It’s time for a change in urban planning. The pandemic has been a turning point for one of the most important concepts for cities, both now and in the future: urban mobility.
Traffic-watching platforms, mobility apps, new environmentally friendly vehicles, and the redistribution of spaces to facilitate social distancing – all of these ideas respond to the new challenges facing urban mobility.
Below, we’ve explained how we are going to be getting around cities. It’s all about micromobility. Here are six ways to encourage it:
Greenways
The idea of giving cities back to pedestrians, which is already being seen all over the world, has become even more popular. There are neighbourhoods that are a fifteen-minute walk away from the city centre, huge pedestrianised avenues, and pathways surrounded by greenery like the Jiangyin Greenway in China, a six-kilometre-long track that encourages people to use sustainable transport and to enjoy the city.
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Bike friendly cities
The bicycle is one of the best examples of sustainable urban mobility. It improves quality of life as well as reducing air and noise pollution. That’s why so many cities have joined the bike friendly movement.
Copenhagen is one example, and it was the inspiration for the students who created a smart bicycle – The Cophenhagen Wheel.
Electric scooters
We were getting used to seeing electric scooters around our cities long before COVID entered our lives. Now they are one of the most used transport alternatives for those travelling to and from work.
But should we buy our own or share one with others? Platforms like Lime or Wind have paved the way for new micromobility companies that make scooters available to those who want to get around in a safe, efficient, and affordable way.
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Carsharing
You can also share motorbikes and cars. Car sharing is becoming more popular, with electric cars that you can rent for a certain period of time. Just download an app on your phone and you’re ready to hit the road.
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Air taxis
Why not travel among the clouds? The e-commerce boom has seen the use of drones for deliveries skyrocket. Amazon has already received permission to start using them in the US.
But why not go one step further? Airtaxis are now a reality. South Korea has already tried them out, and we could see the first ones in Spain in 2023.
Smart systems
New technology is joining forces with sustainable mobility. Some big cities, including Rio de Janeiro, have sensors and cameras distributed throughout the city to gather information about traffic in real time.
London also has Smart Parking, which lets drivers know where the closest parking spot is. Apps like this reduce both time wasting and emissions.
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