Research
Transport and Territorial Transformation: Impacts and Developmental Processes
Chia-Lin’s research focuses on transport and territorial development, examining how transport investment and connectivity shape processes of territorial transformation and strategic planning. Her work adopts a holistic perspective on the interactions between transport systems, economic restructuring, spatial change, travel behaviour, and digital and physical infrastructure.
She is particularly interested in the ex-post impacts of transport investment, exploring how transport opportunities are perceived, interpreted, and integrated into strategic planning and governance processes, and how these shape urban and regional development outcomes. Insights from past development trajectories are used to inform future planning and policy practice.
Her research addresses issues including transport–land use integration, space–time relationships, agglomeration dynamics, central–local power relations, institutional capacity and leadership, political ideologies of transport investment, and planning silos in decision-making. Over the past decade, her work has focused primarily on rail-based transport systems, particularly high-speed rail, metro, and tram networks. More recently, her research has expanded to examine cross-border railway and regional integration, alongside a critical rethinking of transit-oriented development (TOD).
Relevant Projects:
- 2024-2027, "Connectivity Spatial Patterns and Influence Mechanisms of Cross-border Railway Transportation under Boundary Constraints", funded by National Natural Science Foundation China, Role: Co-I with PI: Dr Jie Huang, Associate Professor, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
- 2023-2024, "Understanding the long-term evolution of metro impacts on urban development for sustainability, vibrancy, and inclusiveness", funded by ESRC UK and NSTC Taiwan for International Research Collaboration (Duration: Oct 2023-Sep 2024), Role: PI in the UK, in partnership with Co-I, Dr Taku Fujiyama (University College London) & Professor Jenjia Lin, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
- 2019-2020: Impacts of High-Speed Rail: Hubs, Linkages and Development (Special Issue on Built Environment, Vol.46, No,3) https://www.alexandrinepress.co.uk/built-environment/impacts-hsr-hubs-linkages-and-development
- 2017-2020: Handbook on Transport and Urban Transformation in China (Book Project: Lead-editor). https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/handbook-on-transport-and-urban-transformation-in-china-9781786439239.html
- 2020: HSR and wider economic impacts (CI:contribution to Policy Brief for T20, Task force 3: Infrastructure investment and financing)
- 2018-2020: Impacts of high-speed rail on new firm formation - Evidence from Suzhou in China (PI: 2018/2020)
- 2018: Empirical Study in the Nodal Transport Function and Place Urban Function of China’s High-speed Rail New Towns in the Context of New Type Urbanisation (CI)
- 2016-2018: The Impact of Inter-City High-Speed Rail Network on Spatial-Economic Development in Yangtze River Delta Area: A Case Study of Suzhou Region (PI)
- 2014-2015: Developing a new framework and appraisal tool (participatory MCA) to assist decision-making of transport investment (Research Associate for the SINTROPHER project funded by the EU INTERREG 4B Programme).
- 2013-2014: Wider impacts of rail-based transport investment on urban and economic development- Literature Review (Research Associate for the SINTROPHER project funded by the EU INTERREG 4B Programme)
- 2008-2013: The Spatial-Economic Impact of High-Speed Trains: Nationally (The UK IC125) and Regionally (A British-French Comparison) (PhD Thesis)
Integrated Spatial Planning and Design
Building on her research on transport and territorial development, Chia-Lin’s work on integrated spatial planning and design examines how planning and design respond to the social, spatial, and institutional consequences of transport-led development. She is particularly concerned with fragmented and sectoral planning practices, and with identifying pathways towards more coordinated, inclusive, and place-sensitive planning and design. Her research addresses developmental challenges affecting small and medium-sized villages, towns, and cities, including poverty, decline, polarisation, peripheralisation, segregation, displacement, and social exclusion. More recently, through British Council–funded research, she has engaged with the 15-Minute City (15MC) in two distinct but related directions: first, advancing the concept of scalable proximity to examine how accessibility and services can be rethought from the local to the city-region level and beyond; and second, critically examining how tokenistic forms of interdisciplinarity risk undermining genuine transdisciplinary transformation and meaningful societal impact.
Relevant projects:
- 2025: Rethinking public transport systems: Scale-up proximity from people-centred perspectives in sustainable communities, cities and regions, funded by BRITISH COUNCIL (Project No. 1270716215, Springboard Programme - Going Global Partnerships: Bilateral UK-France partnerships).
- 2021-2023: ‘Examining intra-regional inequalities and developing pathways towards resilient and inclusive revitalisation: Theory and Practice’, funded by the ESRC-MOST UK-Taiwan research network fund for International Research Collaboration. Role: PI in the UK, in partnership with Co-I, Dr Olivier Sykes & Dr Chanyuan Wong, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan.
- 2021-2022: “Re-thinking Marginalised Railway Heritage in England’s Cities - Using Liverpool as A Pilot Study”, funded by Early Career Research and Return Fund project (ECRRF), UoL. Role: PI, in partnership with Co-I, Dr Junjie Xi, School of Architecture.
- 2017-2018: Modern Tram and Public Transport Transit Integration in Chinese Cities – A case study of Suzhou (PI), https://www.itf-oecd.org/public-transport-integration-chinese-cities
- 2013-2015: Improving Interchanges- Developing Multi-modal Passenger Rail Hubs- An Illustrated Guide for the People’s Republic of China (Asian Development Bank)
Mobility Studies: Behaviour, Justice and Well-being
Chia-Lin’s third research theme explores the social dimensions of transport provision and emerging mobility systems. She examines how technological developments in both digital and physical infrastructures are reshaping everyday life, work patterns, and mobility practices. While these transformations create new possibilities for mobility, their benefits are unevenly distributed. Her research critically examines the growing disparities between mobility opportunities, potential accessibility, and actual travel behaviour, particularly for socially and spatially disadvantaged groups. Through interdisciplinary approaches, her work seeks to understand emerging mobility paradigms and to advance social and spatial justice in transport and mobility planning in the digital age.
Relevant projects:
- 2018-2023: High mobility in China? Exploring the impacts of high-speed rail on work-related life and well-being - A case of Suzhou and its neighbouring cities (PI: 2018)
- 2018-2021: HSR and social exclusion: an worldwide analysis review (International Research Collaboration)
Research grants
Rethinking public transport systems: Scale-up proximity from people-centred perspectives in sustainable communities, cities and regions.
BRITISH COUNCIL (UK)
January 2025 - January 2026
Learning from UK-France cross border railway transportation: border effect modelling and operational modes for the China-Laos Railway
ROYAL SOCIETY
March 2024 - March 2027
Understanding the long-term evolution of metro impacts on urban development for sustainability, vibrancy, and inclusiveness
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2023 - September 2024
Examining intra-regional inequalities and developing pathways towards resilient and inclusive revitalisation: Theory and Practice
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
July 2021 - June 2023
Research collaborations
Dr Jie Huang
Connectivity Spatial Patterns and Influence Mechanisms of Cross-border Railway Transportation under Boundary Constraints [January 2024-December 2027]
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
- National Natural Science Foundation China (NSFC) Fund - As the Co-Investigator, I'll be leading the analysis of the development impacts and mechanism of the cross-border China-Laos Railway. This project marks a significant expansion of my research expertise, delving into cross-border railways, development dynamics, and global geopolitics. One highlight is our focus on generating new insights beyond EU territory, offering policy recommendations that address key challenges, from political uncertainties to economic and operational risks. Additionally, the project involves collecting extensive databases and advancing cross-border connectivity models.
Professor Jen-Jia Lin (NTU, Taiwan), Dr Taku Fujiyama (UCL, UK), Dr Zi Ye ( UoL, UK)
Understanding the long-term evolution of metro impacts on urban development for sustainability, vibrancy, and inclusiveness [October 2023-September 2024]
Department of Geography at National Taiwan University (NTU); Department of Civil, Environment & Geomatic Engineering at University College London (UCL)
This project will collect data through open data platforms in Taiwan and the UK to explore three components, namely i) the evolution of transit-induced gentrification in Greater London, ii) the long-term impact of metro systems on urban form in Greater Taipei Metropolitan Area, and iii) recommendations on urban development policies. This project is expected to establish a close partnership between the Taiwan and the UK teams through implementation of this collaborative research.
Dr Chanyuan Wong, Dr Ker-Hsuan Chien, Dr Olivier Sykes
Examining intra-regional inequalities and developing pathways towards resilient and inclusive revitalisation: Theory and Practice [July 2021- June 2023]
National Tsing-Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan
This research aims to examine intra-regional inequalities, gain a deeper understanding of 'left-behind' places, evaluate different revitalisation approaches and developing pathways that consider the interaction of key dimensions over the possible transition process.
Professor Roger Vickerman; Dr Anupriya Anupriya; Dr Po-Chen Lin; Dr Zhenhua Chen
Impacts of high-speed rail on new firm formation – Evidence from Suzhou, China [2018-2023]
University of Kent, UK; Imperial College London, UK; The Ohio State University, USA;
Drawing on registration data of new firms at the Suzhou urban districts during a period from 2005 to 2015 that covers the time periods before and after HSR to explore whether and how new firms respond to the improved accessibility and thus identify the impacts of HSR on the spatial patterns of economic activities, both manufacturing and knowledge-based activities.
Professor Lan Wang
Investigating high-speed rail and health in China [2018 - 2020]
College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, China
This research investigates the phenomenon of long-distance commuting facilitated by high-speed rail in China and its relationship with physical and mental health. A survey conducted with Suzhou-based commuters is used as a pilot study to explore this relationship.
Dr Hyunchul Chung; Professor Roger Vickerman
High mobility in China? [2018- 2020]
Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University; University of Kent
Exploring the impact of high-speed rail on work-related long distance commuting: A case study of Suzhou-based commuters
Dr Frédéric Dobruszkes; Dr Amparo Moyano; Dr Francesca Pagliara; Dr Peter Endemann
Is high-speed rail socially exclusive or inclusive? [2018- 2021]
Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium; University of Castilla la Mancha, Spain; University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Metropolregion FrankfurtRheinMain, Germany
The extent to which HSR could be socially egalitarian has been disregarded. In this context, this research aims at filling the gap to assess the social attributes of HSR passengers based on available evidence collected worldwide at both national (or international) levels and route levels. Subject to data availability, factors of social exclusion are also reviewed.
Professor Haixiao Pan; Professor Qing Shen; Professor James Jixian Wang
Handbook of Transport and Urban Transformation in Contemporary China [2016-2020]
Tongji University, China; University of Washington, USA; City University of Hong Kong
Co-editors for this handbook, which is consisted of 25 chapters authored by leading and emerging international and domestic scholars in four main themes. (1) Transport Planning, territorial restructuring and development; (2) Transport, environment and technology; (3) Travel, people and social equity; (4) Reform, governance and development models.