ABSTRACT
This article explores the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for public transport. Three elements are explored. Firstly, the short-term effects, including perceptions of public transport as a vector of virus transmission and shifts towards less-sustainable modes of transport. Secondly, we discuss key challenges such as the new difficulties of providing safe and reliable public transport services, the consequent barriers for the promotion of sustainable and healthy urban mobilities and the potential exacerbation of inequalities. Finally, we assess future research directions focussing on how pandemics should be monitored and the need to construct sustainable and human-scale cities.
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Notes on contributors
Aaron Gutiérrez
Aaron Gutiérrez holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Lleida (Spain), 2009. Since 2011, he is Lecturer in Regional Geographical Analysis at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain) and researcher in the Research Group on Territorial Analysis and Tourism Studies (GRATET).
Daniel Miravet
Daniel Miravet holds a PhD in Economics from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain), 2012. Since 2009, he is working as a mobility manager for the Consortium of Public Transport of Camp de Tarragona. Since 2010, he is Part-time Lecturer in Applied Economics at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain).
Antoni Domènech
Antoni Domènech is a PhD candidate in mobility and transport at tourism destinations at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain).