Mobility, environment and inequalities in the post-COVID city

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about enormous disruption in mobility in cities. We review and analyse the evidence generated since the advent of the crisis, paying special attention to travel behaviour changes and how they are hampering the achievement of sustainability goals. Modal shifts to more individual modes of transport, with regained interest in car usage, combined with the financial distress of public transportation and raising inequalities, appear as the most challenging problems city planners face if travel preferences do not revert shortly. We discuss policies and measures that could be implemented so that these risks are addressed and lessened.