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The interplay of formal and informal institutions between local and regional authorities when creating well-functioning public transport systems

Hrelja, Robert LU ; Monios, Jason ; Rye, Tom LU ; Isaksson, Karolina LU and Scholten, Christina LU (2017) In International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 11(8). p.611-622
Abstract

This paper analyzes how public transport planning is managed in institutional contexts where governance is spread across local and regional scales. The paper sheds light on two facets of the relationship between local and regional government: first, the decision-making process regarding where to provide public transport services and at what level, and second, integration of public transport with land use planning. An analytical matrix is used to cross-reference the roles of formal institutions (governance established in law) and informal institutions (governance not established in law) against local and regional responsibilities for public transport and land use. Analysis of the interplay between these three axes (formal/informal,... (More)

This paper analyzes how public transport planning is managed in institutional contexts where governance is spread across local and regional scales. The paper sheds light on two facets of the relationship between local and regional government: first, the decision-making process regarding where to provide public transport services and at what level, and second, integration of public transport with land use planning. An analytical matrix is used to cross-reference the roles of formal institutions (governance established in law) and informal institutions (governance not established in law) against local and regional responsibilities for public transport and land use. Analysis of the interplay between these three axes (formal/informal, local/regional, public transport/land use) reveals how informal institutions help regional and local authorities to negotiate the constraints of formal, statutory institutions and help to “oil the wheels” of delivering measures and policies that make public transport work as a well-functioning system. However, informal institutions clearly have their limits, in the paper exemplified by the remaining challenges to integrate regional public transport and local land use planning. An identified challenge is that, by their very nature, informal institutions are difficult to influence or modify, therefore relying on them to fill gaps in formal institutional responsibilities may be a risky strategy when unpopular decisions are made.

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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Collaboration, formal, governance, informal, institutions, organization, passenger transport, public transport
in
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation
volume
11
issue
8
pages
12 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85018943988
ISSN
1556-8318
DOI
10.1080/15568318.2017.1292374
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
b5db4444-53db-423f-bf53-b130026a69ce
date added to LUP
2018-09-28 17:26:26
date last changed
2022-04-25 17:32:29
@article{b5db4444-53db-423f-bf53-b130026a69ce,
  abstract     = {{<p>This paper analyzes how public transport planning is managed in institutional contexts where governance is spread across local and regional scales. The paper sheds light on two facets of the relationship between local and regional government: first, the decision-making process regarding where to provide public transport services and at what level, and second, integration of public transport with land use planning. An analytical matrix is used to cross-reference the roles of formal institutions (governance established in law) and informal institutions (governance not established in law) against local and regional responsibilities for public transport and land use. Analysis of the interplay between these three axes (formal/informal, local/regional, public transport/land use) reveals how informal institutions help regional and local authorities to negotiate the constraints of formal, statutory institutions and help to “oil the wheels” of delivering measures and policies that make public transport work as a well-functioning system. However, informal institutions clearly have their limits, in the paper exemplified by the remaining challenges to integrate regional public transport and local land use planning. An identified challenge is that, by their very nature, informal institutions are difficult to influence or modify, therefore relying on them to fill gaps in formal institutional responsibilities may be a risky strategy when unpopular decisions are made.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hrelja, Robert and Monios, Jason and Rye, Tom and Isaksson, Karolina and Scholten, Christina}},
  issn         = {{1556-8318}},
  keywords     = {{Collaboration; formal; governance; informal; institutions; organization; passenger transport; public transport}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{611--622}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Sustainable Transportation}},
  title        = {{The interplay of formal and informal institutions between local and regional authorities when creating well-functioning public transport systems}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2017.1292374}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/15568318.2017.1292374}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}