This paper deals with a number of recent research programmes (NOVEM, DTO), funded by the Dutch national government, focused on sustainable transport. Attention is given to the purpose, the contents and the results of these programmes. The main issues of the paper are: (1) the role that technology might have in the developments in society; and (2) the role of the earlier mentioned initiatives in the process of technological innovation, regarding sustainable mobility. It is concluded that the different time horizons of the programmes serve the formation of a sustainable mobility policy in a different way. The NOVEM surveys yield an insight into the potential of an evolutionary approach by combining measures for the short term. The DTO programme contributes to a long-term sustainable mobility strategy, trying to speed up technological developments.
Abstract