Spatial Justice Crisis in Transportation: The Exclusion of Rural Areas from Carbon-Neutral Transport Policies

Abstract

The decarbonization of the transport sector is a strategic priority, yet current national transition strategies are fundamentally centered on urban-oriented technological interventions such as electric vehicle infrastructure and intelligent mobility systems. This widespread urban centrism systematically excludes rural areas, generating a spatial justice crisis that deepens the disparity in access to essential services and mobility rights. This injustice is framed theoretically through Fraser's three-dimensional justice model, which includes redistribution, recognition, and representation, alongside Lefebvre's concept of the right to the city. The primary aim of this study is to analyze how sixteen national-level policy documents defining T & uuml;rkiye's transport, climate, and development agendas represent rural areas and identify the most prominent dimensions of spatial injustice. Through qualitative document and thematic analysis, the research reveals three interconnected themes that perpetuate exclusion: the absence of rural representation, where rural mobility is addressed only through infrastructure investment and efficiency concerns; a technocratic planning paradigm, where policy implementation is guided by technical feasibility and economic productivity rather than social equity; and the invisibility of rural contexts within carbon-neutral transport strategies, ensuring that low-carbon investments are concentrated in urban cores. The findings demonstrate that the current centralist planning paradigm reproduces urban-rural inequalities. The study concludes by proposing a holistic policy approach that integrates demand-responsive transport models, strengthens local participation, and addresses digital inequalities to ensure a rights-based and equitable transition, thus contributing to the transport justice literature.