Urban sprawl is widely spread over Europe. It induces high level of car use and, usually, congestion on roads giving access to city centres. To limit the damages caused by urban sprawl in terms of congestion, air pollution and energy consumption, numerous European cities are implementing suburban public transport services, such as heavy or light rail. But by improving the accessibility, they create an incentive for a new wave of urban sprawl. Therefore, in parallel with these new public transport services, accompanying measures have to be elaborated and implemented, in order to prevent, mitigate or control urban sprawl. The proposed project tackles this issue in which land use and transport are closely mixed up. The key aim of the project is to promote sustainable development. In addressing transport, land-use and environment in urban context, SCATTER covers the most important threats to the well-being of the majority of European citizens.

Objectives and approach

The first stage of the work is to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of urban sprawl and its impacts. WP1 will carry out a state-of the-art review of urban sprawl impacts and urban sprawl measurement techniques, in order to use the most appropriate techniques in the next stages. WP2 will carry out a systemic analysis of urban sprawl on basis of expert interviews, in 6 case cities : Brussels, Stuttgart, Bristol, Helsinki, Rennes and Milan. WP3 will carry out a statistical analysis of urban sprawl impacts (population and jobs location, trip demand pattern, air pollution) in the 6 case cities.

The second stage of the project is to carry out a review of measures aiming to wrestle with urban sprawl (WP4). The review will include a bibliographical review and travels to the USA. American cities have been subject to urban sprawl for a longer time that those in Europe and an extensive work already exists there. WP4 will also include a review of the institutional barriers. WP4 will end with selecting the measures to be evaluated in the next stage of the project.

The third stage of the project is the quantitative evaluation of measures aiming to prevent, mitigate or control urban sprawl, as accompanying measures for cities implementing suburban public transport. To do that, simulations will be carried out using integrated land-use/transport models, in a sub-set of 3 case cities (Brussels, Stuttgart, Helsinki).(WP5). WP6.will carry out the quantitative assessment of measures, using a common evaluation framework specifically designed. Then, WP7 will provide concrete recommendations to local authorities, on how to design accompanying measures. WP7 will also design an "urban sprawl monitoring tool", addressed to concerned European cities. WP7 will also provide each of the 6 case cities with a practical programme of measures. In parallel with the technical workpackages, WP8 will step up a group of end users (cities) and organize 2 workshops to involve them in the research.

Expected results

The key output will be a document setting up recommendations to European cities implementing suburban public transport, about accompanying measures aimed to prevent, mitigate or control urban sprawl, in order to meet the needs of a sustainable urban development. The recommendations will consist of best practices to design accompanying measures, together with an evaluation of their impacts and overall efficiency, possible barriers to implementation (in particular institutional barriers), and possible negative side effects. SCATTER will also design an "urban sprawl monitoring tool" addressed to local authorities. Finally, SCATTER will apply the research outcomes to elaborate practical programmes of measures for the 6 case cities.