From words to action: Concepts, framings of problems and knowledge production practices in regional transport infrastructure planning in Sweden

•Comparing Regional expansion and Environmentally sound transport concepts used in infrastructure planning.•Analysing the effect on the planning discourse and the outcome of the planning process.•The planning discourse establishes a focus on capacity constraints and commuting.•Leisure and service travel are excluded from the planning process.•Definition of Environmentally sound transport is adapted to suit the growth paradigm.

This paper presents an analysis of a regional transport infrastructure plan in Sweden. A comparison is made of two concepts central to transport infrastructure planning in Sweden; Regional expansion and Environmentally sound transport. These concepts signify different perspectives on the benefits and problems with transport. The analysis explains how these clashing perspectives are resolved in the planning process. A discourse theoretical framework is applied to analyse the interplay between the concepts, the framings of problems and solutions, knowledge production practices and the outcomes of the planning process.The main finding is that the growth paradigm, captured in the concept of Regional expansion, has a strong influence on the planning discourse and restricts environmental policy options. The existing planning practices are mainly supporting the growth paradigm and contribute to an emphasis on certain problems and issues e.g. lack of capacity in the transport system and commuting trips. This results in other possible options e.g. reducing road transport volumes, or addressing leisure and service related travel, being excluded from the planning discourse. A number of consequences for the outcome of the planning process are discussed and possible ways of reframing problems are suggested.