FEATURE
‘We need a paradigm shift in city planning,’ says Voi’s Sarah Badoux
Micromobility as a priority H
Voi’s head of sustainability Sarah Badoux tells Rebecca Morley why city planning needs to focus on active travel
ow best to move around our cities has long been a focus for governments and local authorities, even more so recently following a shift in travel habits
during the pandemic. Many campaigners have long called for a move away from
car-centric mobility, hoping that politicians will implement change that will see a permanent shift in behaviour. The benefits of sustainable transport are clear, from helping people stay fit and healthy through exercise to reducing pollution and congestion thanks to fewer cars on our roads.
Equality issue “Noise pollution causes stress and anxiety, and congestion leads to loss of productivity,” Voi’s Sarah Badoux told BikeBiz at November’s Move 21 conference in London. “It’s also a huge equality issue because the communities that bear the burden of these things tend to be lower economic groups, they’re the ones that are exposed to air pollution, and a lot of congestion and noise.” Instead of having a two-tonne vehicle transporting a person, Badoux said we
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should be looking at modes that are more efficient, such as bikes, walking and public transport. “What we need to do is make all of these alternatives more
attractive to users, to really foster that mode shift away from private cars onto shared modes and lighter modes,” she said. “That’s what we’re working everyday to do, and it takes a lot of work. The private sector can’t solve this alone. We need strong governance, like the ULEZ in London.” London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone expanded last October
from central London up to the North and South Circular roads and, despite some sentiment against it, Badoux said it’s this type of leadership from the public sector and local authorities that is needed to make unpopular decisions for the common good. It’s these decisions that will improve quality of life and extend life expectancy, that will make our cities fairer and healthier, Badoux argued.
Behaviour changes The UN climate change conference COP26 took place
January 2022 | 21
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