Identification of Solutions for Vulnerable Road Users Safety in Urban Transport Systems: Grounded Theory Research

The share of road vehicles in urban transport systems is a challenge for modern and dynamically developing urban areas in accordance with the concept of sustainable and Smart Cities. Increasingly, there is a need to promote and adapt urban space to the movement of vulnerable road users (VRU). As part of a clear emphasis on the issue of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, the aim of the article is to define the typology and hierarchy of solutions contributing to the increase in VRU safety in cities. The research process was based on the use of grounded theory. In the adopted research methodology, the use of the Delphi method made it possible to identify the approach of various European cities to the use and implementation of technical, technological and organizational solutions affecting safety. The research made it possible to evaluate individual solutions in VRU safety management and to indicate a list of recommendations for improving security, taking into account the views of international experts. In addition, the results of this study may enrich the current literature, helping to understand the perception of solutions implemented in urban transport systems as a holistic set of interrelated elements supporting pedestrian safety and increasing their role in cities.