Sustainable, Participatory and Practical: The NISTO Evaluation Framework for Urban and Regional Mobility Projects

This paper proposes the NISTO evaluation framework to appraise small-scale mobility projects. The framework consists of three evaluation tools and a set of evaluation criteria and indicators that are linked to the tools. The appraisal of the sustainability of project alternatives is carried out by multi-criteria analysis using 16 criteria grouped under the three pillars of sustainability that were selected by an in-depth analysis of current practice in North-West Europe. The performance of these criteria is measured through a set of core and optional indicators. Stakeholders are involved in the appraisal through the multi-actor multi-criteria analysis (MAMCA), which allows the consideration of conflicting stakeholder objectives and helps to identify synergies and disagreement between different stakeholder groups. The methodology is based on assessing the evaluation criteria of the different stakeholder groups. Target monitoring is carried out by setting SMART (specific, measureable, ambitious and accepted, realistic and time-bound) targets which are forecast in an ex-ante appraisal or monitored during implementation. We demonstrate the framework through the evaluation of a combined tourist travel card (MeineCardPlus) in the Nordhessen region of Germany, which provides free use of public transport and free entry to leisure facilities in and around Kassel. By considering the results of the evaluation tools side-by-side, it is possible to choose an alternative that is supported by the majority of stakeholders, performs well in the sustainability assessment and realistic in terms of policy targets.