MICROMOBILITY
clear, “ he explained. “Certainly with cycling and e-cycling, there’s swathes of evidence to say this is good at the individual level, societal level, economic level, and environmental level. “E-scooters are newer, but if they’re built and implemented in the right way, then I think lightweight, low speed mobility like e-scooters just makes sense in urban areas.
PHOTO: GEORG EIERMANN VIA UNSPLASH
“On the other hand, you’re immediately stripping out any possibility for deviation from the prescribed design, when potentially those deviations could bring tremendous benefits from a safety, sustainability or accessibility point of view. “Our role is to provide DfT with evidence and recommendations on these trade-offs and issues, which will then feed into their thinking on how to move forward.”
Missed opportunity The term “missed opportunity” was rife in 2023. Towards the end of 2023, Beard was paying close attention to The King’s Speech, delivered to Parliament on Tuesday, November 7, in the hope of helping to gain momentum “There was a notable absence of the previously mentioned plans to create a Low Speed Zero Emission Vehicle (LZEV) category – which for me definitely feels like a missed opportunity,” said Beard. “The climate crisis is escalating and the longer it goes on without us achieving substantial change in our emissions, the more drastic the interventions are going to have to be. “We’ve got the opportunity to do things now that are
likely to be far more politically palatable than the kinds of policies which will be needed in 5/10 years’ time if we carry on without making much progress. There’s that urgency in my mind.”
Beard sees micromobility as one of the most exciting areas of innovation in the transport sector. “Essentially the technology is ready to go. Obviously, there’s improvements to be made but with the right policy and regulation we can work through that. As a technology, the potential benefits to be gained are pretty
36 | January 2024
“They’re not a silver bullet of course. We can’t get rid of all cars but I do think we can help drive some substantial shifts onto micromobility that will bring all sorts of benefits.
Micromobility beyond cities The micromobility discussion is often targeted around cities and urbanscapes, but there are still opportunities for rural areas. With e-bikes, for example, evidence suggests people
cycle for longer once converting to pedal-assisted models. “I think there is a role for micromobility in rural and semi-rural areas, though clearly in a lot of locations, the infrastructure will be a challenge - with longer distances to travel, limited cycling infrastructure, unlit single track country lanes and busier trunk roads to contend with,” said Beard.
“Many of these challenges will not go away unless the underlying infrastructure is changed, and I think we have to be realistic that it won’t always be possible to do that. “It’s about having a conversation with local authorities and trying things out in those regions where it hasn’t been done before. R&D budgets from central government can help with this. “It’s important to design trials effectively to understand the barriers for people who live and work in those areas and find what that sweet spot is for encouraging people to switch onto more sustainable modes such as micromobility.”
The theme throughout the conversation continues to be the need for changes to underlying infrastructure and Beard believes that should be the primary concern of policymakers and stakeholders in 2024. “For me, the priority has to be regulatory change because I’m not sure what the way forward is without that. The earlier the Transport Bill can be reignited and go through the motions of Parliament, the sooner we will be able to realise the benefits.”
www.bikebiz.com
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