Accessibility and mobility in peripheral areas: a national place-based policy

Rural and peripheral areas, however defined, suffer from accessibility and mobility problems that challenge their liveability and potential for development. To cope with these challenges, it is necessary to acknowledge and address the spatial, societal, cultural and economic components of accessibility, with comprehensive action involving actors from various sectors at different scales. The Italian National Strategy for Inner Areas, aimed to reverse marginalization processes of rural peripheral areas with a place-based approach, is moving in this direction. This article analyses and discusses how the strategy aims to address accessibility and mobility, in principle and in practice. To this aim, document analysis of the general documents and guidelines of the SNAI and 50 local strategies is combined with qualitative insights from interviews and participant observation. The analysis shows the scope and approach of the strategy and points out a number of criticalities and pitfalls challenging its potential. The results can contribute to inform research, policymaking and planning to improve accessibility in European peripheral areas, taking stock of the potentialities and limitations of this experience.