Socio-spatial justice through public participation? A mixed-methods analysis of distributive justice in a consultative transport planning process in Germany

• Planning affects socio-spatial justice by shaping citizens’ mobility capabilities. • Potential of consultations to increase justice remains empirically unclear. • The case study analyzed the reconstruction of the Elbchaussee in Hamburg. • Results show only modest benefits for sustainable mobility and disadvantaged groups. • Current practices rarely foster justice without inclusivity and broader influence. The transport system contributes to significant socio-spatial injustices, both through its environmental impact and its structural disadvantages for certain groups. While public authorities increasingly include elements of public participation in planning processes it remains unclear whether this results in greater socio-spatial justice. To explore this question, the study examines socio-spatial justice as distributive justice and investigates how consultative planning contributes to sustainability and addresses the needs of disadvantaged groups. For this purpose, the case of the Elbchaussee reconstruction in Hamburg, Germany, is analyzed. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data including expert interviews and a public survey, the study finds that the planning process led to modest improvements, such as better conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, which promote ecological sustainability and benefit non-male groups. However, these outcomes fall short of participants’ expectations, and the few positive changes cannot be directly linked to public input. The findings suggest that current public participation practices do not automatically lead to greater socio-spatial justice. Achieving this requires more inclusive participation formats, greater influence for participants, and a more explicit focus on socio-spatial justice in planning.