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Smart Cities Round Up - 22 March

SmartCitiesWorld

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发布日期: 2024年3月22日

Despite a backlash against low-traffic neighbourhoods and the 15-minute city concept in some parts of the globe, recent surveys have shown that many city dwellers, if not the majority in some regions of the world, are very much behind the shift to walking, cycling and wheeling as opposed to car usage.

SmartCitiesWorld provides three examples this week of active travel strategies that are not only creating more convenient ways to get around for those who live, work and visit cities but also creating healthier, more liveable ones.

We begin in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, which revealed the results of its biannual Walking and Cycling Index that draws on independent feedback from a cross-section of more than 1,200 residents surveyed in 2023. Among the findings, the report shows that 50 per cent would like to see more spent on cycling while 57 per cent want investment in walking and wheeling and more than two-thirds (68 per cent) support an increase in spend on public transport. Almost half of residents want to walk and wheel (45 per cent) and cycle (49 per cent) more, too.

Significantly, the index reveals that regular walking and wheeling remains as high as 2021 when we were still affected by the pandemic. The majority of residents also think their local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach. Seven in 10 agree they can already get to many places they need to visit without having to drive.

In New Zealand, micromobility provider Neuron Mobility launched an extensive study into e-scooter use in the country, covering perceptions on safety, economic impact and rider demographics.?

The vast majority of riders surveyed (97 per cent) believe Neuron has benefited their city and 36 per cent of trips have replaced a car journey, improving air quality and congestion. Meanwhile, more than half (55 per cent) of riders are using e-scooters to commute to work.

The research also explored gender differences in e-scooter adoption, inclusivity for people with disabilities, perceptions of safety, and environmental and economic benefits.

Finally, a big well done to the Hungarian capital of Budapest, which won the top European Mobility Week Award that recognises municipalities that have excelled in promoting sustainable urban mobility during the campaign’s main week. The jury selected the City of Budapest for its car-free weekend, which attracted 10,000 participants, and Car-Free Day. It also worked closely with the City of Vienna to host a public event to promote best practice in walking and cycling policies, as well as discussions on how to save energy in the transport sector in partnership with the Centre for Budapest Transport.?

As we highlight in our Cities Climate Action Summit preview for this week, walking, cycling and micromobility options offer sustainable and healthy alternatives to private car travel, particularly for short-distance trips. The Summit will focus on how cities can create safer and more accessible environments by investing in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, thereby promoting physical activity and reducing emissions from motorised transport.

To find out more about the Summit, which takes place 26-27 June 2024, as well as the top news and articles from this week, check out the links below