Can rail save a peri-urban way of life? The case of peri-urban cities served by rail services in the metropolitan area of Lille (France)

• Published in: European planning studies Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 983 - 1002
• Main Authors: Hasiak, Sophie, Richer, Cyprien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 04.05.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Subjects: Architecture, space management; Convergence; Dependency; Economic analysis; Geography; Humanities and Social Sciences; Land use; Metropolitan areas; peri-urban; Peri-urban areas; property promotion; Public lands; Public policy; Rail station; Railroads; Railway stations; Railways; representation; Stakeholders; Sustainability; Urban areas; Urban growth; Urban sprawl; Urbanization; urbanization policy; way of living; France; Rail station; property promotion; way of living; peri-urban; urbanization policy; representation
• ISSN: 0965-4313; 1469-5944
• DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2020.1818694

Urban sprawl and the process of peri-urbanization have been important challenges for cities all around the world, generating car dependency. Public policies have taken up this issue with the aim of managing peri-urban mobilities by considering the opportunity of rail services through a sustainable approach. Indeed, the enhancement of the railway system has been at the heart of concerns of land use public stakeholders since the early 2000s. This paper suggests a specific approach to assess how rail may contribute to a sustainable management in peri-urban areas. It aims to analyse if railway enhancement is really a topic taken into account by all the stakeholders, whether they are inhabitants, elected representatives or representatives of economic societies. It relies on analysing the representations they have for peri-urban areas. Based on a specific methodological approach, it shows a certain convergence of interests in living near peri-urban railway stations, which could contribute to strengthen 'urbanity' in a sustainable way.