Who’s in charge here? Governance of e-scooters in Stockholm amid the sustainable urban mobility transition

Abstract: Innovation is a necessary element to transition towards a more sustainable transport paradigm. Advancements made in electrification and digitalisation are creating new forms of urban mobility which have the potential to reduce the impact of transport and shift modal splits. However, these developments have also been accompanied by new actors, influences, and challenges related to the urban governance process. In order to realise the sustainability benefits which urban settings desire, and innovative forms of technology promise, there is a need for purposive steering – for which policy and regulation are key tools. These themes are explored through a case study of the policy process for e-scooters in Stockholm, Sweden from 2018 to 2022. Guided by theory on sustainability transitions and the role of urban mobility governance, this thesis investigates how new influences are affecting progress towards sustainable mobility objectives. Results are derived from a combination of qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, as well as document and media analysis. Analysis suggests that disconnect within formal governmental hierarchies is complicating the agency of the municipality. Despite having similar long-term sustainability goals, communication and cooperation to deal with current challenges are limiting the municipality. Informal networks have also become channels for new forms of influence, with international organisations and city-to city interaction shaping policy discourse. In addition, knowledge is warranting authority for technology advocates of new technologies in the urban mobility sphere. This study ultimately demonstrates how new influences are complicating the municipality’s ability to work towards its own sustainability objectives for urban mobility. There is a need for improved collaboration and transparency with new actors, as well as a revolution in how the municipal level responds to, and sets the guidelines for a future in which urban mobility is truly sustainable.