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Public participation and written submissions.: A transport infrastructure planning case study

Antonson, Hans LU (2014) In Transportation Research. Part A: Policy & Practice 70. p.59-66
Abstract
Written submissions or comments as a response on an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) rank as one of the most common forms of public participation. Within public participation research there appears to be an international dearth of knowledge concerning such written submissions. The possible impact of such responses on an EIS is - with few exceptions - seldom put in focus. The aim in the present brief communication is to study one aspect of public participation within transport infrastructure planning, namely the role of written submissions sent to the applicant by individuals, Non-governmental organisations, companies and authorities. By comparing 34 written submissions with road planning documents (including EIS) the impact of the... (More)
Written submissions or comments as a response on an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) rank as one of the most common forms of public participation. Within public participation research there appears to be an international dearth of knowledge concerning such written submissions. The possible impact of such responses on an EIS is - with few exceptions - seldom put in focus. The aim in the present brief communication is to study one aspect of public participation within transport infrastructure planning, namely the role of written submissions sent to the applicant by individuals, Non-governmental organisations, companies and authorities. By comparing 34 written submissions with road planning documents (including EIS) the impact of the public views has been analysed in a south Swedish case study. At a time when the new Environmental Code only had been in force for less than one year, it does not appear as if the Road Administration's regional office accepted most of the written submissions just to show that the new regulation concerning participation had a direct impact on the planning. Sweden's long tradition of public access to official documents may explain why written submissions as one aspect of public participation worked well in the E18 highway planning process, because civil servants have long been taught to promptly furnish information and guidance, as well as to giving advice and other assistance to individuals in matters concerning an authority's activity. This study shows, then, that - if properly managed by the developer's street-level staff - the use of written submissions may improve the EIS from a stakeholder perspective and also make the stakeholders feel they are being taken seriously. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Written comments, Written, responses, Stakeholders, Road planning, Public access to official, documents
in
Transportation Research. Part A: Policy & Practice
volume
70
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000346894300006
  • scopus:84909589587
ISSN
0965-8564
DOI
10.1016/j.tra.2014.09.015
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
97c4687a-7687-4756-86b5-63bed173e0d2 (old id 4941448)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:27:07
date last changed
2022-01-28 00:40:54
@article{97c4687a-7687-4756-86b5-63bed173e0d2,
  abstract     = {{Written submissions or comments as a response on an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) rank as one of the most common forms of public participation. Within public participation research there appears to be an international dearth of knowledge concerning such written submissions. The possible impact of such responses on an EIS is - with few exceptions - seldom put in focus. The aim in the present brief communication is to study one aspect of public participation within transport infrastructure planning, namely the role of written submissions sent to the applicant by individuals, Non-governmental organisations, companies and authorities. By comparing 34 written submissions with road planning documents (including EIS) the impact of the public views has been analysed in a south Swedish case study. At a time when the new Environmental Code only had been in force for less than one year, it does not appear as if the Road Administration's regional office accepted most of the written submissions just to show that the new regulation concerning participation had a direct impact on the planning. Sweden's long tradition of public access to official documents may explain why written submissions as one aspect of public participation worked well in the E18 highway planning process, because civil servants have long been taught to promptly furnish information and guidance, as well as to giving advice and other assistance to individuals in matters concerning an authority's activity. This study shows, then, that - if properly managed by the developer's street-level staff - the use of written submissions may improve the EIS from a stakeholder perspective and also make the stakeholders feel they are being taken seriously. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Antonson, Hans}},
  issn         = {{0965-8564}},
  keywords     = {{Environmental Impact Statements (EIS); Written comments; Written; responses; Stakeholders; Road planning; Public access to official; documents}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{59--66}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Transportation Research. Part A: Policy & Practice}},
  title        = {{Public participation and written submissions.: A transport infrastructure planning case study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2014.09.015}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.tra.2014.09.015}},
  volume       = {{70}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}