Relations Matter: Towards Relational Egalitarianism in Transport

This paper proposes a relational egalitarian framework for conceptualising justice in transport planning and policymaking. Drawing on Elizabeth Anderson’s work, it argues that transport justice should be understood in terms of dismantling structural inequalities rather than merely redistributing resources. The paper outlines three key dimensions of relational inequality in transportation: hierarchies of power, standing, and esteem. It explores how these hierarchies are embedded in governance processes, transport infrastructure and service delivery, evaluative frameworks, and the social and physical fabric of cities. By focusing on relational inequalities, this approach broadens and sharpens our understanding of transport injustice, providing planners with guiding principles to identify and address forms of discrimination often overlooked in conventional approaches. The aim of the paper is thus to propose a framework that reorients transport planning as a powerful driver of social equality.