In this research, we focus on the case of an environmental innovation regarding transport policy, the implementation of the free fare policy on public transport (PT) for all inhabitants of Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn, with 439,000 inhabitants in 2015, is the capital of Estonia and the largest city in the country. However, over the last two decades the share of PT trips decreased dramatically. After a public opinion poll in 2012, in which over 75% of the participants voted for a fare-free transportation system (FFPTS) in Tallinn, the new policy was implemented on 1st January 2013. From that date residents registered in Tallinn could use all PT services (buses, trams, trolley-buses) operated by city-run operators for free. Later the free fare system was implemented also on trains within Tallinn. For this we have undertaken a project to evaluate the implementation of the free fare policy on PT in Tallinn as a case of an experiment regard-ing innovation in transport policy with potential environmental consequences. We evaluate this experi-ment by comparing the previous with the actual situation regarding several indicators such as PT use, change in modal split, pollution, etc. This is done by interviewing relevant informers (stakeholders) to identify the main enablers of and obstacles to the use of the FFPTS in Tallinn as well as possible limita-tions of this experiment to contribute to sustainable development. In exploring the main enablers of and obstacles to the implementation of the FFPTS in Tallinn, we apply the multi-level model of social innova-tion (Geels et al 2001) that allows for systematic exploration of the role of institutional regime (market, policy and science interactions) and the impact of the so-called ‘landscape’ level of societal values, over-all paradigms and megatrends that both shape the success of innovation in socio-technical systems. The research allows us to deepen our understanding on innovation governance in relation to mitigation and adaptation, as well as identifying effective ways of stimulating and diffusing experiments on policy and governance innovations. Our results show that the interlink between local and national politics have a determinant effect not only on the initiatives taken and the support they achieve but also on the interpretation of the success of those initiatives and their stability. Also, the discourses build around those initiatives and “unexpected” consequences of the policy are reported.

1. Evaluating an Experiment
The Case of Fare-Free Public Transportation System
in Tallinn
Daniel Gabaldón-Estevan | Bratislava 02/06/2016
Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Faculty of Social
Sciences,
University of Valencia- Valencia (ES) - daniel.gabaldon@uv.es
INOGOV MC and WG4 meeting
“New Directions in Climate Policy and Governance: Polycentricity in Action?”
1-3rd June, 2016 Slovak University of Technology, Vazovova 5, Bratislava
Hosted by: SPECTRA, Centre of Excellence at Slovak University of Technology
and Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava
Daniel Gabaldón-Estevan, Kati Orru, Clemens Kaufmann, Hans Orru
This presentation is derived of the project ‘Fare-Free Public Transportation System in Tallinn - Revealed Pros and Cons.’
and is an outcome of COST Action IS1309 ‘Innovations in Climate Governance: Sources, Patterns and Effects’ (INOGOV).

2. Motivation01
About half of the world’s population now
lives in cities (increasing to 60% by 2030)

3. Motivation02
Cities
are responsible for levels of resource
consumption and waste generation higher
beyond their share on world population

4. Motivation03
Cities are more
vulnerable to
disruptive events
that can lead to restrictions on the
provision of resources and to changes on
the environment caused by climate change

5. Motivation04
Because they concentrate key resources
(political, social, cultural…) cities are seen
as strategic scenarios where to experiment
and develop solutions to cope with the
prevailing sustainability challenges

6. Case study: Tallinn (Estonia)05
We focus on the case of an environmental innovation
regarding transport policy, the implementation of the
FFPTS for all inhabitants registered in Tallinn, Estonia.
De NuclearVacuum - File:Location European nation states.svgEste gráfico vectorial fue creado con
Inkscape, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8105117

7. Method: In-depth interviews with experts06
Ten semi-structured qualitative interviews to key
informants were performed and recorded
Climate and Radiation Department
Geomedia Consulting
and Training Centre
Transport Development and Investments Department

8. Results: Antecedents07
Since the ‘90 PT ▼ 30%, while motorization rate more than
doubled during that period up to 425 cars per 1,000 residents
Fares were already reduced by 40% for people who were registered as inhabitants of Tallinn
Approximately 36% of the passengers were already exempted from paying PT fare based on
their socioeconomic or occupational profiles.
Another 24% of the passengers benefited from special discounts (pupils etc.)
Fares for the PT were identified as a primary problem area in Tallinn in 2010, respondents
were most unsatisfied with PT fares (49%) by crowding (29%) and frequency (21%).
Economic crisis
20% decrease of purchasing
power, since 2009 and 2010
Yearly cost for an adult using
monthly abonnement was
abut to 240€ in 2012
(minimum monthly salary
in 2013 was 320€, and the
gross mean monthly salary
was 949€)

9. Results: Implementation08
- Bus priority lanes (before 2012 there were only 12 km and they did not cross the city centre);
- Trams and trolleybuses where merged with busses in the same management unit,
- Signalling system, like priority signals for PT;
- Installation of traffic control equipment on 24 intersections,
- Introduction of the contact-less green card (“ühiskart“);
- Adjusted traffic control, like new one-way streets with two-way traffic for PT, removal of car traffic
from tram tracks, double stopping lines;
- Automatic passenger counting in a number of vehicles, in order to obtain information about
passenger flow and to optimise the timetables;
- Acquisition of new vehicles (trams and buses) with CO2 quotas;
- Renovation of the tram railway;
- Establishment of Park & Ride facilities;
Free PT system from January 1, 2013

10. Results: The network09

11. Results: The lines and vehicles10
73L / 299V
5L / 82V
4L / 56V

12. Results: Assessment of the policy11
Lack of accurate
data on passenger
before and after
Streets works and
tram lines renewalPollution more
dependent on weather
than on traffic
No specific data
on private car petrol
consumption
The increase on PT
is of old pedestrian
Mobility measures
not connected
No public strategy
on the transport policy
Intermodality
has not been promoted
Resources could
have been
devoted to quality
Unexpected
consequences
Increase in Tallinn
residents (24.000
new residents)
Big relative increase
In train passengers
(700% in 2 years)
Increased security
Vehicle renewal for
quota selling
Economic
Sustainability of
The FFPTS
Many parallel
measure were taken

13. Conclusions:
The logic of politics12
Estonian Government:
Reform Party (RP)
+ Social Democratic Party (SDP)
+ Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL)
Tallinn Local Government:
Estonian Centre Party
Is FFPT a
populist move?
Is FFPT a
Green move?
Opinion pools,
low rent users, Russian
Speakers Lasnamäe
Marketing strategy like
cultural capital?
Is FFPT
legitimate?
Tax payers
Is it a external
subsidy?
Mobility measures
not connected
Intermodality
has not been strongly
promoted in Harjumaa
Economic
Sustainability of
The FFPTS
The increase on PT
is of old pedestrian

14. Daniel Gabaldón-Estevan | Bratislava 02/06/2016
Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Faculty of Social
Sciences,
University of Valencia- Valencia (ES) - daniel.gabaldon@uv.es
https://uv.academia.edu/DanielGabald%C3%B3nEstevan
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel_Gabaldon-Estevan
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/daniel-gabad%C3%B3n-estevan/23/722/aaa
http://www.slideshare.net/DanielGabaldnEstevan
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2086-5012
http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-5195-2011
Thank you for your attention13