The politics of urban experiments : realising radical change or reinforcing business as usual?
When Jean-Francois Mayet was elected mayor of the French city of Châteauroux in 2001, he inherited a mass transit system that was functional but under-used by residents. The city, located about halfway between Paris and Bordeaux, had collective aims that were similar to other medium-sized cities in Europe: to reduce the city’s ecological footprint while improving the local economy and fostering a