Digital social innovation and civic participation: toward responsible and inclusive transport planning

ABSTRACT

This paper makes the case for Digital Social Innovation as a step toward democratic participation and engagement in the planning process. Information and communication technologies are increasingly playing a major part in mobilizing collective social and political action as a response to the outdated planning policies and practices. With transport infrastructures constrained by the unprecedented global impact of COVID-19, DSI can potentially become a defining element of the post-pandemic world. We use the case of transport planning in Auckland and analyse the role of a proactive advocacy group and its use of technical expertise to offer opinions through virtual shared platforms for public participation and empowerment. City Rail Link is discussed as a large-scale public transport project that received political and community support due to the efforts of digital social innovators.

KEYWORDS:

• Social distancing
• technological determinism
• public transport
• participatory planning
• transport policy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Part of this research was supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Marsden Fast-Start Project [No. MAU1208].