This research explores the role of mobility hubs as strategic interventions in the transition towards sustainable urban mobility, focusing on their effectiveness in achieving predefined policy goals. Mobility hubs are physical spaces designed to integrate various transportation modes, serving as multimodal transfer points. They are increasingly used by municipalities in the Netherlands to address urban challenges such as an increasing demand for mobility, limited public space, and the environmental impacts of private vehicle use. Despite their growing implementation, systematic ex-post evaluation of mobility hubs in relation to their policy objectives remains scarce. This research seeks to fill this gap by developing an ex-post evaluation framework for assessing the societal impacts of realised mobility hubs.

The study applies different methods, combining a literature review, policy analysis, expert interviews, and a case application. The literature review sets the theoretical foundation by examining sustainable mobility concepts and the role of mobility hubs in transport systems. Policy documents from the municipality of Amsterdam and the province of Noord-Holland were analysed to understand the goals and objectives behind the development of mobility hubs. These policy documents highlight broad ambitions such as enhancing accessibility, promoting modal shifts away from private car use, and improving public space. However, they often lack specific, measurable indicators for assessing effectiveness.

Empirical data was gathered through semi-structured expert interviews with municipal representatives, provinces and developers involved in mobility hub development. These interviews provided insights into the current practices, challenges, and expectations for evaluating the effectiveness of mobility hubs. The findings from the interviews informed the creation of the ex-post evaluation framework, which includes indicators for measuring the contribution of mobility hubs to societal goals. Further, it was revealed that current practices aimed for moving from monitoring towards evaluation.

A key aspect of this research was testing the evaluation framework through a case application of the Appeltjesmarkt mobility hub in Amsterdam. This case application examined the feasibility, relevance, and practicality of applying the framework to a real-world example. The findings revealed that quantitative data on usage is readily available, evaluating broader impacts such as changes in travel behaviour and social cohesion remains challenging. The case study also highlighted the importance of contextual factors, such as the urban setting and hub size, in influencing the evaluation process.

The research emphasises the need for adaptive, context-sensitive evaluation frameworks, that can account for the diversity of mobility hubs and their varying roles. The proposed framework provides a practical tool for municipalities and stakeholders to assess the effectiveness of mobility hubs and supports evidence-based decision-making in the development of mobility hubs. This study contributes to bridging the gap between policy ambitions and the actual performance of mobility hubs.