Project description
Car-independent mobility for vulnerable rural communities
European cities are transforming public transport to meet climate goals, yet rural and low-density areas are lagging behind. In these intermediate regions, low transit demand forces reliance on cars, creating severe financial burdens for low-income families and single parents. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NEXT-PT project aims to redefine transit in low-demand zones. By comparing communities in Scania (Sweden) and Lombardy (Italy), researchers will analyse local transit ecosystems to blend traditional transport with modern methods. The team will conduct interdisciplinary research, combining comparative analysis and participatory and GIS tools. The proposed study will generate an open atlas and policy toolkit, paving the way for fairer, car-independent rural mobility.
Objective
Across Europe, Public Transport (PT) is undergoing a decisive transformation, assuming a critical role in the sustainability transition. In literature PT is recognized as a means to tackle transport-related social exclusion (TRSE) and environmental challenges. Yet, in intermediate (rural and low density) areas PT experiences low demand, and mobility depends almost entirely on cars, putting extra effort on poor and single parents household.
NEXT-PT, hosted by the Urban Studies Department at Malmö University (MAU) in collaboration with K2– Sweden’s national knowledge center for collective mobility, a leading European institution in PT research and action, is driven by the ambition to reframe the scientific and societal relevance of PT in Intermediate Low-Demand Areas (ILDAs).
Drawing on epistemic justice, the project aims to explore the “local meanings” of PT in European ILDAs through a comparative study of Scania (SE) and Lombardy (IT) regions. NEXT-PT pursues a three-fold objective: mapping and analyzing collective transport in ILDAs as combinatory ecosystem of tradition and innovations (WP1); embedding PT by exploring intersectional mobility practices (WP2); providing society-based knowledge to policymaking at multiple scales (WP3). The research applies an interdisciplinary multi-method approach combining comparative document analysis with in-depth qualitative, participatory and GIS tools, drawing on mobile methods.
NEXT-PT will produce an Open Atlas on collective mobility as research output, communication tool and impact lever, with a Transferability Toolkit to support replication. It fosters post-car city visions, supporting EU integration in PT, European Green Deal and UN SDGs good practice sharing.
NEXT – PT will consolidate my profile as international researcher in Mobility and Urban Studies by advancing theoretical, methodological, managerial, and communicative skills, by broadening networks and enhancing funding competitiveness, ensuring long-term legacy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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205 06 MALMOE
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.