ABSTRACT
Spatial mobility and social mobility have historically been treated as separate areas of study with their own distinctive traditions, rooted in geography and sociology. The chapter describes J.M. Thompson's four typologies of urban structure related to the influence of automobiles. The strong concept of sustainability conflates environmental and social elements as complementary features. The assumption is that creating a more environmentally friendly transport system will benefit those on lower incomes and socially marginalised groups who depend more on collective transport services. Thus strong sustainability policies are perceived to be progressive in promoting economic and social equity. In response to the sustainability agenda, architects and planners have investigated alternate urban structures to accommodate population growth together with a convivial transport system. Apart from a few countries, The Sustainable Transport and Potential Mobility (STPM) index is not consistent with other measures of transport sustainability, such as those produced by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the Kyoto Protocol.
