Translating Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) into Practice : How cities form networks for sustainable mobility

Sammanfattning

This study examines how heterogeneous actors form and coordinate networks to configure Living Labs in the implementation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP) across European cities. Using Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as an analytical lens, the research explores how municipalities, citizens, external partners, technologies, and frameworks interact through processes of translation, negotiation, and alignment in urban mobility initiatives. The study is based on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with representatives from seven European municipalities involved in collaborative mobility projects. The findings show that Living Lab configurations emerge through continuous processes of negotiation, collaboration, communication, and organizational adaptation among diverse actors. Rather than operating through fixed structures or predefined roles, actor participation evolves dynamically in response to local contexts, institutional conditions, and participatory challenges. Furthermore, Living Labs function as translational environments that connect operational practices with long-term strategic planning in sustainable urban mobility governance. Institutional frameworks supporting inter-city collaboration facilitate knowledge exchange and the development of shared practices that influence future mobility implementations. The study contributes to ANT and Living Lab research by highlighting how multi-layered actor networks are formed and stabilized in practice, emphasizing the central coordinating role of municipalities and the importance of continuous translation processes in shaping sustainable urban mobility outcomes.