Governance

Governance is a central issue when it comes to development of Multifunctional and Multimodal hubs. Governance includes not only concrete decisions that need to be made in order to establish a hub, but also the existing legislation and policies on different levels (local, regional, national, international) that steer and shape the processes that constitute decision-making. They enable operative decisions on the ground and set long term goals, priorities, and formulate visions. Governance may further be understood as formal and informal processes that lead to decisions on different levels, within and between different organizations, public and private actors.  Different aspects of governance, e.g., decision making processes and operational space for innovative solutions should be considered as a crucial starting point for setting up a hub. Early consideration of governance contexts and processes will enable a smoother set up and operations of the hub in the long run.

Stakeholders’ engagement – wider network

Multimodal Hubs are characterized by a multi-faceted stakeholders’ engagement with different interests and competences, who, however, should follow a common strategy. Following partners are key and shall be considered when engaging with the wider network of stakeholders:

• Local Authorities
• Transport Authorities
• Transport Regions
• Urban Transport Operators
• Micro-mobility operators
• Train operators
• Landowners
• Stakeholders’ Engagement – Multimodal Hub Committee
• Real Estate and Commercial Developers
• Start-ups
• All Possible Users
• Local communities
• Local chambers of commerce or economic development departments
• Planning department
• Goods owners
• Logistics operators
• Interest groups
• Service and maintenance workers
• Facility managers

Those actors will have different roles at different stages of the implementation process. It is key to define from the start who bears which responsibilities at which stage and which timelines are to be considered.

Ensuring participation of citizens.

An effective participation process can contribute to a more inclusive hub design, facilitate successful implementation, and promote frequent use of mobility hubs. It enhances the quality, acceptance, and legitimacy of political decisions. Furthermore, participation empowers citizens, particularly those vulnerable to exclusion. However, it is important to recognise that meaningful participation requires significant time and resources, which should be accounted for from the outset.

Governance set up

For the development of hubs, it is key to understand and assign responsibilities amongst the partners as well as the timeline of their involvement. Often there might not be a natural lead-partner, it is important that if a lead partner is appointed to coordinate the whole group of stakeholders this should be a collective decision of the consortium of partners.  In some cases, the city might play the role of project coordinator and facilitator amongst all partners, in others you will find a transport authority or the public transport operator in that role.

Supporting entities can be a more implementation-oriented Task Force, that also liaise with a so-called steering committee (involving higher level decision makers) which focuses on the strategic decision.

In some cases, specific private-public agreements/contracts need to be made to ensure a consistent level of service provision, those should clarify each entity’s role in the hub as well as the financial implications.

In MOVE21 all Living labs followed the principles of Innovation and Co-Creation Partnerships to set up the governance and work with their group of stakeholders around their hub measures. You will find further information on this under the methodology section.

Land use and facility management

Understanding the area and the land use plans are crucial to ensure the hubs are well integrated in a neighbourhood. Therefore, several issues to be considered from the designing phase of a hub are:

• • “How much space is available for use?”
  • “Who are the landowners?”
  • “What other relevant actors are active in the area?”
  • “Which are the boundaries of the proposed site?”
  • ‘What opportunities does the site offer?”
  • “Who will be the contacting authorities and future operators?”
  • “What are the future plans for the neighbourhood, and to what extent can we be a part of those?”
  • “Which permits are needed?”

Effective land management ensures that the creation of a hub benefits both the local property and the broader community. By carefully planning zoning regulations, holding land reserves, conducting preliminary studies and adapting infrastructure, authorities can maintain control over how land is used and ensure that growth happens sustainably and equitably. This approach minimizes the risks of property market imbalances, overcrowding and infrastructure strain, allowing for future development without sacrificing the quality of life for current and future residents.