Between Progress and Barriers: Bologna’s Urban Mobility Plan and the Disabled Experience – A Case Study

As European cities aim for ambitious sustainable targets, there are concerns about whose demands are prioritised in the process. This research investigated how daily mobility practices among wheelchair users in Bologna have been impacted by recently introduced sustainable mobility policies. While Bologna was among the first cities to implement the European Sustainable Mobiltiy Plan (SUMP), this study emphasises the gap between inclusive rhetoric and lived experience. By combining document analysis with ten interviews, this study focuses on the impact of three important urban mobility policies on wheelchair users: the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (Piano Urbano della Mobilità Sostenibile, PUMS), the Plan for the Elimination of Architectural Barriers (Piano per l’Eliminazione delle Barriere Architettoniche, PEBA), and the General Urban Plan (Piano Urbanistico Generale, PUG). The findings show that although the PEBA includes specific measures to address accessibility, the PUG and PUMS convey a rhetoric of inclusivity while lacking enforcement procedures. Wheelchair users therefore experienced fragmented policy outcomes, reporting physical and psychological barriers, constrained access to public space, and limited mobility options. Overall, these findings showcase a persistent gap between policy ambitions and lived accessibility.