The EIT Urban Mobility released a study of cities’ mobility strategy during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic took a great toll on people’s mobility. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Urban Mobility conducted in 2020 a study in collaboration with partners (Bable, CARNET, Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (CTAG), Danish Technical University, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Miljöstrategi AB) analysing 16 European cities and their mobility strategy. Each chapter of the study contains useful insights about various aspects e.g. requirements on sustainable urban mobility systems, the present impact of the virus on urban mobility, the role of innovation, and offers an economic perspective on new mobility.
The study concludes that some cities used the pandemic to foster the development of mobility plans and measures to transform their mobility system. Cities used existing solutions that were not yet developed at a higher scale to adapt and evolve at a faster pace. Therefore, cities did not face a radical disruption during COVID-19. Surprisingly, the virus was not a “decisive factor” for the cities’ urban mobility systems but an accelerator for urban development.
For governments, the authors recommend increasing the “maturity scale” on organising for innovation and data-driven decision-making. Meaning, new competences linked to transformation, process design, public-private-partnerships, governance of data, and other need to be acquired in order to meet future requirements on urban mobility systems. Governments should collaborate with a broader set of relevant stakeholders in order to implement new mobility strategies and solutions. Further, global experiences and best practices should be used and adapted to the local scale. Moreover, the study suggested considering short-term measures as a possible long-term opportunity. Here, the authors mentioned the road space for pedestrians as a permanent situation. Other lessons from the public behaviour during COVID-19 could constitute an additional opportunity in transitioning the system towards greater flexibility and scalability.
For policymakers, the study recommends providing support for cities in their organisation for innovation and collaboration. Specifically, policymakers should offer support in the collection and use of data related to the transformation of cities’ mobility systems. In general, the authors suggest that policymakers should offer more support when it comes to models, tools and mechanisms for scaling and spreading best practices. Other kinds of support that should be offered to cities are acceleration projects, which support active modes of transport (like cycling and walking) under the present changes in user behaviour.
For mobility service providers, the report recommends that they align their services with the political goals for future mobility systems. Accordingly, the service providers should “nurture structured collaboration” and contribute to the local government’s mobility strategy in order to find a future-proof business model within the relevant political frame. Political targets and long-term effects should be taken into consideration in helping mobility service providers to improve their services.