The ambivalent role of indicators in urban mobility governance: a qualitative study of mobility policymaking and planning experts in the German Rhine-Main region

Abstract This paper explores the role of indicators in urban mobility governance, analysing their effects based on qualitative interviews with experts in policymaking and planning from the German Rhine-Main region. Findings reveal that indicators serve a dual purpose: as analytical tools that guide decision making and as strategic assets within political contexts, incorporating strong communicative capabilities. These dynamics are increasingly being shaped by European Union regulations, which aim to mandate indicator-based monitoring of urban mobility plans and may link compliance to funding mechanisms. They are, thus, relevant for cities across Europe. Challenging the often uncritical, affirmative view of indicators in transport and mobility research, the results highlight the inherent ambivalence of indicators, suggesting that these analytical and strategic roles are intertwined. By doing so, it closes an analytical gap in transport and mobility studies by delivering a critical analysis of the workings of indicators in governance and policymaking processes. Consequently, this study calls for a balanced approach in both research and practice to effectively harness the potential of indicators in urban mobility governance.