Politics,
Power &
Governance

The actions and decisions regarding transport by policymakers, businesses, community organisations and individuals inevitably privilege certain issues, concerns and interests over others, with due consequences for the environment, public health and the economy. Interventions to improve transport are also conditioned by existing designs, regulation and norms. TSU research explores the politics, power dynamics and forms of governance behind transport decision-making, as part of its mission to support effective, just and inclusive transport futures.

Research objectives

  • Explore the political contexts of transport systems and understand how these are related to developments and sustainability transitions in transport;
  • Understand the institutional domains of transport and develop methodologies for effective, just and inclusive transport decision-making;
  • Examine and reflect on the politics around the creation of knowledge and expertise regarding transport through (big) data analysis, scenarios and risk analysis, and theory building;
  • Make a practical contribution to transport policy-making, particularly at the level of cities and urban areas.

Current Research Projects

Image: Monkey Business / Adobe Stock

Supporting sustainable transport for frontline workers during COVID-19

Funded by Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC); 2022 - 2024; Prof Tim Schwanen and Dr Zahra Zarabi

Tim SchwanenZahra Zarabi
Image: digital / Adobe Stock

Digitalization for Sustainability: Science in Dialogue

Funded by Robert Bosch Foundation; 2021 - 2022; Prof Tim Schwanen

Tim Schwanen
Image: Taiga / Adobe Stock

Politics of Road transport InsuraNCE (PRINCE)

Funded by ESRC New Investigator; 2022 - 2023; Dr Johannes Kester

Johannes Kester
Image: Oleg / Adobe Stock

Inclusive Transition to Electric Mobility (ITEM)

Funded by ESRC and relevant national bodies in Norway, the Netherlands and Poland as part of JPI-ERANET; 2021 - 2024; Dr Hannah Budnitz

Hannah BudnitzProf Tim Schwanen
Image: Matt Seymour / Unsplash

The Governance of Controversies in the Allocation of Road Space: The Case of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Funded by the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund; 2021 - 2022; Dr Geoff Dudley

Geoff Dudley
Image: Robert Tjalondo / Unsplash

Exploring the potential of a postgrowth-inspired agenda for urban transport planning after COVID-19

Funded by the Regional Studies Association; 2021 - 2022; Dr Ersilia Verlinghieri

Ersilia Verlinghieri
Image: CREDS

The governance of radical mobility change

Funded by CREDS; 2021 - 2022; Prof Tim Schwanen and Dr Ersilia Verlinghieri

Dr Ersilia VerlinghieriProf Tim Schwanen
Changing drivers: Knowing, imagining and shaping autonomous car users

Changing drivers: Knowing, imagining and shaping autonomous car users

Funded by British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship; 2019 - 2022; Dr Brendan Doody

Brendan Doody
PEAK Urban

PEAK Urban

Funded by the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund; 2017-2022; University of Oxford with Peking University; The African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town; The Indian Institute for Human Settlements; Universidad EAFIT; Prof Tim Schwanen, Dr Lucy Baker, Dr Jacob Doherty and Dr Juan-Pablo Orjuela

Lucy BakerTim SchwanenJuan-Pablo OrjuelaJacob Doherty

Recent Research Projects

Exploring the Politics of Security behind Autonomous Vehicles

Exploring the Politics of Security behind Autonomous Vehicles

Funded by John Fell OUP Research Fund; 2019 - 2022; Dr Johannes Kester

Johannes Kester
Park and Charge

Park and Charge

Funded by Innovate UK; 2019 - 2021; Prof Tim Schwanen

Hannah BudnitzTim SchwanenToon Meelen
V2GO (Vehicle-to-grid Oxford)

V2GO (Vehicle-to-grid Oxford)

Funded by Innovate UK; 2018 - 2021; Prof Tim Schwanen

Brendan DoodyTim SchwanenToon Meelen
Expectations for automated vehicles

Expectations for automated vehicles

Funded by EPSRC; 2019 - 2020; Prof Tim Schwanen

Debbie HopkinsTim SchwanenChristian Brand
The Regulation of Disruptive Innovations: The Case of Dockless Bicycle Hire

The Regulation of Disruptive Innovations: The Case of Dockless Bicycle Hire

Funded by Rees Jeffreys Road Fund; 2018 - 2020; Dr Geoffrey Dudley

Tim SchwanenGeoffrey DudleyDavid Banister
Go Ultra Low Oxford (GULO) - Monitoring and Evaluation Study

Go Ultra Low Oxford (GULO) - Monitoring and Evaluation Study

Funded by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicle (OLEV); 2017 - 2019; Dr Brendan Doody

Tim SchwanenBrendan DoodySam Hampton
TEMPEST

TEMPEST (Transforming household mobility practices through shared consumption: Low-carbon transport and sustainable energy solutions in urban areas)

Funded by The Research Council of Norway: Forskerprosjekt - ENERGIX (Project Number: 255430); 2017-2019; Dr Brendan Doody

Tim SchwanentBrendan Doody
Changing commuting in large urban areas - identifying acceptable and effective measures (COMMUTE)

Changing commuting in large urban areas - identifying acceptable and effective measures (COMMUTE)

Funded by The Research Council of Norway; 2016 - 2019; Prof Tim Schwanen

Tim Schwanen
Climate Change and Everyday Mobility (CLIMAMOB)

Climate Change and Everyday Mobility (CLIMAMOB)

Funded by the Research Council of Norway; 2015-2019; University of Oxford with Transport Economics Institute (Oslo), Norwegian Metrological Office and University of Utrecht; Prof David Banister

David Banister
Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand

Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand

Funded by the Financial support from the EPSRC's End User Energy Demand Programme; 2013-2018; University of Oxford with SPRU, University of Sussex, and the Business School at the University of Manchester; Prof Tim Schwanen and Dr Debbie Hopkins

Tim SchwanenDebbie Hopkins