For years, efforts have been made to get more people out of the car and onto public transport. One of the ways to win over travelers is to get them to and from a train station in an easy way. Local authorities would do well to investigate this further.
Those means of transport for travel movements to and from a station are also referred to as last mile solutions called. Then of course you immediately think of the (shared) bicycle or an electric scooter. But perhaps even more modes of transport will be added in the future.
Think of the electric scooters that you sometimes see, but that are actually not yet allowed on the public road. Moreover, in a few years’ time we will probably also have to deal with self-driving cars or vans.
But what does the traveler prefer? Which factors play a role in this and where do you, as a (local) government, place the emphasis? Researchers are looking into this, including Niels van Oort, assistant professor of Public Transport at Delft University of Technology.
Coincidences
Van Oort is co-author of two recently published to investigate on this subject and sees that the current set of circumstances underlines the need to rethink mobility.
“Public transport has been hit during the corona crisis and has to recover. In addition, the need for and necessity for sustainable mobility is increasing and the latitude of the car in city centers is increasingly being restricted. In short, what now? new means of transport help us?”
For this, according to Van Oort, it is important to know who the potential users are and how travelers participate in the competition. In addition, governments must take the lead, because if we all strive for greater sustainability and quality of life, governments must set goals and free up resources.
Electric scooters not a magical solution
One of the measures would allow the so-called electric scooters. “That would be a nice addition to the overall mix, but you should not expect miracles,” says Van Oort.
Research from abroad shows that it is often only young people who use it. In addition, the steps are mainly used to go from door to door and not to or from a station. “It largely replaces trips that would otherwise be done or on foot, although there are also examples of cities where up to 10 percent of trips by scooter replaced the car or taxi”.
According to Van Oort, there is therefore no perfect last mile solution† It will always be a mix, in which different things play a role. Think of travel motive, the weather and the amount of luggage that the traveler has with him.
It is true that during research At the Delft Campus station, it emerged that if travelers do not have the opportunity to walk or use their own bicycle, the majority of them opt for shared bicycles. The e-step can also count on interest here.
“It should be noted that the users there are relatively young, highly educated and predominantly male,” Van Oort points out. “If you want to scale up shared mobility, you have to make some adjustments in the mix. This can be done, for example, with electric bicycles to accommodate the elderly.”
Risk of nuisance lurking
There are also disadvantages to shared transport. For example, many cities where electric scooters have been introduced are experiencing nuisance. These are often left haphazardly, blocking sidewalks or creating a cluttered public space.
The municipality of Rotterdam therefore works with a permit system for the providers of shared bicycles, scooters and (in the future) scooters. “With the permit, the municipality can manage nuisance and the quality of the vehicles. In addition, agreements have been made with providers about sharing data, so that the municipality gains insight into the performance of the systems. We do not want any or at least as little possible nuisance,” said a spokesperson.
Another dot on the horizon is that of autonomous (shared) cars or self-driving shuttles. Not everyone is convinced of that yet. “You see that people still have to cross certain thresholds. Not everyone has faith in the technology and social safety in the unmanned vehicle also plays a role, especially among women. But in the past people also feared the elevator. That hardly matters anymore. .”
Van Oort sees opportunities in particular for autonomous shuttles for targeted pre- and post-transport, such as to hospitals and shopping centres.
Unknown makes unloved
In summary, mobility as a total product must become attractive. This means that it must consist of various forms of shared mobility in combination with high-quality public transport that is fast and reliable. At the same time, Van Oort points out that the phenomenon of shared mobility is still fairly new.
“Many people have not yet used it or have never even heard of it. About 20 percent of the Dutch do not know what a shared scooter or bicycle is. Unknown makes unloved, So for policymakers: make sure you don’t do it alone organizes, but also that people can experience how well it works.”
According to Van Oort, many of the people who are familiar with shared mobility indicate that using it can be cumbersome. “I understand that. You often have to install an app, create an account, link payment details and whatnot. That is usually not a problem, but we have to recognize that this is a barrier for some people. Insight per location in the specific target groups and their preferences for the last mile is therefore essential. Just putting shared bikes or scooters somewhere is not enough.”
