As the demand for a more inclusive society increases, fair access to transport has become a pressing issue, especially in rural areas where mobility is under increasing pressure. This thesis investigates how equity in transport can be meaningfully included in the decision-making processes of transport projects in sparsely populated regions of the Netherlands. Focusing on the MIRT (Multi-Year Programme for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Transport), the study applies the concept of broad welfare, which includes not only economic outcomes but also social, environmental and health dimensions. Rural regions continue to face limited transport options, increasing the risk of social exclusion, transport poverty and regional decline. Through a qualitative, multi-method approach combining literature and policy analysis, stakeholder mapping and interviews with twelve Dutch transport planning experts, this research identifies key barriers to embedding equity: conceptual vagueness, limited political prioritisation, fragmented governance and a lack of practical tools. The findings underline the importance of including equity from the earliest planning stages and highlight the role of political support and institutional clarity. Financial barriers, particularly for smaller municipalities, worsen regional inequalities. In response, the thesis proposes a long-term strategy towards a national framework for transport equity. This includes a standard definition of transport equity, better coordination between different levels of government, refined evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis, multi-criteria analysis and participatory value evaluation, and improved funding mechanisms. By adapting the MIRT process to embed equity, the Netherlands can move from fragmented recognition to concrete, equitable transport networks.

In order to increase traffic safety in the Netherlands, the government implemented the GOW30-policy. However, evaluation of this policy shows that drivers do not comply with this newly imposed speed limit sufficiently. For this reason, roads need to be designed in such a way that speed limits are perceived as credible. At the same time, the need for sustainable road designs arises, due to factors as increased urban heat stress and population growth. Thus, road designers need to make trade-offs between spatial quality and mobility. Incorporating greenery is a promising way to reduce urban heat stress, but the presence of greenery, particularly thick trees, can also increase the severity of traffic accidents. This study evaluated the impact of roadside greenery on driving behaviour, utilising a driving simulator experiment complemented by a post-experiment survey. Linear Mixed Model analyses (LLM’s) together with survey insights revealed that perceived driving comfort leads to increased driving speeds. Comfort increases on wider roads and on roads with more overview. For this reason, it is not recommended to incorporate low greenery on GOW30 roads. Moreover, high and dense greenery is shown to reduce driving speeds while promoting better positioning on the road. It is furthermore recommended that research is performed in real-life, whilst evaluating roadside greenery in combination with cycling lanes under varying traffic and weather conditions.