The effect of major market and societal trends on public transport in European cities

This paper considers future developments in public transport in European cities under the influence of major market and societal trends. In particular, the objective of the presented exercise is to examine how globally observed market and societal trends (such as the shared economy, the emergence of sustainable lifestyles, technological ubiquity and individual empowerment) will affect the demand for Public Transport services over the next 10 years in European cities. The research methodology is built upon mining transport experts' perceptions of Public Transport Futures by means of the Delphi technique. The results designate the most pivotal market and societal trends and the expected shift in the behavior of travelers using Public Transport. The added value of this paper lies in the fact that it offers valuable insights into Public Transport Futures but also broadens the discussion on this under-studied topic.