Tag Archive: Future of Mobility

1. NGO addresses Malta’s transport issues and its rental scooter ban

   19/02/2024 18:30 Comments Off on NGO addresses Malta’s transport issues and its rental scooter ban

   Source: Newsbook Malta

   Newsbook Malta interviews Dr Suzanne Maas from Friends of the Earth Malta about Malta’s traffic problems, e-scooter ban, and the actions needed to solve its transport issues.

   Malta and its role in reducing EU transport emissions

   Last year before the COP28 summit, it was reported that Malta had registered the largest percentage increase in EU greenhouse gas emissions. Since the European Commission described Malta’s climate action progress as “largely insufficient”, questions have been raised on how the Maltese government intends to achieve its green mobility and carbon emission reduction targets.

   E-scooters: “The latest casualty” of shared mobility in Malta

   Dr. Maes discussed the upcoming ban on rental e-scooters in the country, which will be enforced from March 1st, 2024, describing them as the “latest casualty” of shared mobility, with lack of available parking space on narrow streets being a frequent concern for Maltese residents. Through the years Friends of the Earth Malta and Rota campaigned to improve e-scooter issues, by proposing designated parking spaces on each street for scooters, protected lanes, traffic calmed zones and a more inclusive transport network for multimodal travel.

   Improvement in transport infrastructure needed to reach EU climate action targets

   With only 52% of the Maltese population having a driving license, Dr. Maes argues that investing in infrastructure for private cars only meets the needs of half of the population and suggests that more needs to be done to improve mobility for everyone. She emphasizes that solving Malta’s transport issues doesn’t need to be big infrastructural projects, but needs the configuration of its existing infrastructure to be changed. The article mentions positive transport infrastructure examples in Europe, such as Brussels in Belgium, which is a very car dependent city but has recently enjoyed impressive results from an active mobility initiative. Read the full article here about the issues regarding mobility in Malta.

2. POLIS publishes new report on shared micromobility

   18/12/2023 16:28 Comments Off on POLIS publishes new report on shared micromobility

   Source: EU Urban Mobility Observatory

   The new report, “Catch me if you can!”, analyses how European cities are regulating shared mobility

   POLIS, the network for European cities and regions to work together in developing innovative technologies and policies for local transport, has undertaken extensive research with stakeholders to gather their insights on the key issues and challenges that have emerged with the rise of shared micromobility. Those consulted include individual cities, public practitioners and private operators.

   For local and regional authorities, shared micromobility represents a complex governance challenge, where many aspects – sustainability, safety, innovation, regulation and more – must be balanced.

   Some might argue that regulation should be a prerequisite for the deployment of shared micromobility services and schemes. However, the reality is that mobility services have often been put in place before adequate regulation has been established. Most local and regional authorities have found themselves having to regulate services which were already in use, and without clarity about how to achieve this.

   The POLIS report explores: 

   • How local and regional authorities are regulating shared mobility.
   • What has and has not worked, and learnings from these experiences.
   • The differences and similarities between cities.
   • Potential future strategies for both public authorities and private operators.

   In the face of rapid change and increased public demand, local and regional governments have based their regulations on local context and with use of the tools available. Critical aspects within authorities’ jurisdiction include issues such as urban space allocation, vehicle requirements, and user behaviour. The primary challenge is that of introducing newer modes of transport such as shared micromobility into pre-existing infrastructure that is primarily shaped around private cars.

   For the future, it is important to balance the regulation of new transport modes with the possible changes around the traditional monopoly of private cars. Climate neutrality goals demand a shift away from the conventional ways urban transport has been organised, and it is more and more relevant to explore strategies for incorporating shared mobility and other transport modes into urban mobility ecosystems. The role of policy and regulations is to build effective frameworks for including new transport modes into the mobility mix. Transport planners must also consider topics such as redistributing space in favour of more sustainable, safe and health-promoting transport means.

   The POLIS report can be read here.

3. Eurobike announces new visual concept for 2024 show

   13/11/2023 17:14 Comments Off on Eurobike announces new visual concept for 2024 show

   Source: Eurobike

   Eurobike’s latest visionary shines a new light on the latest in bicycle and urban mobility ranges

   Eurobike, a leading global trade event for the bicycle and future mobility sector has revealed a new visual look. Its main motif represents Eurobike’s desire to represent all bicycle and urban mobility ranges.

   From July 3 to 7, 2024, Messe Frankfurt will once again become a major stage for the latest trends, a knowledge platform as well as a networking forum for new mobility, with the bicycle remaining as its strongest driving factor. The agency Baschnegger Ammann Partner recently completed this designed poster for Eurobike.

   The new visual design’s essence is based on the simple and innovative basic principle of the bicycle and its modern “relatives” – the wheel, reducing the (bicycle) wheel to its underlying circular shape. For this design, Eurobike claims the combination of different circular parts and a signal-like color palette covers all segments of the bicycle world and future mobility.

   Eurobike deems the new visual as “inspirationally colorful, self-confidently striking and pleasantly cheerful”. It builds on its well-known magenta and yellow brand colors for Eurobike, and adds a new color to the mix, cyan. It introduces this new color as a way to create more room to visually represent industry frontline topics, and for Eurobike to evolve as its own brand. The fair platform also confirms that this imagery can be used in all formats and displayed across all channels.

   Andreas Kleinekathöfer, Creative Director and Partner at Baschnegger Ammann Partner explains the creative aspiration behind the visual, “Our aim was to develop a new key visual for Eurobike that was as visionary as it was coherent and derived from its DNA,”. Eurobike project manager Dirk Heidrich added: “The new visualization of our umbrella brand reflects all segments of our industry and their further development. It conveys the intention of the Eurobike platform to create an effective space for all key players to meet the environmental, economic and social challenges of mobility.”

   

   About Eurobike

   Eurobike is the central platform of the cycling and future mobility universe. Together with visionaries from politics, business, society and the mobility industry, it creates space for communication, new ideas, change of perspective, and strong partnerships for innovative mobility solutions and new business models. With Eurobike, the booming and rapidly changing bicycle and future mobility industries have found a common platform. It sets new standards and identifies key topics in the areas of sports, leisure, health and mobility, makes continuous progress and brings the global community together live. The 32nd Eurobike will take place on the grounds of Messe Frankfurt from Wednesday, July 3 to Sunday, July 7, 2024. For more information, go to: www.eurobike.com

   About fairnamic GmbH:

   With the founding of fairnamic GmbH, the trade fair companies Frankfurt and Friedrichshafen are sealing a partnership focusing on innovative mobility. The market position in the future markets of bicycles, e-bikes, micromobility and general aviation is strengthened by pooling expertise and market knowledge, global positioning, brand strength and speed. The joint venture focuses on the Eurobike and AERO brands and their satellites. The objective is to expand and further develop the two flagship trade fairs. For more information, go to: www.fairnamic.com.

4. Insync Bikes and Indian Parent Company Welcome New Era for Cycling in UK

   28/05/2020 18:49 Leave a Comment

   LEVA-EU member Insync Bikes and its Indian owner, Hero Motors Company (HMC), have backed the UK’s £2bn package to create a new era for cycling and walking. HMC, which includes Hero Cycles, believes the plans offer a great opportunity for both its British research and development team and Indian supply chins to work together.

   The company, which established its Global Design Centre in Manchester in 2017, has revealed expansion plans for the UK market, with a three-fold hike expected over the next three years and volumes going up from 200,000 to 600,000 units. Its Manchester base was set up to boost design and technology innovation and produce the next generation of bicycles.

   The government’s plan to boost greener, active transport, launched in May by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, begins with pop-up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, wider pavements, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors as part of a £250m emergency active travel fund.

   The cash is the first stage of a £2bn investment, as part of £5bn in new funding announced for cycling and buses in February.

   It is hoped the scheme will help encourage more people to choose alternatives to public transport when they need to travel, following unprecedented take-up of cycling and walking during lockdown.

   The government will has pledged to fund and work with local authorities across the country to help make it easier for people to use bikes to get around. This includes Greater Manchester, which wants to create 150 miles of protected cycle track, and Transport for London, which plans a ‘bike Tube’ network above Underground lines.

   Pankaj M Munjal, HMC chairman and managing director, welcomed the measures, which he believed would create huge opportunities for Hero in the UK and India. He said: “The investment being made will be phenomenal in encouraging more people to take up cycling and enjoy the health benefits that go with it. Our operation in the UK, Insync Bikes, and India can collaborate on this cycling mission by working closely on research and development from the UK and supply chain from India.”

   Find out more @Insyncb2b

5. Sustainable Mobility Research: taxes on CO2 & fossil fuels lower emissions most

   20/05/2020 16:30 Leave a Comment

   Source: Science for Environment Policy by EC – In order to meet global emission reduction targets, the transport sector must become more sustainable. To assess the impact and effectiveness of various transport policy measures in reaching emission reduction targets, a quantitative assessment of policy scenarios was conducted for Denmark. The results indicate that market signals, in the form of taxes on CO2 and fossil fuels, retain the highest impact in lowering carbon emissions in the transport sector, while the promotion of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), rather than autonomous transport, is the most cost-effective measure.

   Transport activity accounts for 23% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions at the global level. Within the whole Danish energy system, the transport sector accounted for 42% of total CO2 emissions in 2015. If emission reduction targets are to be met, there is, therefore, an urgent need to make the transport sector more sustainable. Strategies for achieving this include the implementation of policy measures designed to promote technological developments, regulatory instruments and social change. However, accurately identifying the most effective measures can be a challenge.

   Researchers conducted a quantitative assessment of the impact and effectiveness of a range of transport and energy policy measures on achieving national and European emission-reduction targets in Denmark. A series of policy scenarios were generated, based on workshops conducted with experts, stakeholders and citizens. The four scenarios were:

   • New mobility (measures relevant to e-bikes, car occupancy and teleworking);
   • Electrification (measures relevant to fossil-fuel tax, electricity tax, vehicle-registration tax and fossil-fuel phase-out);
   • Market-driven (measures relevant to internal combustion engine (ICE) bans and CO2 tax);
   • Sea and air (measures relevant to the decarbonisation of the aviation and maritime sectors).

   These scenarios were analysed to elucidate the single and combined effects of policy measures. Analysis was facilitated by a newly developed Scenario Interface tool (an Excel-based tool that helps those unfamiliar with modelling to create energy and transport scenarios). The tool was coupled with the Danish energy system model TIMES-DK, which includes the complete national energy system, covering long-term technology investments.

   The results suggest that market signals, in the form of taxes on CO2 and fossil fuels, retain the highest impact in lowering carbon emissions in the transport sector. Mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) describes a shift away from personal vehicle ownership towards a combination of transportation services from public and private transportation providers (including such options as ride-sharing and e-hailing services, bike-, car- and scooter-sharing programmes and on-demand bus services). MaaS was identified as the most cost-effective measure. The New mobility scenario also illustrated how cost savings at system level could be achieved through the combination of policy measures such as the promotion of MaaS, working from home and increased adoption of e-bikes.

   This research has implications for transport and energy policy. In addition to highlighting the need to address the transition to sustainable transport through the design and implementation of coherent policy packages, the study provides useful insights regarding the potential impact and effectiveness of a wide range of policy measures, considered on their own and in combination.

   The study also identifies a particularly urgent need to develop policy measures aimed at making the maritime and aviation sectors more sustainable, as these sectors have a particularly large impact in terms of fossil-fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.

   Please find the Danish study @ LEVA-EU Light Electric Vehicle Research or @ ScienceDirect.

   Photo by Kelvyn Ornettte Sol Marte on Unsplash