The Smart Cities Council Urban Mobility Task Force has produced a report outlining what it says are six steps that it says must be taken now to address the challenges associated with the ‘first and last mile’ problem and enable uptake of more sustainable transport modes.
The report, Mobility Now, released as part of Smart Cities Week lists its six step as:
- Adapt and re-design the urban built environment
- Develop a new urban mobility operating system
- Introduce more accessible and equitable mobility
- Embrace a global 21st century urban mobility data system
- Create a new mobility incentives regime
- Implement new decision making and strategy development practices.
Smart Cities Council executive director Adam Beck said the report was not seeking to pitch cars against bikes or pedestrians, but about curating a more balanced mix of transport modes to enhance the liveability, sustainability and workability of cities, and the health and wellbeing of our citizens.
We know half of all commuters in our capital cities live within 10 kilometres of their workplace – and as much as a third live within five kilometres. And yet most still drive,” Beck said.
“If just five per cent of driver-only commuters shifted to micro-mobility – cycling, scooting or walking in combination with public transport – we would remove 300,000 cars from Australia’s daily commuter traffic, while helping people’s wallets and waistlines.”
The report says continuing today’s dominant focus on automobile-based transport solutions in many of our cities will not alleviate the significant threats that traffic and congestion represents to people, places and the environment.
“There is an opportunity to use new mobility options, working in tandem with efficient public transport systems in order to increase access for people and to improve the urban environment,” it says.
