds that passengers who use public transport for various care responsibilities, such as caring for a household, a child or another person, rely on fare-free public transport. The policy increases access to a wider variety of urban spaces and services, and reduces household expenditure, allowing users to invest in other ways of getting around the city.

This thesis offers new research insights by focusing on the qualitative nuances of passengers' experiences. More than an academic exercise, it is also a call to action to create inclusive, equitable and sustainable public transport. Instead of maintaining urban spaces for cars and planning transport only for commuters, public transport should take into account the needs of diverse population groups. By reframing public transport as a public space and amplifying the voices of current users, Sträuli calls for policy reforms that prioritize affordability, physical accessibility, and safety for all.

Louise Sophie Sträuli defended her doctoral thesis “Public Transport as Contested Public Space: Fare Policies and Daily Mobilities in Brussels and Tallinn” on 30 April 2024 in Tallinn University School of Humanities. Supervisors were Tauri Tuvikene from Tallinn University; Assistant Professor Wojciech Kębłowski from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Senior Research Associate Frédéric Dobruszkes from Université libre de Bruxelles. Opponents are Assistant Professor Anna Nikolaeva from the University of Amsterdam and Senior Research Fellow Ersilia Verlinghieri from the University of Westminster.