VEDI ANCHE: RECENSIONI, BIBLIOGRAFIE, GLOSSARI, CARTOGRAFIA
VAI A: DOCUMENTI 2000-2017
vai al 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018
2024
Boya Zhang, Carlos F. Mendes de Leon, Kenneth M. Langa, Jennifer Weuve, Adam Szpiro, Jessica Faul, Jennifer D'Souza, Joel D. Kaufman, Richard A. Hirth,
Lynda D. Lisabeth, Jiaqi Gao, Sara D. Adar,
Source-Specific Air Pollution and Loss of Independence in Older Adults Across the US.
JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(6):e2418460 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
"Importance. Air pollution is a recognized risk factor associated with chronic diseases, including respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, which can lead to physical and cognitive
impairments in later life. Although these losses of function, individually or in combination, reduce individuals' likelihood of living independently, little is known about the association
of air pollution with this critical outcome.
Objective. To investigate associations between air pollution and loss of independence in later life.
Design, Setting, and Participants. This cohort study was conducted as part of the Environmental Predictors Of Cognitive Health and Aging study and used 1998 to 2016 data from the Health
and Retirement Study. Participants included respondents from this nationally representative, population-based cohort who were older than 50 years and had not previously reported a loss
of independence. Analyses were performed from August 31 to October 15, 2023.
Conclusions and Relevance. This study found that long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with the need for help for lost independence in later life, with especially large
and consistent increases in risk for pollution generated by traffic-related sources. These findings suggest that controlling air pollution could be associated with diversion or delay
of the need for care and prolonged ability to live independently.
Jonas Flodén, Lars Zetterberg, Anastasia Christodoulou, Rasmus Parsmo, Erik Fridell, Julia Hansson, Johan Rootzén & Johan Woxenius,
Shipping in the EU emissions trading system: implications for mitigation, costs and modal split.
Climate Policy, 1-19 (30.01.2024) https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2024.2309167 [formato PDF, 2,3 MB]. Open Access.
"EU recently decided to include shipping, meaning all intra-European shipping and 50% of extra-European voyages, in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) beginning in 2024. This article
provides an early assessment of the impacts of the EU ETS on the shipping sector's potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for different types of ships. It further examines selected
mitigation measures and the impact on modals split and costs. The study employs a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative estimates (based on data from the EU monitoring, reporting and
verification system) with qualitative data and information from interviews with key actors and from previous literature. This approach aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the
impacts of the EU ETS. The inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS is expected to introduce significant incentives to reduce emissions. We estimate that switching to bio-methanol at an emissions
allowance price of €90-100/tCO2 will be cost-effective for a minor share of shipping segments (representing about 0.5-5% of all ships), whereas at a price above €150/tCO2 it could be
cost-effective for a considerable share (potentially 75%) of ships. In the short term, the costs incurred by the EU ETS will be passed on to transport customers as a surcharge. The
increased cost may, unless properly addressed, drive carbon leakage. Meanwhile, a modal shift away from shipping may occur in the roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) and roll-on passenger (RoPax)
segments due to direct competition with road and rail transport and the relative ease of shifting to other modes of transport."
Nunzia Carbonara, Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli, Umberto Panniello, Davide De Vita (Polytechnic University of Bari),
Embracing New Disruptions: Business Model Innovation in the Transition to Mobility as a Service (MaaS).
Journal of Cleaner Production (2024) 142744 (39 p.) [formato PDF, 2,1 MB]. Open Access.
"A decade ago, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has emerged as a revolutionary concept destined to change the traditional transport paradigm. Indeed, MaaS envisions an integrated and on-demand
transportation ecosystem where users have access to a variety of mobility options via a unified digital platform that centralizes information, ticketing, and payment systems for different service
providers. Recognizing its disruptive potential, in this paper we examinate the effects of MaaS introduction in the market, with a particular focus on businesses within the industry. Specifically,
we aim at investigating the dynamic nature of business model innovation within the MaaS business ecosystem, thus capturing the changes, adaptations, and innovations that organizations have undergone,
providing valuable insights into the new value creation, capture and delivery mechanisms that have emerged. To achieve these goals, we have employed an inductive, multiple case study approach,
focusing on a total of six renowned organizations representing two key actor categories within MaaS ecosystems: service providers and technology providers. Our findings reveal that, despite their
heterogeneity, both service and technology providers have adopted similar strategies in their transition to MaaS. Utilizing the value creation, capture, and delivery framework we developed distinct
models for each of these categories. We have identified common firm-specific mechanisms which have been categorized into broader macro-level mechanisms of value creation, capture, and delivery,
drawing from existing literature. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing academic literature related to MaaS and to business model innovation. Furthermore, they offer valuable practical
insights for managers and policymakers, providing a guidance for strategic decision-making aimed at fostering the development and sustainability of innovative MaaS systems."
Bingyuan (Amelia) Huang, Hans Wüst, Mathijs de Haas (KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis),
Assessing the E-bike trends and impact on sustainable mobility: A national-level study in the Netherlands.
Journal of Cycling and Micromobility Research 2 (2024) 100027 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 2,4 MB]. Open Access.
"Over the past decade, e-bikes have become increasingly popular, sparking interest in their potential replacement for car use and benefit for the environment. However, many studies on
e-bike development and their substitution effects exhibit limitations. These include a lack of modeling on e-bike trend development, inadequate assessments of their impact on national-level
mobility, a predominant focus on commuting, and a lack of foresight into future e-bike substitution effects. Our research introduces an innovative approach to model e-bike development,
employing a multilevel Richards growth curve model fitted within a hierarchical Bayesian framework using the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) method. Further, we incorporate an intention-based
method to delve into the potential of e-bikes in stimulating sustainable mobility in the Netherlands. Our findings highlight an ongoing increase in e-bike distance share, with marked gender
and generational differences in growth patterns. Notably, women have higher e-bike usage than men, and this gap is narrowing for older age groups while widening among younger demographics,
suggesting that younger people may adopt e-bike usage differently than older generation. E-bike ownership strongly reduces the conventional bicycle use and, to a lesser extent, car and public
transport use, especially for commuting. This study provides insight into whether and to what extent e-bikes substitute for car use and other modes of transportation, and how the expected
growth in e-bike use in coming years may impact national mobility in the Netherlands."
Antonio Comi, Antonio Polimeni,
Assessing potential sustainability benefits of micromobility: a new data driven approach.
Eur. Transp. Res. Rev. 16, 19 (2024) (20 p.) [formato PDF, 3,0 MB]. Open Access.
"Promoting the shift from private cars to micromobility (e.g., bike, e-bike, scooter) can represent a valuable action to improve city sustainability and liveability. Micromobility can help
to replace trips by individual private cars (e.g., daily short round trips) as well as to improve coverage and accessibility of transit services, and, subsequently, to reduce the traffic impacts
(e.g., pollutant emissions). It can be seen as a potential solution to move people more efficiently in urban areas, as well as to push people towards a more active mobility behaviour, contributing
to the well-being goals. In this context, the paper, rather than inferring the users' propensity to change their travel mode, proposes a methodology to identify car trips that can be considered the
most compatible with micromobility. Estimation of the potential demand (e.g., the upper level of car trips that could be replaced by micromobility) is carried out by exploiting the opportunity
offered by floating car data (FCD) for characterising car trips. Its goodness is therefore evaluated through an application to a real case study (i.e., the city of Trani, Apulia Region, Southern
Italy), divided into seventy traffic zones, and where a FCD dataset of about 5,200 trips was available. The FCD allowed the car trips to be characterised (e.g., origin and destination, path
features) instead of using the traditional surveys. The results indicate that a significant share of daily car trips can be substituted (i.e., the most compatible) by micromobility (31% of car
round trips in the case study), with considerable potential environmental gains (traffic emission reduction; less than 21% of total emissions from private cars). Results can be of interest to
local authorities in integrating micromobility in urban mobility planning and promoting new sustainable transport alternatives, as well as to transport companies for designing new appeal services.
The developed methodology is parametric and uses easy-to-obtain data available worldwide; thus, it can be easily transferred to other city contexts."
V Teodoraşcu, N V Burnete and N Burnete (Technical University of Cluj-Napoca),
Review of PEDELECS as an alternative to conventional means of urban transportation.
IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 1303 012005 (17 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB]. Open Access.
"Sustainable transportation solutions are more crucial than ever because of the pressing need to increase resource efficiency while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The most recent
advancements in the e-cycle sector have made a significant contribution to this goal and have attracted the interest of numerous businesses that offer mobility services. This paper discusses
the main topics surrounding pedal electric cycles (PEDELECS) with an accent on a niche application, namely e-cargo cycles. The paper highlights not just the defining characteristics of these
categories, but also other relevant aspects such as barriers to market penetration, general legislation, benefits for specific applications, as well as the significance of incentives, local
infrastructure, and urban policies. Based on the available literature, it can be concluded that PEDELECS have a considerable potential to contribute to sustainability goals in urban areas
due to their numerous benefits (functionality without emissions, less space occupied on roads, ability to access destinations with increased precision, ability to travel in car-restricted
areas, lower costs compared to conventional vehicles, added health benefits to the users, versatility etc.). However, there are also significant challenges and barriers that must be overcome
before they can see widespread adoption."
Nadia Giuffrida, Anna Molter, Francesco Pilla, Páraic Carroll, Michele Ottomanelli,
On the equity of the x-minute city from the perspective of walkability.
Transportation Engineering (2024) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.treng.2024.100244 (18 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB]. Open Access.
"Walkability and equity in transport are crucial aspects of sustainable mobility and social well-being. The x-minute city concept emphasizes the importance of walkability, by fostering
the design of a city where people can easily access their daily needs aiming to reduce reliance on private cars. However, such approaches, which generally rely on the idea of an
"average resident" can ignore inequalities amongst people and fail to achieve the goal of building urban environments where everyone can participate in city life regardless of their
socio-economic characteristics and vulnerability. In this study we propose an approach to assess the equity of the x-minute city, highlighting the limitations of the current application
of the concept. The approach includes the computation of x-minute thresholds based on the walkability of pedestrian paths and considering different users' needs. Home to school trips
and social trips are taken as a reference; equity metrics such as the Lorenz Curve and Gini Index are used to assess how the x-minute city concurs with the transport equity of a city.
The results of the assessment can help identify potential disparities in access to key destinations among different user groups, and support evidence-based policy recommendations to
promote equitable transportation options. The case study of Bari, Italy, is used to illustrate the application of the method; however, the proposed approach can be replicated in
different contexts, contributing to the ongoing discourse on walkability and equity in transport."
David Kohlrautz and Tobias Kuhnimhof (RWTH Aachen University),
Bicycle Parking Requirements in City Building Codes and Their Potential to Promote Sustainability.
Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2531 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 772 kB]. Open Access.
"Bicycle parking requirements in building codes are an important tool for promoting cycling, as several studies have shown that the provision of secure parking increases cycling rates
and contributes to sustainability. However, bicycle parking requirements are not comprehensive across the EU and vary widely within countries and between municipalities, which question what
aspects they should consider. This paper analyzes the literature and guidelines on parking requirements and compares their implementation in ten German and four international cities both
qualitatively, examining specific requirements for parking facilities, and quantitatively, examining the number of spaces required. The results show that most guidelines set comparable
standards in terms of quality and quantity. However, the quality standards defined in the actual building codes are heterogeneous. While most cities require features such as the ability
to lock the bicycle frame, they do not adequately address different user groups and insufficiently consider e-bike charging infrastructure. Most cities meet the guidelines for the required
number of bicycle parking spaces, but lack a clear rationale based on local conditions, which can lead to an unsustainable under- or oversupply. In summary, cities do not fully utilize the
potential of parking requirements to promote cycling because of incomplete qualitative standards."
Samuel Nello-Deakin, Alexandra Bretones Diaz, Oriol Roig-Costa, Carme Miralles-Guasch, Oriol Marquet (Autonomous University of Barcelona),
Moving beyond COVID-19: Break or continuity in the urban mobility regime?.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 24 (2024) 101060 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 4,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Upon its irruption in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a flurry of reflection on its potential long-term effects on urban mobility. Despite widespread speculation about the
likely permanent impacts of the pandemic on urban mobility, few academic accounts have re-examined the extent to which these speculations were warranted once the pandemic is over. To this end,
the present article explores the retrospective perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the long-term impacts of the pandemic on the urban mobility regime, through a qualitative case study
of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, involving 22 semi-structured interviews. Approaching urban mobility through the lens of sociotechnical regimes and the multilevel perspective (MLP),
we identify key perceived changes to the urban mobility regime in the aftermath of the pandemic, as well as four main obstacles to effecting transformative change towards sustainable urban
mobility during the "window of opportunity" created by the pandemic. Our findings suggest that the pandemic has generally not led to significant changes in the urban mobility regime, with
two key exceptions: the normalisation of teleworking, and the consolidation of tactical urbanism approaches to street redesign. These findings confirm the obduracy of the existing urban
mobility regime, while pointing to promising inroads which might result in the transformation or destabilization of the current regime."
Barouch Giechaskiel, Theodoros Grigoratos, Marcel Mathissen, Joris Quik, Peter Tromp, Mats Gustafsson, Vicente Franco and Panagiota Dilara,
Contribution of Road Vehicle Tyre Wear to Microplastics and Ambient Air Pollution. Review.
Sustainability 2024, 16, 522, 31 p. [formato PDF, 2,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Tyre particles are generated by shear forces between the tread and the road or by volatilisation. Tyre abrasion (wear) contributes from one-third to half of microplastics
unintentionally released into the environment. The major part ends up in the soil, a considerable amount is released into the aquatic environment, and a small percentage becomes airborne.
Nevertheless, tyre abrasion contributes to 5-30% of road transport particulate matter (PM) emissions. This corresponds to approximately 5% of total ambient PM emissions. The particle
mass size distribution peak at around 20 to 100 μm, with a second peak in the 2-10 μm range. A nucleation mode has been reported in some studies. The absolute abrasion levels depend
on the tyre, vehicle, and road characteristics, but also on environmental conditions and driving style. Most tyre particle emission factors in the literature are based on data prior
to the year 2000. We aggregated recent studies and found a mean abrasion of 110 mg/km per vehicle or 68 mg/km/t for passenger cars (based on approximately 300 measurements). Based
on a limited number of studies, the PM10 emissions were 1.4-2.2 mg/km per tyre. On the other hand, the particle number emissions were in the order of 10 10 #/km per tyre. The ratio
of PM10 to total abrasion was found to be 2.5% on average. Finally, the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 was calculated to be around 40%. Various mitigation measures for tyre particle pollution
could be envisaged; the most direct is the limitation of the tyre abrasion rate, as proposed by the European Commission for the Euro 7 regulation. Other regulatory initiatives
are also discussed."
Ellen Lagrell (University of Gothenburg),
How can ridesharing be facilitated in car dependent practices? Insights from carless participants in organized leisure.
Travel Behaviour and Society 35 (2024) 100737, 11 p. [formato PDF, 1,7 MB]. Open Access.
This paper contributes a hitherto overlooked perspective on leisure practices-as-entities, and as performed by the carless, to understand and facilitate the conditions for related shared
mobility. It identifies how organized car dependent leisure practices can be performed more sustainably by means of ridesharing. Applying a social practice perspective, car use is viewed as
bundled with leisure practices. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 25 carless practitioners of scouting, orienteering, and children's soccer in Sweden, we seek to determine the procedures
and frictions of ridesharing, and how it can be facilitated. The findings show that ridesharing occurs and is mediated by digital tools in all three studied practices. Notable variations
and sources of friction relate to whether ridesharing is collectively or individually coordinated, which is connected to the meanings and competences of the leisure practices themselves.
The paper illustrates that, to facilitate ridesharing, competences beyond the management of digital tools are needed. More concretely, the promotion of ridesharing as part of a more
formalized exchange within clubs and associations for organized leisure is suggested. Carless performers of car dependent practices illustrate potential "proto-practices" beyond
the private car."
Iria Lopez-Carreiro, Andres Monzon and Elena Lopez (Transport Research Center (TRANSyT), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid),
Assessing the intention to uptake MaaS: the case of Randstad. Review.
European Transport Research Review, 16, 2 (2024), 21 p. [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has recently gained popularity as an opportunity to encourage a more sustainable mobility model and improve urban liveability. Today, it is still uncertain if
travellers are willing to uptake MaaS and transform their habits. In the paper, we explore individuals' behavioural intention based on a survey comprising 418 respondents in the metropolitan area
of Randstad (The Netherlands). The application of a Structural Equation Model allows to uncover a series of explanatory (attitudinal and personality) factors relevant for MaaS acceptance. Then, a
cluster analysis determines four profiles of travellers in relation to their intention to embrace this new solution: 'Short-duration commuters', 'Active travellers', 'Traditional car-supporters',
and 'MaaS admirers'. Overall, we identify three main barriers for the potential adoption of MaaS: low willingness to combine different modes of transport, low affinity with technology, and low
reliability on the new mobility services. We also recognise that low environmental concerns seem to frustrate individuals' innovativeness."
2023
Andoni Kortazar, Gorka Bueno, David Hoyos (University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU),
Is high-speed rail a sustainable mobility option? A life-cycle assessment of the Basque Y project in Spain.
Environmental Impact Assessment Review 103 (2023) 107276, 15 p. [formato PDF, 4,7 MB]. Open Access.
The Basque Y High Speed Rail connection between Madrid and the Basque Autonomous Community is, quite exceptionally, a mixed freight and passengers HSR line, that has been presented
as a fundamental step towards a more sustainable mobility. In this paper, a life-cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted to assess the environmental performance of the line throughout its
lifetime, based on the latest data available, including both construction and maintenance burdens. Results show that this new corridor is not justified in terms of reducing emissions
and energy consumption, mainly due to its low transport density. It also has a negligible impact on Spanish current low rail freight traffic. We conclude, therefore, that Spain needs
to reconsider its AVE network expansion if aiming at increasing rail's modal share and meeting the emissions targets set by the EU. From a policy perspective, many information inconsistencies
have been found regarding the demand projections of freight transport, which cast serious doubt about the decision-making process behind Trans-European transport projects."
Amela Ajanovic (Vienna University of Technology, TU Wien),
Electricity vs hydrogen in the transition towards sustainable mobility.
Oxford Open Energy, oiad013, 2023, 13 p. [formato PDF, 1,0 MB]. Open Access.
"Currently, the transport and automotive industry sectors are at a crossroads moving away from fossil fuels to various alternatives increasing the global competition on vehicle markets
and for resources. Over the last years, electrification of mobility has emerged as one of the major strategies which accompanied with supporting measures has led to rapid increase in the number
of electric vehicles. Recently, hydrogen and hydrogen derivates as alternative fuels have also gained more interest and are considered to grow substantially in near future as their production
costs are decreasing. Here we discuss the electric and hydrogen pathways towards zero-emission vehicles and sustainable mobility focusing on their benefits and challenges in the transition.
We conclude that the future relevance of zero-emission vehicles will be heavily dependent on the policy framework, investments, and long-term visions."
Jagienka Rześny-Cieplińska,
Overview of the practices in the integration of passenger mobility and freight deliveries in urban areas.
Case Studies on Transport Policy 14 (2023) 101106 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 5,4 MB]. Open Access.
"Urban transport has been one of the most crucial and challenging issues. Moreover, it is a catch-all term that discusses the ease and speed with which passengers and goods move around
urban spaces. With cities getting more populated and crowded, new challenges for transportation that impact how to design and build urban locations appear. This review article provides a
comprehensive overview of the practices and approaches employed in integrating passenger mobility and freight deliveries in urban areas. The article highlights this integration's potential
benefits and challenges by conducting a systematic literature review covering scientific sources published in journals from 2018 to 2022. The article explores various integration aspects,
including infrastructure development, shared mobility, last-mile optimization, and the role of technology and data analytics. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnerships
between stakeholders and the need for comprehensive policies and regulations to facilitate seamless integration. The review underscores the positive impacts of integration, such as reduced
congestion, improved resource utilization, and enhanced sustainability. The article concludes by encouraging further research and implementation of integrated urban transportation strategies
to create sustainable, efficient, and livable cities for the future."
Axhausen, Kay W. (ETH Zurich),
How to model the E-Bike City?. Presentation (slides), Seminar "From Traffic Modeling to Smart Cities and Digital Democracies", Zurich, Switzerland, October 9, 2023.
IVT, ETH Zurich, 2023, 27 slides [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
Fanchao Liao, Jaap Vleugel, Gustav Bösehans, Dilum Dissanayake, Neil Thorpe, Margaret Bell, Bart van Arem, Gonçalo Homem de Almeida Correia,
Mode substitution induced by electric mobility hubs: results from Amsterdam.
arXiv:2310.19036 [econ.GN] 2023, 37 p. [formato PDF, 548 kB].
"Electric mobility hubs (eHUBS) are locations where multiple shared electric modes including electric cars and e-bikes are available. To assess their potential to reduce private car use,
it is important to investigate to what extent people would switch to eHUBS modes after their introduction. Moreover, people may adapt their behaviour differently depending on their current travel
mode. This study is based on stated preference data collected in Amsterdam. We analysed the data using mixed logit models. We found users of different modes not only have a varied general
preference for different shared modes, but also have different sensitivity for attributes such as travel time and cost. Compared to car users, public transport users are more likely to switch
towards the eHUBS modes. People who bike and walk have strong inertia, but the percentage choosing eHUBS modes doubles when the trip distance is longer (5 or 10 km)."
Kyuhyun Lee, Ipek Nese Sener,
E-bikes Toward Inclusive Mobility: A Literature Review of Perceptions, Concerns, and Barriers.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 22 (2023) 100940 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 551 kB]. Open Access.
"There is a growing consensus that e-bikes hold potential as an inclusive mobility option for all, including people with disabilities and older adults. However, the e-bike platform lacks
discussion as a viable option for people with different abilities. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap, and in doing so, help realize the potential of e-bikes for all users. We reviewed
the literature to understand people's e-bike perceptions and any concerns and barriers that may be delaying the adoption of e-bikes among marginalized populations in the United States. The
findings suggested that disabilities and advanced age negatively affected the way people perceive e-bikes. Conversely, positive perceptions were shaped by various factors including e-bike
experience, personal cycling history, and openness to innovative technology. Significant concerns about e-bikes included safety, security, social stigma imposed on electric assistance, and
loss of disability benefits. Along with these concerns, lack of knowledge, misperceptions, limited access, high purchase costs, and inadequate infrastructure were identified as major deterrents
to adopting e-bikes. The findings also highlighted the need for programs, policies, and education to promote the acceptance of e-bikes as mobility aids. Further research should prioritize people
with disabilities and older adults who lack e-bike experience and explore the perceptions of key stakeholders whose perspectives directly influence the wider adoption of e-bikes, including
transportation planners, health professionals, families, and caregivers."
Raquel Soriano-Gonzalez, Elena Perez-Bernabeu, Yusef Ahsini, Patricia Carracedo, Andres Camacho and Angel A. Juan,
Analyzing Key Performance Indicators for Mobility Logistics in Smart and Sustainable Cities: A Case Study Centered on Barcelona.
Logistics 2023, 7(4), 75 (20 p.) [formato PDF, 3,4 MB]. Open Access.
"Background: This article identifies and examines key performance indicators (KPIs) related to citizen mobility logistics in smart and sustainable urban areas. It begins with a comprehensive
literature review to identify essential KPIs, offering valuable insights for both public and private stakeholders, including policymakers and mobility service providers. Drawing from various
mobility projects in smart cities, the study extracts common KPIs and best practices. The focus of the paper then turns to Barcelona, Spain, where KPIs that matter most are analyzed.
Methods: Using open data from the city council spanning from 2017 onwards, the study provides insights into the evolving mobility logistics landscape. KPIs from other European cities are also
considered by utilizing similar open data sources. This comparative analysis provides valuable benchmarks and reveals disparities in mobility logistics. Throughout this investigation, the paper
emphasizes the role of data quality in KPI selection.
Results: Reliable open data significantly influence indicator choices and present challenges when comparing cities. Remarkably, the findings consistently highlight environmental data as an area
requiring attention in sustainable mobility logistics.
Conclusions: This paper makes contributions by identifying and examining KPIs relevant to citizen mobility logistics in smart and sustainable urban areas. It offers insights by applying these KPIs
to Barcelona and conducting comparative analyses with other European cities. These findings serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, city planners, and mobility experts."
Aurelia Kammerhofer, Florian Pühringer, Leo Kostka, Martin Berger,
Understanding Spatio-Temporal Usage Patterns of Cargo Bike Sharing to Foster Market Diffusion. Reviewed paper.
Proceedings/Tagungsband REAL CORP 2023, Ljubljana, 18-20 September 2023, 12 p. [formato PDF, 511 kB].
"Cargo bikes promote urban resilience as they ensure a local supply of goods, can be used flexibly, are reliable and require low energy, and can even be driven by muscle power. Further, they
contribute to socially inclusive mobility. Although driving cargo bikes may require some training, they do not require a driving licence and can be available for different income ranges (e.g. in
the form of cargo bike sharing). Thus, they also contribute to health-promoting mobility. Cargo bike sharing is a relevant solution to offer households a practical, environmentally friendly and
cheaper mode of transport. According to public welfare-oriented goals, cargo bike sharing is often provided on behalf of, or with (financial) public sector support, in cooperation with residential
developers or based on voluntary work in Austria and Germany. However, peer-to-peer cargo bike sharing offers and host-based sharing systems often do not meet all the criteria attributed to shared
mobility services. In order to reach the full potential of cargo bike sharing, a better understanding of spatio-temporal usage patterns is needed to foster a shift towards higher quality service
provision, especially regarding tailor-made services for different user groups. The following article investigates the role of availability and type of service provision by evaluating booking data
and spatio-temporal data in three case studies. GPS tracking is rarely used to better understand cargo bike usage, but it reveals further knowledge of the characteristics of users and their spatial
usage patterns. Based on three use cases, usage, users and spatial patterns of cargo bike sharing usage are analysed, the respective potentials are shown, and the added value of spatial data
collection is discussed."
Linda Dörrzapf, Lukas Tanzer, Arthur Kammerhofer, Richard Preißler, Martin Berger,
Increase Occupancy Rate in Passenger Cars - Potentials of Awareness Raising for Carpooling. Reviewed paper.
Proceedings/Tagungsband REAL CORP 2023, Ljubljana, 18-20 September 2023, 11 p. [formato PDF, 1,4 MB].
"Transport is responsible for 30% of Austria's CO2 emissions. Of these, 17.13% are caused by passenger cars.
Car traffic (kilometres driven) has increased significantly in recent years, while at the same time, the
occupancy rate is continuously decreasing and is currently only 1.15 persons per car in Austria. Due to the
traffic load and the associated negative environmental impacts, there is a great need to increase the
occupancy rate in passenger cars. The shared mobility concept of carpooling offers starting points to
counteract this trend. In this context, carpooling in particular shows great potential for reducing the volume
of traffic. Carpooling reduces emissions and lowers the risk of accidents, and an improvement of occupancy
rate of cars can reduce traffic by up to 10%. However, the "critical mass" of carpooling platforms is often not
reached and there is a lack of adequate advertising and communication measures. Traditional advertising
channels such as print rarely reach the entire target group in the shared mobility sector and digital advertising
channels miss internet-averse target groups who hardly use social media.
This article is therefore dedicated to the evaluation of an advertising campaign that aims to increase
awareness and acceptance of the accelerated use and market penetration of carpooling offers. By means of a
digital display placed at the side of the road, attention was drawn to the degree of occupancy by means of
various statements - with the aim of triggering a rethink in the direction of carpooling. Based on a
preliminary survey, the perception and acceptance were surveyed using feedback from passers-by and app
users. The main finding is that many car drivers noticed the display and rated it as positive. Ultimately,
however, only a small number of people could be motivated to use carpooling or to give other people a ride.
The main barriers to use carpooling are the lack of schedule flexibility, reliability of passengers and loss of time."
Thomas Vanoutrive, Huib Huyse,
Revisiting modal split as an urban sustainability indicator using citizen science.
Cities 143 (2023) 104592 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 829 kB]. Open Access.
"This paper discusses three uses of modal split indicators, and illustrates how it evolved from a technical, intermediate step in transport analysis, over a measure of transport system
efficiency to a symbolic urban sustainable mobility indicator. A framework which includes 11 factors is presented and applied to the different uses of the modal split indicator. Besides the
comparison of the three main uses of modal split in research and practice, this contribution focuses on a citizen science project (Straatvinken) in the region of Flanders, Belgium. In this
project thousands of citizens carry out traffic counts. While the project was initially set up to monitor modal split targets in the urban area of Antwerp, the emphasis shifted towards street
liveability. This is visible in the fact that the citizen science project added a narrative-based liveability survey to capture experiences with and evaluations of the liveability at street
level. The case illustrates that citizen science is, besides a tool to address data gaps, also an approach to increase the validity of indicators. The reason is that citizen science, which
seems to be underexplored in transport studies, differs in what gets measured, how it is measured and why. This approach has proven to provide a fine-grained, integrated assessment of
street-level changes in the composition and intensity of the traffic and their effects on the perceived liveability. We argue that it strengthens and complements traditional modal split
measurements at the regional or urban level, which typically rely on the modelling of individual mobility behaviour based on household travel surveys. Traditional approaches allow observing
broad trends in mobility choices at the regional level, but they do not provide insights in how those individual choices translate into effects at street level. Although often initiated out of
certain sustainability concerns, existing modal split models do not reveal how an observed modal shift at the regional level affects the perceived liveability or sustainability at street level."
Sasha Khomenko, Enrico Pisoni, Philippe Thunis, Bertrand Bessagnet, Marta Cirach, Tamara Iungman, Evelise Pereira Barboza, Haneen Khreis,
Natalie Mueller, Cathryn Tonne, Kees de Hoogh, Gerard Hoek, Sourangsu Chowdhury, Jos Lelieveld, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen,
Spatial and sector-specific contributions of emissions to ambient air pollution and mortality in European cities: a health impact assessment.
Lancet Public Health 2023; 8: e546-58 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 9,6 MB + Supplementary Material]. Open Access.
"Background: Ambient air pollution is a major risk to health and wellbeing in European cities. We aimed to estimate spatial and sector-specific contributions of emissions to ambient air
pollution and evaluate the effects of source-specific reductions in pollutants on mortality in European cities to support targeted source-specific actions to address air pollution and promote
population health.
Methods: We conducted a health impact assessment of data from 2015 for 857 European cities to estimate source contributions to annual PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations using the Screening for High Emission
Reduction Potentials for Air quality tool. We evaluated contributions from transport, industry, energy, residential, agriculture, shipping, and aviation, other, natural, and external sources.
For each city and sector, three spatial levels were considered: contributions from the same city, the rest of the country, and transboundary.
Interpretation: We estimated source-specific air pollution health effects at the city level. Our results show strong variability, emphasising the need for local policies and coordinated actions
that consider city-level specificities in source contributions."
ITF,
Shifting the Focus: Smaller Electric Vehicles for Sustainable Cities. Corporate Partnership Board Report. (International Transport Forum Policy Papers, No. 123).
International Transport Forum, Paris, September 2023, 71 p. [formato PDF, 4,4 MB].
"This report identifies emerging electric vehicle (EV) types and use cases that could form the backbone of a more sustainable, electric future for urban passenger and freight transport. It explores urban EV use
cases: electric "car-like" light vehicles, including micro cars and micro EVs; two- and three-wheelers; shared electric mobility, including shared vehicle fleets, ridesourcing and micro-transit services; electric
public transport buses; e-cargo bikes and electric light commercial vehicles.
The report compares the sustainability impacts of two scenarios that follow different electrification pathways. The like-for-like pathway assumes that vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) will be
replaced with electricity-powered equivalents. In the broader uptake pathway, electric vehicle uptake involves a shift to emerging smaller vehicle types and shared use cases.
The report also explores the impacts of three additional scenarios, reflecting different degrees of policy ambition for EV uptake by 2030. It does so by calculating the electricity demand, charging infrastructure
needs and local pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for low, medium, and high levels of electrification.
Finally, the report offers recommendations for supporting sustainable EV uptake in cities. The study builds on an expert workshop and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The latter relies on the ITF urban
agent-based model developed for the Greater Dublin area, which is used to simulate vehicle use and charging patterns."
Daniel De Wolf, Yves Smeers,
Comparison of Battery Electric Vehicles and Fuel Cell Vehicles. (Brief Report).
World Electr. Veh. J. 2023, 14(9), 262 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 654 kB]. Open Access.
"In the current context of the ban on fossil fuel vehicles (diesel and petrol) adopted by several European cities, the question arises of the development of the infrastructure for the
distribution of alternative energies, namely hydrogen (for fuel cell electric vehicles) and electricity (for battery electric vehicles). First, we compare the main advantages/constraints of
the two alternative propulsion modes for the user. The main advantages of hydrogen vehicles are autonomy and fast recharging. The main advantages of battery-powered vehicles are the lower
price and the wide availability of the electricity grid. We then review the existing studies on the deployment of new hydrogen distribution networks and compare the deployment costs of
hydrogen and electricity distribution networks. Finally, we conclude with some personal conclusions on the benefits of developing both modes and ideas for future studies on the subject."
Rich C. McIlroy (Transportation Research Group, University of Southampton),
"This is where public transport falls down": Place based perspectives of multimodal travel.
Transportation Research Part F: Psychology and Behaviour 98 (2023) 29-46 (29 p.) [formato PDF, 3,5 MB]. Open Access.
"No single transport mode can replace the private car in terms of its support for flexible mobility. Combinations of multiple transport modes are required. If we are to contribute to reduced
car dependency it is crucial that we understand what makes such multi-modal journeys difficult. Despite large bodies of literature on mode choice and on perceptions and experiences of various travel
modes, few scholars have looked specifically at journeys that combine more than one transport mode. This research fills that gap, taking a qualitative approach to explore end-user perspectives of
the challenges therein. Specifically, it focusses on the barriers people in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas perceive when thinking about combining two or more transport modes in a single journey.
Thematic analysis of the responses of 146 participants of a series of asynchronous online focus groups revealed an overall picture of challenges shared, with some differences in the relative
importance of different barriers for those in different locations. The time incurred, the difficulties in synchronising timetables, and the criticality of each leg's reliability are core barriers
for all, while those in rural areas are more affected by basic service provision and the physical linking of different modes. Of greater significance for urban and peri-urban residents were the
complexities around planning a multi-modal journey where there are multiple options available, as well as the facilities available at stations and stops. Results are discussed in terms of
interventions that could help people in different residential settings use their car less."
Jens S. Dangschat & Andrea Stickler,
Does automation strengthen the 'system of automobility'? Critical considerations and alternatives to connected and automated vehicles.
Applied Mobilities, 2023, 21 p. [formato PDF, 840 kB]. Open Access.
"Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are at the centre of considerations for future mobility systems and are seen as a potentially powerful solution to current transport problems.
Accordingly, the debate on governance strategies and in engineering is determined by technological possibilities to overcome these problems. However, various studies show that CAVs will solve
transport problems under certain conditions only. On the contrary, without respective governance strategies CAVs will (re-)produce and reinforce social and socio-spatial inequalities. Moreover,
by reinventing the privately-owned automobile, CAVs could strengthen the societal formation of automobility. Therefore, alternative developments need to be considered, especially those that are
not primarily linked to new technologies, but reflect on wider processes of economic, political and cultural transformation. Finally, this leads us to challenge the dominant technocratic approach
in the current political debate on the future of mobility."
Michael Bissel (Technical University of Berlin),
A Public Transport Ticket that Moved a Country: Assessing the Value of the German 9-Euro-Ticket as a Socio-Technical Experiment.
Findings, August 2023, 8 p. [formato PDF, 482 kB]. Open Access.
"This paper examines the German 9-Euro-Ticket from summer 2022 as a socio-technical experiment. Based on a systematic literature review of evaluations and accompanying research, three
categories of learning processes are distinguished. The results suggest that the 9-Euro-Ticket enabled technological, social and institutional learning. Thus, the study provides a new
perspective on this temporary policy and underscores the value of experimentation as a governance tool for the transition to sustainable mobility. This value goes beyond the direct
traffic-related impact: The contribution of the 9-Euro-Ticket to a new stable configuration, the 'Germany ticket', is identified as the main output."
Yushan Zhang, Dena Kasraian, Pieter van Wesemael (Eindhoven University of Technology),
Built environment and micro-mobility: A systematic review of international literature.
Journal of Transport and Land Use, 16(1), 2023, 293-317 (25 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB].
"Recent innovations in business models and technology have brought out new mobility systems, including shared and electric micro-mobility. A rapidly expanding strand of literature
mirrors the micro-mobility's exponential growth and popularity. While many studies analyze micro-mobility from operations, management and user perspectives, fewer works investigate the
micro-mobility and built environment (BE) relationship. This paper systematically reviews the descriptive and empirical studies that investigate this relationship. It analyzes whether,
similar to other transportation modes, micro-mobility (e.g., bike-sharing schemes and e-bikes/e-scooters) can potentially influence three BE aspects: urban design, land use, and
transportation system. Furthermore, it outlines the recommended changes in the BE to support the micro-mobility and/or enhance the quality of the environment for non-users. This paper
investigates the BE and micro-mobility relation at the three levels of node (e.g., the emergence of docking stations and parking stops), link (e.g., the street-level conflicts with
walking/cycling/vehicle lanes) and network (e.g., infrastructure network creation and catchment area shifts). In addition, this relation is explored over time, based on the development
stage of micro-mobility, the BE aspect (urban design, land use, or transport system), and spatial context (urban or rural). The findings are relevant for urban and transport planners,
designers, researchers, policy makers and public authorities. They contribute to a much-needed evidence base for effective design and policy recommendations to accommodate micro-mobility
in the BE to achieve a safe and inclusive public space."
Millie Mitchell and Oriane Nermond (Centre for London),
Moving with the Times: Financial incentives for sustainable travel. Part 1: How can financial incentives encourage sustainable and active travel?.
Centre for London, London, 2023, 40 p. [formato PDF, 2,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Encouraging more Londoners to travel using active and sustainable modes is critical if London is to achieve its 2030 net-zero carbon emissions target. This
can also improve Londoners' health and reduce congestion, air pollution and road accidents. To encourage modal shifts, policymakers can use different
instruments including infrastructure investments, regulations, education and nudges, and financial incentives. This report focuses on how financial
incentives, including taxes and subsidies, can be used to encourage modal shifts."
Andrea Mio, Elena Barbera, Alessandro Massi Pavan, Romeo Danielis, Alberto Bertucco, Maurizio Fermeglia,
Analysis of the energetic, economic, and environmental performance of hydrogen utilization for port logistic activities.
Applied Energy 347 (2023) 121431 (17 p.) [formato PDF, 3,7 MB].
"Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier and storage medium that may be employed in a variety of applications. According to the industrial processes used for its production, hydrogen may be
labelled using different colours: (i) grey hydrogen, produced from natural gas using steam methane reforming (SMR), (ii) blue hydrogen, like the grey one, but with carbon capture and storage
(CCS), (iii) green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis using electricity from renewable s ources only, (iv) "grid" hydrogen, produced by electrolysis using grid electricity. In this study,
process simulation is used to solve material and energy balances, as well as to estimate capital and maintenance costs for each technology investigated. Then, process simulation outcomes are
used to estimate three key performance indicators focusing on sustainability issues: the Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI), the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) and the Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA). With reference to the case study of the Trieste port in Italy, the potential of synthesizing and utilizing hydrogen to fuel transportation activities within a port is examined.
Based on the daily hydrogen consumption in fuel cells installed on locomotors and trucks, the design of the different processes considered is carried out, as well as their comparison in terms
of EROEI, LCOH, and LCA. Furthermore, LCA and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluations for various hydrogen-fueled vehicles within the port are presented and compared to diesel-fueled ones
to determine the impact of fuel-cell vehicles during operations. Results show that EROEI of hydrogen produced by electrolysis is larger than that produced by SMR with or without CCS. The LCOH
for grey hydrogen is of the same order of magnitude of that of green or grid ones. The hydrogen compression step to 300 bar impacts on both energetic and economic performances. LCA indicates
that the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of green hydrogen is at least half with respect to blue hydrogen, however other impact categories are less favourable. On the other hand, the TCO of
hydrogen-fueled vehicles is higher than that of diesel-fueled ones, mainly because of the higher purchase costs. It is concluded that the methodology proposed in this paper, based on the
evaluation of indicators at the design stage, is suitable for comparing hydrogen production processes. In addition, it is a powerful tool for policy decision-makers in defining the strategies
for the development of hydrogen-based transport systems in port operations."
Andrea Mio, Elena Barbera, Alessandro Massi Pavan, Alberto Bertucco, Maurizio Fermeglia,
Sustainability analysis of hydrogen production processes.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2023 (in press), (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,7 MB].
"Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier and storage medium that is expected to have a key role in the energy transition, as it can be employed in a variety of applications. Hydrogen can
be produced from different feedstocks and using different processes. Based on the production technology used, hydrogen is conventionally identified by a color. In this work, we compare
different hydrogen generation processes: (i) green hydrogen, obtained by electrolysis of water using electricity from floating photovoltaic platforms, (ii) grid hydrogen, also obtained
by electrolysis but using grid electricity, (iii) grey hydrogen, produced from natural gas using steam reforming and (iv) blue hydrogen, which is similar to grey hydrogen, but uses hot
potassium carbonate as the solvent for carbon capture and storage. The paper considers the production of hydrogen necessary for 2 trips per day of a medium size ferryboat to navigate
full electric for 7 h in the Adriatic Sea. Process simulation is applied to solve material and energy balances for each process investigated, as well as for the evaluation of capital
and operating costs. Process simulation outcomes are then used to estimate three key performance indicators focused on energetic, economic, and environmental sustainability issues: the
energy return on energy invested, the levelized cost of hydrogen, and the life cycle assessment. The energy indicator for grid and green hydrogen has a value of 13.39-14.29, versus a
value of 4.59-5.48 for other hydrogen production methods from natural gas. The cost for green hydrogen is slightly higher (8.76) compared to the blue hydrogen (5.50) however green hydrogen
has a much lower impact to the environment. Considering the combined results obtained by all the indicators, it is concluded that the most sustainable hydrogen production method is green hydrogen."
Roger Pyddoke (VTI, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute),
Comparison of policies for increasing sustainable transport mode shares in Swedish cities. (VTI Working Paper 2023:9).
Stockholm: VTI, 2023, p. 29 [formato PDF, 537 kB].
"The EU is currently promoting sustainable mobility in its cities. This promotion can take the form of subsidies for cycling and public-transport infrastructure. This paper compares existing
Swedish policy instruments for promoting more sustainable transport: government subsidies to infrastructure for sustainable modes in the form of city environmental agreements (CEAs), congestion
and parking charges and a hypothetical incentive to reduce the mode share of cars. Analyses of the CEAs indicate that they do not reliably affect mode choice. The results for congestion and
parking charges, on the contrary, indicate that these have a substantial potential to shift mode choices and improve welfare by pricing external costs. The outcomes of the hypothetical incentive
based on achieved effects will depend on the extent to which cities are willing to use externality pricing and to which citizens are willing to change modes. The management and evaluation of
this hypothetical incentive poses considerable requirements on data and estimations of a counter factual outcomes without incentives, and its necessary costs. Provided these requirements can
be met, the incentive model appears to be a possible instrument for stimulating cities to move faster towards sustainable transport."
Jasper Faber, Daan van Seters, Peter Scholten,
Shipping GHG emissions 2030. Analysis of the maximum technical abatement potential. Report.
Delft, CE Delft, June 2023, 12 p. [formato PDF, 558 kB].
"The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is concluding its revision of the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships in July 2023. A major issue in the revision
is the question whether to set an emission reduction target for 2030 and if so, how high it should be. As an input to the debate, CE Delft has modelled the maximally technically achievable
reduction potential for the sector with its CE-Ship model. Assuming that ships take all possible technical abatement measures available, including the maximal deployment of wind-assisted
technology, reduce their speed by 20-30% and use 5-10% zero-GHG fuels, we find that the emissions of international shipping can be reduced by 28-47% by 2030, relative to 2008. Such a reduction
would increase shipping costs by 6-14% on average, relative to BAU. About half of the emission reductions result from lower speeds and other operational measures, a quarter from wind-assisted
propulsion and other technical measures and another quarter from using zero and near-zero GHG fuels."
Rosemary C Chamberlain, Daniela Fecht, Bethan Davies, Anthony A Laverty,
Health effects of low emission and congestion charging zones: a systematic review.
Lancet Public Health 2023; 8: e559-74 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 680 kB]. Open Access.
"Low emission zones (LEZs) and congestion charging zones (CCZs) have been implemented in several cities globally. We systematically reviewed the evidence on the effects of these air pollution
and congestion reduction schemes on a range of physical health outcomes. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, IDEAS, Greenfile, and Transport Research International Documentation databases
from database inception to Jan 4, 2023. We included studies that evaluated the effect of implementation of a LEZ or CCZ on air pollution-related health outcomes (cardiovascular and respiratory
diseases, birth outcomes, dementia, lung cancer, diabetes, and all-cause) or road traffic injuries (RTIs) using longitudinal study designs and empirical health data. Two authors independently
assessed papers for inclusion. Results were narratively synthesised and visualised using harvest plots. Risk of bias was assessed using the Graphic Appraisal Tool for Epidemiological studies.
The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022311453). Of 2279 studies screened, 16 were included, of which eight assessed LEZs and eight assessed CCZs. Several LEZ studies identified positive
effects on air pollution-related outcomes, with reductions in some cardiovascular disease subcategories found in five of six studies investigating this outcome, although results for other health
outcomes were less consistent. Six of seven studies on the London CCZ reported reductions in total or car RTIs, although one study reported an increase in cyclist and motorcyclist injuries and
one reported an increase in serious or fatal injuries. Current evidence suggests LEZs can reduce air pollution-related health outcomes, with the most consistent effect on cardiovascular disease.
Evidence on CCZs is mainly limited to London but suggests that they reduce overall RTIs. Ongoing evaluation of these interventions is necessary to understand longer term health effects."
Greenpeace,
Climate & Public Transport Tickets in Europe. A Greenpeace ranking of 30 European countries and their capitals. 1st edition.
Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe, Vienna, Austria, May 2023, 45 p., [formato PDF, 1,9 MB].
"What is the current situation in the different European countries and capitals in terms of public transport affordability, and how far away are we
from these climate tickets, across Europe? Could climate tickets be implemented in European countries, and how? What would be the benefits
of such tickets? To help answer these questions, Greenpeace gathered data on 30 European countries and their capitals. Countries and capitals
were then ranked on 4 criteria: simplicity of the ticketing system, full-price long-term tickets, discounts for socially disadvantaged groups (students,
families, the elderly, the unemployed, refugees, people with disabilities, etc.) and the VAT rate on public transport tickets.
This report shows that climate tickets promoting public transport use are gaining ground in Europe. The time is right for political measures to tackle
the cost-of-living crisis that people can rally behind and that draw on common European values of peace, equality, freedom of movement and
sustainability."
Andrea Poggio, responsabile mobilità Legambiente
Biocarburanti, falsi rinnovabili. Il biodiesel è greenwashing, costa di più e aumenta le emissioni di CO2 dei trasporti. Report.
Legambiente, Roma, 10 giugno 2023, 8 p. [formato PDF, 809 kB].
"Report in cui si documenta che l'80% del biodiesel immesso sul mercato in Italia nel 2021 deriva da olio di palma (vietato da quest'anno) e da "finte" biomasse di scarto come
UCO (oli alimentari usati) cinesi e da grassi animali di categoria non ammessa, per sfruttare la "doppia contabilità" (doppio valore economico) nel mercato dei carburanti."
Yves Crozet, Paolo Beria, Heike Link, Thierry Vanelslander,
The Promises of European Rail. Report.
Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), Brussels. June 2023, 116 p., [formato PDF, 4,6 MB].
"Rail transport is presented within the European Union as a major lever in the decarbonisation of transport. It is indeed one mode of transport which is not heavily dependent on fossil fuels,
and which is characterised by increasing returns. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants, but also in terms of accidents, space consumption and negative effects on biodiversity, it is
the most environmentally friendly mode of transport. However, despite these obvious advantages for passengers and freight, the development of European rail transport faces the equivalent of the
glass ceiling.
This report, led by Yves Crozet with the support of Paolo Beria, Heike Link and Thierry Vanelslander, identifies several challenges and highlights important gaps between the ambitions Europe has
for its rail sector and the policies and financing required to meet them. On this basis, the report presents policy recommendations and ideas for new forms of financing, drawing from national
case studies on Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy."
Katarzyna Turoń, János Tóth,
Innovations in Shared Mobility - Review of Scientific Works.
Smart Cities 2023, 6(3), 1545-1559 (15 p.) [formato PDF, 659 kB]. Open Access.
"Shared mobility is developing at a very fast pace around the world, becoming an alternative to classic forms of travel and, according to the public, providing innovative services. In recent
years, these innovative services have also gained wide interest among scientists from a multicriteria point of view. However, among the topics and reviews in the literature, no review paper
considering shared mobility in terms of innovation was identified. This article's research objective was to indicate the perception of innovation in shared mobility in scientific works. The
results indicate that innovations in shared mobility are a niche topic considered in few scientific works. What is more, in most cases, shared mobility services are perceived as innovative in
themselves without detailed service analysis. Moreover, the issues of open innovation, which are closely related to the concept of accessible Mobility as a Service system and smart cities, are
often overlooked. In addition, there was no work identified that fully referred to all areas of innovative service. The article supports researchers in the determination of further research
directions in the field of shared mobility and fills the research gap in the field of knowledge about open innovation, especially in the context of the development of shared mobility services
in smart cities."
Lisa Winkler, Drew Pearce, Jenny Nelson, Oytun Babacan,
The effect of sustainable mobility transition policies on cumulative urban transport emissions and energy demand.
Nature Communications 14, 2357 (2023) (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,1 MB]. Open Access.
"The growing urban transport sector presents towns and cities with an escalating challenge in the reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions. Here we assess the effectiveness of several
widely considered policy options (electrification, light-weighting, retrofitting, scrapping, regulated manufacturing standards and modal shift) in achieving the transition to sustainable urban
mobility in terms of their emissions and energy impact until 2050. Our analysis investigates the severity of actions needed to comply with Paris compliant regional sub-sectoral carbon budgets.
We introduce the Urban Transport Policy Model (UTPM) for passenger car fleets and use London as an urban case study to show that current policies are insufficient to meet climate targets.
We conclude that, as well as implementation of emission-reducing changes in vehicle design, a rapid and large-scale reduction in car use is necessary to meet stringent carbon budgets and avoid
high energy demand. Yet, without increased consensus in sub-national and sectoral carbon budgets, the scale of reduction necessary stays uncertain. Nevertheless, it is certain we need to act
urgently and intensively across all policy mechanisms available as well as developing new policy options."
Zhenzhou Yuan, Xiaojing Yuan, Yang Yang, Jinjie Chen, Yingjie Nie, Meng Cao and Long Chen,
Greenhouse gas emission analysis and measurement for urban rail transit: A review of research progress and prospects. Review.
Digital Transportation and Safety 2023, 2(1):36-51 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 3,3 MB]. Open Access.
Rail transit plays a key role in mitigating transportation system carbon emissions. Accurate measurement of urban rail transit carbon emission can help quantify the contribution of urban rail
transit towards urban transportation carbon emission reduction. Since the whole life cycle of urban rail transit carbon emission measurement involves a wide range of aspects, a systematic framework
model is required for analysis. This research reviews the existing studies on carbon emission of urban rail transit. First, the characteristics of urban rail transit carbon emission were determined
and the complexity of carbon emission measurement was analyzed. Then, the urban rail transit carbon emission measurement models were compared and analyzed in terms of the selection of research
boundaries, the types of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculation, and the accuracy of the measurement. Following that, an intelligent station was introduced to analyze the practical application
of digital collaboration technology and energy-saving and carbon-reducing system platforms for rail transit. Finally, the urgent problems and future research directions at this stage were discussed.
This research presents the necessity of establishing a dynamic carbon emission factor library and the important development trend of system integration of carbon emission measurement and digital
system technology."
Flavio Bertini, Taron Davtian and Rajesh Sharma,
Understanding cycling mobility: Bologna case study.
Computational Urban Science (2023) 3:3 (17 p.) [formato PDF, 4,7 MB]. Open Access.
Understanding human mobility in touristic and historical cities is of the utmost importance for managing traffic and deploying new resources and services. In recent years, the need to
enhance mobility has been exacerbated due to rapid urbanisation and climate changes. The main objective of this work is to study cycling mobility within the city of
Bologna, Italy. We used six months dataset that consists of 320,118 self-reported bike trips. First, we performed several descriptive analysis to understand the temporal and spatial patterns
of bike users for understanding popular roads and most favourite points within the city. The findings show how bike users present regular daily and weekly temporal patterns and the
characteristics of their trips (i.e. distance, time and speed) follow well-known distribution laws. We also identified several points of interest in the city that are particularly attractive
for cycling. Moreover, using several other public datasets, we found that bike usage is more correlated to temperature and precipitation and has no correlation to wind speed and pollution.
We also exploited machine learning approaches for predicting short-term trips in the near future (that is for the following 10, 30, and 60 minutes), which could help local governmental agencies with
urban planning. The best model achieved an R square of 0.91 for the 30-minute time interval, and a Mean Absolute Error of 2.52 and a Root Mean Squared Error of 3.88 for the 10-minute time interval."
Henrik Gillström,
Regional Electrified Logistics. Review of research projects, academic publications, and perspective from the industry.
Linköping University Electronic Press, Linköping, Sverige, 2023, 25 p. [formato PDF, 461 kB].
This review is part of the Swedish research project Regional Electrified Logistics (REEL) and the work package 1.2: Business models and financing models.
Electrification of the freight sector is a fast-developing area and viewed as an important step in reducing the sector's climate impact. However, there are several limiting factors that hinder
large-scale transition. The REEL project, which focuses on regional electric deliveries, strives to build knowledge together with the industry and academia to overcome barriers surrounding
the area. REEL is a national initiative and is led by CLOSER and is financed by the program strategic vehicle research and innovation (FFI).
Well-thought-out business models and financing models are vital for any organization to secure long-term viability. Business models can be described as a plan for how organizations make business
and with who, and include the value offered to the customers, who the partners are, and the cost structure. In the case of electrification of freight transport, business models have an
important role since it addresses many of the uncertainties associated with the transition. For example, understanding the cost structure with higher investment costs, what type of value
can be offered to the customers, and what role will new actors take in the transport system.
This review consists of three separate parts: Review of research projects; Review of academic publications; Challenges and trends from the perspective of the industry.
The review addresses research projects that are similar to REEL, to investigate their focus and results. The review of academic publications is a structured literature review that aims to
describe how business models have been considered for electrification of freight transport. The last section, challenges and trends from the perspective of the industry, addresses aspects
that representatives from partner companies within REEL have highlighted."
Margarita MartÍnez-DÍaz and Rosa Arroyo,
Is Cycling Safe? Does It Look like It? Insights from Helsinki and Barcelona.
Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 905 (25 p.) [formato PDF, 663 kB]. Open Access.
Cycling constitutes a clean, healthy, and low-cost mode of transport. Therefore, the promotion of cycling is currently one of the main goals of administrations around the word. Former
studies have shown that safety perception plays a fundamental role in the acceptance of bikes as a habitual mode of transport. In this context, this research aims to determine which variables
and actions can give rise to this feeling of safety and, therefore, collaborate in the modal shift towards a more sustainable mobility. For this purpose, different strategies have been
developed in two different contexts, Helsinki and Barcelona, using two different methodologies, namely expert interviews and analysis of survey data. Particularly, the methodology of
analysis used includes descriptive statistics and path analysis. Results point out that safety perception highly depends on trip purpose, as significant differences are observed for
daily users compared to those who cycle for sport reasons. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, etc.) and use patterns are also associated with different perceptions of safety
and different behaviors. However, for any cyclist, the quality of the available infrastructure significantly influences his/her safety perception. Thus, the provision of good quality
and well-structured cycling infrastructure is the most important initiative to promote cycling."
2022
Giuseppe Catalano, Maria Teresa Di Matteo, Davide Ciferri, Mirella Lembo,
Investimenti e Riforme del PNRR per la Portualità. Rapporto.
Ministero delle Infrastrutture e della Mobilità Sostenibili, Roma, 2022, 190 p. [formato PDF, 54,0 MB].
"Complessivamente, sono previsti interventi in 47 porti localizzati in 14 regioni e di competenza di 16 Autorità di Sistema Portuale (AdSP). Il 46,9% degli investimenti va ai porti del
Mezzogiorno, il 37,7% a quelli del Nord e il restante 15,4% a quelli del Centro Italia. A livello regionale, i porti della Liguria e della Sicilia sono i principali beneficiari: alla Liguria
sono stati assegnati circa 2,7 miliardi di euro, di cui 600 milioni per la nuova diga foranea di Genova, alla Sicilia circa 1,1 miliardi. Gli investimenti sono accompagnati da numerose riforme
riguardanti l'organizzazione delle attività portuali, la semplificazione e la digitalizzazione delle operazioni logistiche, le regole del trasporto marittimo."
Marion Leroutier, Philippe Quirion,
Air pollution and CO2 from daily mobility: Who emits and Why? Evidence from Paris.
Energy Economics 109 (2022) 105941 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
"Urban road transport is an important source of local pollution and carbon emissions. Designing effective and fair policies tackling these externalities requires understanding who contributes
to emissions today. We estimate individual transport-induced pollution footprints combining a travel demand survey from the Paris area with NOx, PM2.5 and CO2 emission factors. We find that the
top 20% emitters contribute 75%-85% of emissions on a representative weekday. They combine longer distances travelled, a high car modal share and, especially for local pollutants, a higher
emission intensity of car trips. Living in the suburbs, being a man and being employed are the most important characteristics associated with top emissions. Among the employed, those commuting
from suburbs to suburbs, working at a factory, with atypical working hours or with a manual, shopkeeping or top executive occupation are more likely to be top emitters. Finally, policies
targeting local pollution may be more regressive than those targeting CO2 emissions, due to the different correlation between income and the local pollutant vs. CO2 emission intensity of
car trips."
Transport & Environment,
Cost of clean shipping is negligible. Case study for 6% green e-fuels and stringent ETS. Briefing, executive summary.
Transport & Environment, Brussels, June 2022, 21 p. [formato PDF, 2,2 MB].
"This briefing assesses the likely cost increase in seaborne transport in a hypothetical fully decarbonised scenario and, more specifically, if the ambition of the proposed FuelEU Maritime
(FEUM) and the Maritime ETS is substantially strengthened. The briefing assesses the likely cost impact of increasing the overall 2030 fuel greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity target under FEUM from -6%
to -14%, mandating an additional 6% sub-quota for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs, or e-fuels) and incorporating a well-to-wake (WtW) CO2 equivalent emissions into the maritime
ETS, which currently only covers tank-to-wake (TtW) CO2 emissions.
Based on a real-world example of a voyage of an average large container vessel sailing between China and Belgium, the analysis concluded that the likely impact on seaborne transport costs would
be negligible."
J.S. Horjus, K. Gkiotsalitis, S. Nijënstein, K.T. Geurs,
Integration of shared transport at a public transport stop: mode choice intentions of different user segments at a mobility hub.
Journal of Urban Mobility 2 (2022) 100026 (15 p.) [formato PDF, 2,4 MB]. Open Access.
"To create an integrated transport system that can compete with and reduce private car usage, we need a better understanding of the transport and user characteristics that relate to people's
intentions to use shared and public transport at a mobility hub. For this purpose, this paper describes the results of a survey surrounding the case study of Leyenburg, The Hague in which a scenario
of integrating shared mobility at an existing public transport stop is proposed. This study investigates the intention to use shared modes and public transport in a multimodal transport network and
the factors and user characteristics that affect this intention. As digital technologies become important in the integration of modalities by offering digital planning and payment options, concerns
regarding digital exclusion in transport services are growing. In this paper we developed a digital skills measure to reflects one's ability to perform tasks that are inherent to the digital services
seen in the transport sector. Using an ordinal logistics regression analysis, the study has found that the intention to use shared transport is higher for people who are younger, have a high level
of education and a high level of digital skills. In addition, having prior experience with shared transport in the past year and currently using multiple means of transportation during the trip
are positively affecting the intention to use shared transport. The intention to combine shared transport with the bus or tram during a trip is similar to the intention to use shared transport
and is related to similar characteristics, except for education. The intention to use the bus or tram is found to be mainly related to current transport usage and trip-specific factors and not
to other user characteristics. For transport providers, the results provide evidence that offering shared motor scooters and bicycles would be an attractive option for young and highly-educated
users who intend to combine the use of shared and public transport."
Fabienne Cantner, Nico Nachtigall, Lisa S. Hamm, Andrea Cadavid, Lennart Adenaw, Allister Loder, Markus B. Siewert, Sebastian Goerg, Markus Lienkamp, Klaus Bogenberger
(TUM Technical University of Munich),
A nation-wide experiment: fuel tax cuts and almost free public transport for three months in Germany - Report 2 First wave results. Preprint.
arXiv:2206.10510, June 23, 2022, 13 p. [formato PDF, 3,7 MB].
"In spring 2022, the German federal government agreed on a set of measures that aim at reducing households' financial burden resulting from a recent price increase, especially in energy
and mobility. These measures include among others, a nation-wide public transport ticket for 9 EUR per month and a fuel tax cut that reduces fuel prices by more than 15%. In transportation
research this is an almost unprecedented behavioral experiment. It allows to study not only behavioral responses in mode choice and induced demand but also to assess the effectiveness of
transport policy instruments. We observe this natural experiment with a three-wave survey and an app-based travel diary on a sample of hundreds of participants as well as an analysis of
traffic counts. In this second report, we update the information on study participation, provide first insights on the smartphone app usage as well as insights on the first wave results,
particularly on the 9 EUR-ticket purchase intention."
Alexandra S. Penn, Suzanne E. Bartington, Sarah J. Moller, Ian Hamilton, James G. Levine, Kirstie Hatcher and Nigel Gilbert,
Adopting a Whole Systems Approach to Transport Decarbonisation, Air Quality and Health: An Online Participatory Systems Mapping Case Study in the UK.
Atmosphere 2022, 13(3), 492 (35 p.) [formato PDF, 19,3 MB]. Open Access.
"In a drive to achieve net zero emissions, U.K. transport decarbonisation policies are predominantly focussed on measures to promote the uptake and use of electric vehicles (EVs).
This is reflected in the COP26 Transport Declaration signed by 38 national governments, alongside city region governments, vehicle manufacturers and investors. However, emerging evidence
suggests that EVs present multiple challenges for air quality, mobility and health, including risks from non-exhaust emissions (NEEs) and increasing reliance on vehicles for short trips.
Understanding the interconnected links between electric mobility, human health and the environment, including synergies and trade-offs, requires a whole systems approach to transport
policymaking. In the present paper, we describe the use of Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM) in which a diverse group of stakeholders collaboratively constructed a causal model of
the U.K. surface transport system through a series of interactive online workshops. We present the map and its analysis, with our findings illustrating how unintended consequences of
EV-focussed transport policies may have an impact on air quality, human health and important social functions of the transport system. We conclude by considering how online participatory
causal modelling techniques could be effectively integrated with empirical metrics to facilitate effective policy design and appraisal in the transport sector."
C. Castillo, M. Viu-Roig, E.J. Alvarez-Palau (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya),
COVID-19 lockdown as an opportunity to rethink urban freight distribution: Lessons from the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 14 (2022) 100605 (9 p.) [formato PDF, 592 kB]. Open Access.
"The COVID-19 health crisis has had a strong impact on societies around the world, affecting both the health of populations and countries' economies. While lockdowns imposed to stop the spread
of infection reduced urban mobility and had a positive impact on air quality, lowering the emission of polluting particles and greenhouse gases, they had the opposite effect on urban freight
distribution (UFD). With the population remaining at home, ecommerce-driven shipments surged, and total freight traffic increased. In order to have a better understanding of this phenomenon, the
aim of this study was to identify the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the daily operation of the region's main logistics agents. Lessons learned from this cyclical scenario could be used to define
more sustainable public policies regarding UFD in the post-COVID era. To meet the above objectives, semi-structured interviews were conducted with public administrations and private operators,
before being transcribed and encoded for later analysis. The results of our study show that common problems in UFD, such as traffic congestion or problems finding parking in the loading and
unloading (L/U) zones, temporarily disappeared during the lockdown phase. Delivery times were consequently reduced, despite an increase in operations due to ecommerce. In addition, the public
administrations took advantage of this situation to adapt the urban space and force a transition towards new delivery systems, such as cargo-bikes, to guarantee sustainable last-mile operations
in specific zones."
Decarbonizzare i trasporti. Evidenze scientifiche e proposte di policy.
Primo Rapporto elaborato dagli esperti della Struttura Transizione Ecologica della Mobilità e delle Infrastrutture (STEMI) del Ministero delle Infrastrutture e della Mobilità Sostenibili (MIMS).
MIMS, Ministero delle Infrastrutture e della Mobilità Sostenibili, aprile 2022, 100 p. [formato PDF, 5,0 MB].
"Il primo Rapporto realizzato dalla struttura istituita nel 2021 dal Ministro risponde alla necessità di fornire una base conoscitiva solida, fondata sullo stato della ricerca in tema di
tecnologie per la decarbonizzazione dei trasporti, per assumere le decisioni politiche più opportune per accelerare la transizione ecologica e il raggiungimento degli obiettivi di riduzione
delle emissioni di CO2 ed inquinanti con il miglior rapporto costi-benefici, nonché il rafforzamento della competitività dell'economia italiana e il miglioramento della qualità
della vita dei cittadini.
Il Rapporto STEMI si articola in varie sezioni dedicate alle diverse modalità di trasporto - automobili, veicoli commerciali, autobus per trasporto pubblico locale, treni, navi,
aerei - e analizza le tecnologie disponibili e le infrastrutture necessarie alla decarbonizzazione in termini di efficienza, costo, potenzialità di riduzione delle emissioni e scalabilità
industriale nel contesto italiano."
Lisa Ruhrort
Can a rapid mobility transition appear both desirable and achievable? Reflections on the role of competing narratives for socio-technical change and suggestions for a research agenda.
Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 2022 (18 p.) [formato PDF, 616 kB]. Open Access.
"As research on socio-technical transitions has repeatedly shown, positive or negative narratives can play a key role in galvanizing public support for or resistance against socio-technical
transitions. In the mobility sector, many countries have recently seen some indications of beginning socio-technical change dynamics. In the case of Germany, key practices of a low-carbon transport
system - such as cycling, substitution of travel through home office or 'shared mobility services' - are moving from niches to mainstream, while grassroots initiatives are successfully demanding
improvements for cycling and walking. In this dynamic situation competing narratives of change begin to emerge, which claim to define what a transition towards 'sustainable' mobility should look
like and how it could be accomplished. Against the backdrop of these recent discursive shifts the article highlights three key conflictual dimensions, along which competing narratives of a mobility
transition in Germany, but also in other European countries, are likely going to diverge. The article suggests that research into mobility transitions should focus on the intensifying discursive
struggles, in which different social groups with highly differing power will attempt to shape the broader socio-technical vision of a 'sustainable' mobility future."
Ronik Ketankumar Patel, Roya Etminani-Ghasrodashti, Sharareh Kermanshachi, Jay Michael Rosenberger, Ann Foss (University of Texas at Arlington),
Mobility-on-demand (MOD) Projects: A study of the best practices adopted in United States.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 14 (2022) 100601 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 1,0 MB]. Open Access.
"The growth of mobility on demand (MOD) services has raised partnership opportunities between transit agencies and transportation network companies (TNCs) in the US. However, there is still
a need to recognize how MOD programs confront different challenges during the implementation of pilot projects, and to what extent they are successful in promoting mobility efficiency and providing
multiple mobility options. This study aims to evaluate the potential opportunities of public-private partnerships for MOD planning while presenting an overview of the challenges and lessons learned
during the implementation of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Sandbox Program projects. Following a comprehensive review of MOD's background, we identify the goals and scopes of the 11
FTA Sandbox Program projects. The programs are classified into four categories: service to people with disabilities, first/last mile solutions, mobile application targeting one non-transit mode,
and mobile application to integrate public and private transportation services on one app. Emphasizing particular FTA Sandbox Program projects, we determine the challenges and technical lessons
learned during the implementation of the programs. Finally, this study identifies fundamental factors to a well-integrated public transit system that uses app-based on-demand technology. Our
findings provide new insights, which could reinforce future partnerships among public-private transportation services."
Hyunhong Choi, Stephen Youngjun Park, HyungBin Moon,
The shared mobility services ban in South Korea: Consumer preferences and social opportunity cost.
Travel Behaviour and Society 28 (2022) 214-226 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 1,7 MB]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2022.04.006
"With the advancement of information and communication technologies and the emergence of sharing economy, various shared mobility services have been introduced in many countries and some are
achieving rapid growth. However, in South Korea, shared mobility services that were once introduced are now banned by laws and regulations following extreme opposition from taxi drivers and heated
social conflict. This study analyzed consumer preferences for key technological and non-technological attributes that consists vehicle-based mobility services to investigate the social cost related
to the ban. To be specific, this study evaluated the social opportunity cost of the ban on shared mobility services in South Korea and investigated the impact of potential options that may improve
existing mobility services and minimize costs for various demographic groups. The results show that carpooling and professional ride-hailing services could assume significant amount of taxis' current
market share if they were fully available. This implies that significant social opportunity cost may be incurred from the ban as consumers are unable to use the services they want. In particular,
females tended to have a higher cost than males, and the cost appeared to increase by age. The choice probability for banned mobility services (social opportunity cost) of the female older adult
is the highest (73.8%) among consumer groups. Moreover, this study suggests that providing incentives to induce taxis' electrification and strictly regulating and managing taxi drivers' service
quality could be a useful strategy for policymakers to minimize the social costs of the ban on shared mobility services."
Jonne Silonsaari, Mikko Simula, Marco Te Brömmelstroet, Sami Kokko,
Unravelling the rationalities of childhood cycling promotion.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 14 (2022) 100598 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 1,2 MB]. Open Access.
"Decrease of children's independent mobility (CIM) has worried academics, policymakers, educators and other professionals for decades. Research and policy often emphasise that promoting
children's physically active and independent transport modes as cycling is important to achieve better public health, solve environmental challenges and increase related economic benefits. Yet,
cycling promotion is not a neutral process and all promotion efforts are derived from latent notions of 'cyclists' and 'cycling'. This paper discusses different rationalities of childhood
cycling promotion and the representations of 'children' as independent 'cyclists' they entail. We argue that in order to efficiently promote cycling across contexts, we should better understand
children's cycling experiences and meanings they ascribe to it and how their mobilities emergence in the flux of social, institutional and political relations. By applying action research to a
local cycling promotion project in Finland we explore how instrumental, functional and alternative rationalities emerged and resulted in differing representations of children as cyclists. While
all rationalities played a role in different stages of the project, the results highlight that alternative rationalities as children's autonomy, positive emotions and friendships were considered
the most important drivers of new cycling practices among project participants. In conclusion we propose children's autonomous mobility as the most appropriate term to depict their cycling and
other self-imposed (but relational) mobility practices."
Mascha Brost, Simone Ehrenberger, Isheeka Dasgupta, Robert Hahn, Laura Gebhardt,
The Potential of Light Electric Vehicles for Climate Protection through Substitution for Passenger Car Trips - Germany as a Case Study. Final Report of the LEV4Climate Study.
German Aerospace Center (DLR), March, 24th 2022, 37 slides [formato PDF, 3,3 MB].
" Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs) have great potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector and thus contribute to climate protection. Half of the
kilometres currently driven by car in Germany could theoretically be covered by LEVs. This would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40 percent compared to car trips. That would mean
around 57 million tonnes less emissions per year. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) on behalf of LEVA-EU,
the association representing the interests of light electric vehicles.
For their study, researchers from the DLR Institutes of Vehicle Concepts and Transport Research considered the entire portfolio of light electric vehicles. These range from e-scooters, e-bicycles
and e-cargo bicycles, electric scooters and motorcycles to three- and four-wheeled small L7e class cars."
Carina Goldbach, Jörn Sickmann, Thomas Pitz, Tatjana Zimasa (Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences),
Towards autonomous public transportation: Attitudes and intentions of the local population.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 13 (2022) 100504 (9 p.) [formato PDF, 491 kB]. Open Access.
"Public autonomous vehicles (AVs) have a high potential to solve traffic related problems and environmental challenges. However, without the passengers' acceptance, the potential to achieve
these benefits will not be fulfilled. Therefore, this paper is focused on the factors that influence the acceptance of such vehicles and investigates how much the acceptance varies if different
levels of supervision are provided. An online survey was conducted and factors like trust and experience were found to impact on the stated intention to use a self-driving bus. Additionally, the
Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) factors, such as, effort expectancy, performance expectancy and social influence were found to impact user intentions. Interestingly,
socio-demographic factors appeared to be determinants of the acceptance of public AVs only if an employee was no longer present in the bus.
The study highlighted the importance of paying sufficient attention to qualitative psychological factors, next to classic instrumental attributes like travel time and costs, before and during the
implementation of public AVs. As experience was found to be a relatively robust factor in explaining public AV acceptance, we expect that preferences towards autonomous public transportation evolve
along with the transition from hypothetical scenarios to demonstration pilots, to their deployment in regular operations. We therefore recommend the extension of this research to revealed preference
studies, thereby using the results of field studies and living labs. Policy makers and researchers should allow users to access public AVs in test phases, so that users can generate positive
experiences. This is expected to reduce future efforts of encouraging the use of this new technology, before its implementation."
Ortega Hortelano, A., Tsakalidis, A., Haq, A., Gkoumas, K., Stepniak, M., Marques Dos Santos, F., Grosso, M. and Pekar, F.,
Research and innovation in car sharing in Europe. EUR 30998 EN.
Publications Office of the European Union, Ispra, 2022, 75 p. [formato PDF, 2,2 MB]. Open Access.
"This report provides a comprehensive analysis of R&I related to car sharing in Europe. The assessment follows the methodology developed by the European Commission's Transport Research
and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS). The report critically assesses research by thematic areas, highlighting recent technological and other developments and future needs.
The projects were grouped according to six key thematic areas: Better understanding of impacts (economy, environmental); User behaviour and acceptance of car sharing schemes; Information
Technology development: apps, websites, connected cars; Vehicle technology: electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, ergonomics, automated vehicles; Development and implementation; and Others:
stakeholder engagement, regulations, and policies. Three main findings arise. First, most of the projects target urban environment, which makes sense from the industry point of view and potential
users. Second, there has been an increase in funding support for car sharing schemes in the recent years , especially through R&I projects focusing on the development of Information Technology
(IT) solutions: apps, websites, connected cars, etc. Finally, countries with significant public investments in R&I and a substantial transport industry, as well as consultancy and IT related
companies, appear well placed to adopt car sharing schemes."
Jens Schippl, Bernhard Truffer, Torsten Fleischer,
Potential impacts of institutional dynamics on the development of automated vehicles: Towards sustainable mobility?.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 14 (2022) 100587 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 1,9 MB]. Open Access.
"Most experts agree that automated vehicles (AV) will be commercialized sooner or later and that this will lead to far-reaching changes in the mobility system. However, it is still open whether
these developments will lead to more sustainable transport systems. AVs may render private car ownership more attractive and therefore intensify car-oriented mobility patterns, or may increase the
attractiveness of public transport when mostly used as robo-taxis. Once development has started to move in a specific direction, self-reinforcing dynamics and path-dependencies may unfold. Therefore,
it is important to analyze which factors may influence the direction of path-dependencies. We argue that understanding emerging path-dependencies requires an understanding of the interrelated
technical, economic and societal dynamics. We draw on recent insights into societal dynamics in sociotechnical regimes, drawn from sustainability transition research, to identify potential
development trajectories of automated driving due to changes in what is conceptualized as normative-cognitive institutions. We introduce an approach to map such institutional dynamics based on
recent data from developments in the German mobility sector. Results demonstrate that the direction of future AV pathways may depend on such institutional developments. Both a reinforcing and a
disruptive pathway are plausible. Governance strategies that aim to tap the potential of AVs in supporting sustainable urban mobility should consider institutional dynamics more explicitly."
Robert Hrelja & Tom Rye,
Decreasing the share of travel by car. Strategies for implementing 'push' or 'pull' measures in a traditionally car-centric transport and land use planning.
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 2022, 14 p., [formato PDF, 1,6 MB]. Open Access.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2022.2051098
"This paper analyzes strategies that can be successfully pursued to implement measures to reduce car traffic in what has traditionally been a very car-centric planning praxis. Analytically,
the paper use path dependency theory to provide an understanding of why certain types of measure are not implemented in cities on as widespread a basis as policy objectives may require, and to
understand how transport planning path dependence in urban authorities might be changed. Empirically, the analysis builds on a comparative case study of transport and land use planning in Swedish
cities. The most effective strategies do not appear to be radical policies leading to fast implementation of goals about sustainable transport, for example by implementing very car restrictive
measures, even in the face of resistance from the public and from within the city administration. The results support an approach that from a strategy making perspective can be understood as an
institutionalizing process by which internal organizational and external public support for car restrictive and potentially controversial measures are built. Implementation may be achieved by
building new institutions within city administrations, where routines and norms gradually change so that car restraint measures gradually become part of the normal way of doing transport planning.
This then starts to lock-in certain patterns of travel and make further car restraint measures more feasible and institutionalized as part of a standard menu of measures that cities use, and not
something out of the order."
International Transport Forum (ITF),
Mode Choice in Freight Transport. ITF Research Reports.
OECD Publishing, Paris, February 2022, 86 p. [formato PDF, 9,4 MB]. Open Access.
"This report examines why freight carriers and shippers choose one transport mode over others. It analyses the main determinants for using road, rail, inland waterways, coastal shipping
or pipelines to move goods and assesses government policies to influence it. The study also reviews how shifting freight to more sustainable modes could reduce the contribution of goods transport
to climate change and provides recommendations for more effective policies. The role of mode choice in alleviating congestion and making goods transport safer is also addressed. Three case studies
from China, Canada and the Netherlands highlight modal-shift policies."
Carlo Amendola, Simone La Bella, Gian Piero Joime, Fabio Massimo Frattale Mascioli and Pietro Vito,
An Integrated Methodology Model for Smart Mobility System Applied to Sustainable Tourism.
Adm. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 40 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,7 MB]. Open Access.
"This work aims to analyze the impact of technological eco-innovation on the modernization and development of a local area. The role of eco-innovation would be to stimulate an innovative
environment and spur a development of the territory and economic districts, and the diffusion of said particularities among wider geographic contexts, hence allowing a globalization model more
observant of local specificities, and thus an open system able to develop economic and cultural exchange respecting local particularities. In recent years, smart city has asserted itself as a
general model for the city of tomorrow, and sustainability has become a focal point in urban development policies. In this paper, we investigate how an integrated and intermodal methodology for
the development of smart mobility systems - the European project "Life for Silver Coast" - is impacting the modernization and development of an Italian coastal area in Tuscany. The main focus of
our paper is to understand how an integrated mobility network allows a transition toward a sustainable form of social relationship and a new economic pattern and could represent the starting
point for a spatial, relational and institutional reorganization process that would lead to a change in the production and management dynamics of the local ecosystem concerning cultural, social
and economic issues."
Mauricio Orozco-Fontalvo, Luis Llerena and Victor Cantillo,
Dockless electric scooters: A review of a growing micromobility mode. Review.
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation (2022) DOI: 10.1080/15568318.2022.2044097 (17 p.), [formato PDF, 2,4 MB].
"Electric Micromobility (EM) and the use of dockless shared electric scooters (DSES) has rapidly grown in many cities worldwide. They are promoted as an accessible, low-emissions, versatile,
and low-effort alternative. This article conducts a systematic review of DSES, considering their evolution, operation, regulations, user profile, environmental impact, safety, and pricing. The
review shows age, income, and gender gaps among their users as most of them are young, male, high-income adults. DSES adopters come mainly from public transport, walking, and cycling. Their
environmentally friendly label needs to be analyzed according to the city's context; their distribution and collection logistics impacts, and the vehicle's service life. The review shows
significant differences in the way cities have regulated the service. One of the most significant potential contributions from DSES to urban mobility is the possibility to be integrated
with public transport, implementing the Mobility-as-a-Service concept."
Andreas Nikiforiadis, Lambros Mitropoulos, Pantelis Kopelias, Socrates Basbas, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Sofia Kroustali,
Exploring mobility pattern changes between before, during and after COVID-19 lockdown periods for young adults.
Cities 125 (2022) 103662 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB].
"The paper aims to investigate changes in travel behavior due to COVID-19 focusing in one of the most active social groups in Greece. A questionnaire survey was conducted and 306 young
adults (age 18-34 years) living in various Greek cities responded. The survey collected information about travel-related preferences before, during and after the 1st lockdown and during the 2nd
lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. City attributes of the respondent's residency location before and after the 1st lockdown were collected. The data are analyzed descriptively and
through statistical modelling techniques. During the 1st lockdown an important increase in physical exercise frequency was observed, but this increase was not permanent. The COVID-19 pandemic
resulted in essential reductions in the frequency of public transport use and in an increase of walking frequency. The public transport use reduction was mainly attributed to people that had
access to a private car and after the 1st lockdown moved to a smaller city. On the other hand, the changes in walking frequency are closely linked to the city's attributes. Useful policy
implications are being derived about how the pandemic can assist in promoting sustainable urban mobility goals."
João Filipe Teixeira, Cecília Silva, Frederico Moura e Sá,
The role of bike sharing during the coronavirus pandemic: An analysis of the mobility patterns and perceptions of Lisbon's GIRA users.
Transportation Research Part A 159 (2022) 17-34 (18 p.) [formato PDF, 4,2 MB].
"COVID-19 has dramatically impacted urban mobility, of which public transport (PT) has been particularly affected. With PT ridership plummeting due to infection fears and many people returning
to work, there is a danger of a steep rise in car use that would exacerbate environmental and health problems. Therefore, other modes such as bike sharing should be considered as potential
alternatives during the coronavirus pandemic.
This study focuses on assessing how coronavirus has impacted bike sharing by implementing a travel behaviour survey to the users of GIRA, the bike sharing system (BSS) of Lisbon. While the
coronavirus has led some to decrease the frequency of use or quit the system, other users have increased the usage or joined GIRA during the pandemic. Furthermore, most users who have quit or
decreased the usage of GIRA justify their decision not so much on avoiding the risk of infection (although for some it is an important reason) but on having stopped commuting due to COVID-19.
The survey has also revealed substantial changes not only on the usage patterns of GIRA users but also on their relationship with other modes of transport. While before the pandemic, most
respondents were shifting from PT to GIRA, that percentage has declined, with an increase on the share of users replacing walking, private car, and personal cycling. Moreover, the motivations
for using bike sharing related with avoiding PT and maintaining a social distance during the trip have gained more relevance. Concurrently, the perceived safety of using PT has drastically
declined, and while the perceived safety of using GIRA has also decreased it was in a much smaller scale.
Policy insights can be derived from this research on how bike sharing can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient urban transport system. During infectious public health crises such as
COVID-19, BSS can be a viable transport alternative, not only providing the population with an affordable mode of transport where social distancing can be maintained in most of the trip but
also mitigating a modal shift from PT to the private car."
Sina Selzer, Martin Lanzendorf (Goethe University Frankfurt/Main),
Car independence in an automobile society? The everyday mobility practices of residents in a car-reduced housing development.
Travel Behaviour and Society 28 (2022) 90-105 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 3,3 MB]. Open Access.
"Lately, transport researchers and practitioners are showing renewed interest in car-reduced neighborhoods and their residents' mobility to investigate possible factors influencing sustainable
transport. With a biographically inspired practice-theoretical approach, this study considers the 'context of travel behavior' and, thus, focuses on mobility as a 'practice' in order to improve the
understanding of everyday mobility as well as the potential and limitations of implementing car-reduced housing. Based on qualitative interviews with residents of two German car-reduced neighborhoods,
we first identify different compositions of materials, competences, and meanings (including the feelings and emotions) of car-(in)dependent mobility practices. Second, we discover the personal,
social, temporal, and socio-structural circumstances of the residents' travel behavior alongside 'practice bundles' that interact with car-(in)dependent mobility. Finally, our findings indicate,
on the one hand, that the car-centric material context outside car-reduced neighborhoods, the incorporation of private car driving with the practice of everyday life, and the affective satisfaction
with car use and ownership negatively influence car independence. On the other hand, our results highlight that residential location and its materiality in the case of car-reduced housing
developments, as well as the personal-temporal and socio-cultural contexts of their residents' mobility practices stabilize and support car independence and low-carbon mobility."
Uta Burghard, Aline Scherrer (Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovations Research),
Sharing vehicles or sharing rides - Psychological factors influencing the acceptance of carsharing and ridepooling in Germany.
Energy Policy 164 (2022) 112874 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 1,9 MB]. Open Access.
"Shared mobility has the potential to reduce private car use and can thereby contribute to a mobility transition which reduces energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time,
shared mobility services still have a niche existence - even in major cities. If the goal is to establish shared mobility as a significant part of the mobility system, a key question is which
factors determine the acceptance of individual services. Can perceived innovation-specific factors that can be more directly influenced by policies explain differences in attitudes and acceptance
or does the explanatory power lie with psychological dispositions that are more difficult to change by policies? Do these factors apply in general or differ between different sharing services? We
investigate these questions based on a survey study in major German cities to analyse the acceptance of two car-based shared mobility services, carsharing and ridepooling, in society (N = 1,531).
The data analysis based on two path models shows that perceived compatibility with daily life is the most important factor related to the acceptance of carsharing and ridepooling. Perceived ease
of use positively affects the general attitude towards both services. We conclude that our findings offer potential intervention routes for policies that increase the acceptance of shared mobility.
The prerequisites for the services to contribute to a reduction in energy consumption in the transport sector are also discussed."
Clare Brown, Michael Hardman, Nick Davies and Richard Armitage,
Mobility as a Service: Defining a Transport Utopia.
Future Transp. 2022, 2(1), 300-309 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 496 kB]. Open Access.
"Having been widely acknowledged as enabling access to education, employment, leisure and social activities, transport choices are also the cause of many challenges cities face. Recognising
that change is needed, planners and policymakers are considering alternative methods of planning and delivering transport. Mobility as a Service (or MaaS) is one such idea that has gained traction
with academics and professionals alike. Hailed as the answer to integrating complex transport systems, MaaS has yet to be implemented at scale in urban transport systems due in part to the lack of
an agreed conceptual definition, the top-down approach to implementing what is meant to be a more personalised method of accessing transport, and the lack of local promoters (in comparison to global
corporations and lobbyists). This article reflects on the current barriers to defining MaaS, considers how a novel public engagement approach could be used to create local definitions that support
citizen engagement, and suggests a route forward for future research."
Karolina Isaksson, Jens Alm,
Establishing bicycle logistics in urban areas - Experiences from entrepreneurs and local policy actors.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 13 (2022) 100556 (8 p.) [formato PDF, 477 kB]. Open Access.
"This paper aims to deepen the insights into specific policy and planning prerequisites that affect how bicycle logistics services can be initiated and established in urban environments.
Empirical data consist of policy documents and qualitative interviews with bicycle logistics entrepreneurs and local policy actors from four Swedish municipalities which are all known for their
ambitious strategies for sustainable transport. The paper leads to insights into a variety of challenges facing the introduction of bicycle logistics in urban environments but points also to
possibilities and key issues for the further development of these types of concepts. Among these are the importance of targeted initiatives and support for new concepts for sustainable urban
freight, but also conscious strategies for infrastructure development and a more well-informed use of public procurement processes. In addition, the study confirms the importance of norms,
attitudes and knowledge among policy makers, planners and potential customers about bicycle logistics and its potential for urban areas."
Veronica A Southerland, Michael Brauer, Arash Mohegh, Melanie S Hammer, Aaron van Donkelaar, Randall V Martin, Joshua S Apte, Susan C Anenberg,
Global urban temporal trends in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and attributable health burdens: estimates from global datasets.
Lancet Planet Health 2022; 6: e139-46 (8 p.) [formato PDF, 3,3 MB]. Open Access..
"Background: With much of the world's population residing in urban areas, an understanding of air pollution exposures at the city level can inform mitigation approaches. Previous studies of
global urban air pollution have not considered trends in air pollutant concentrations nor corresponding attributable mortality burdens. We aimed to estimate trends in fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
concentrations and associated mortality for cities globally.
Methods: We use high-resolution annual average PM2.5 concentrations, epidemiologically derived concentration response functions, and country-level baseline disease rates to estimate population-weighted
PM2.5 concentrations and attributable cause-specific mortality in 13.160 urban centres between the years 2000 and 2019.
Findings: Although regional averages of urban PM2.5 concentrations decreased between the years 2000 and 2019, we found considerable heterogeneity in trends of PM2.5 concentrations between urban areas.
Approximately 86% (2.5 billion inhabitants) of urban inhabitants lived in urban areas that exceeded WHO's 2005 guideline annual average PM2.5 (10 µg/m3), resulting in an excess of 1.8 million
(95% CI 1.34 million-2.3 million) deaths in 2019. Regional averages of PM2.5-attributable deaths increased in all regions except for Europe and the Americas, driven by changes in population numbers,
age structures, and disease rates. In some cities, PM2.5-attributable mortality increased despite decreases in PM2.5 concentrations, resulting from shifting age distributions and rates of
non-communicable disease.
Interpretation: Our study showed that, between the years 2000 and 2019, most of the world's urban population lived in areas with unhealthy levels of PM2.5, leading to substantial contributions to
non-communicable disease burdens. Our results highlight that avoiding the large public health burden from urban PM2.5 will require strategies that reduce exposure through emissions mitigation,
as well as strategies that reduce vulnerability to PM2.5 by improving overall public health."
Alexandra König, Laura Gebhardt, Kerstin Stark and Julia Schuppan (German Aerospace Center),
A Multi-Perspective Assessment of the Introduction of E-Scooter Sharing in Germany.
Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2639 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 543 kB]. Open Access.
"Electric scooter sharing (e-scooter sharing) is a new urban micro-mobility service that is expected to shape individual urban mobility. The introduction of e-scooter sharing systems poses
challenging questions for cities and transportation planners regarding their effects on their transportation system. This study addresses the question concerning the strategies which are applied
for the introduction of e-scooter sharing systems in different operation areas in Germany. An interview study with 21 stakeholders with different backgrounds (local transport authorities, public
transport providers, e-scooter sharing operators, municipalities, associations, planning offices and consulting companies, and other mobility providers) was conducted to reflect upon the introduction
of e-scooter sharing systems in Germany and stakeholders' involvement in planning. The qualitative content analysis provides insights into the stakeholders' assessment of the introduction process
and thus contributes to a multi-perspective understanding on the topic. Derived hypotheses and recommendations further contribute to knowledge sharing and learning from experience. The paper
concludes with a description of three introduction styles: protective, pro-active, and laissez-faire."
Fernando Gil-Alonso, Cristina López-Villanueva and Jenniffer Thiers-Quintana (Universitat de Barcelona),
Transition towards a Sustainable Mobility in a Suburbanising Urban Area: The Case of Barcelona.
Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2560 (32 p.) [formato PDF, 7,7 MB]. Open Access.
"This article aims to address the apparent contradiction between the urban demographic and migratory trends and the transition
towards a more sustainable mobility that local and metropolitan governments seek. To that end, it uses the case of Barcelona, and
its metropolitan area during the first decades of the 21st century, characterized by suburbanisation and gentrification. Employing
demographic, mobility and transport, and air quality statistics, we intend to analyse: (a) the spatial demographic trends in the
metropolitan area of Barcelona (AMB), particularly regarding the core and periphery population growth or decline; (b) trends in
daily mobility and how the public and private transport mix has changed; and (c) pollution data changes confirming the success or
failure of the private vehicle reduction policy. Findings confirm our initial hypothesis: the slow but steady transition towards
sustainable forms of mobility in the core city and the dense contiguous municipalities is counterbalanced by what occurs in the
peripheral suburbs. There, the use of private vehicles is still preeminent and growing. Nevertheless, the air quality has improved
in the most central municipalities of the AMB (for which data are available), even if not all parameters have seen a similar
pollution reduction."
Paula Kuss, Kimberly A. Nicholas (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies),
A dozen effective interventions to reduce car use in European cities: Lessons learned from a meta-analysis and Transition Management.
Case Studies on Transport Policy (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cstp.2022.02.001 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 1,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Transitioning to fossil-free transport and reducing car use are necessary to meet European and national climate goals. Cities are promising leverage points to facilitate system transitions
by promoting local innovation and policy experimentation. Building on transition management, we developed a knowledge base for the implementation of transition experiments to reduce city-level
car use. From screening nearly 800 peer-reviewed studies and case studies, including in-depth analysis of 24 documents that met quality criteria and quantitatively estimated car use reduction,
we identify 12 intervention types combining different measures and policy instruments that were effective in reducing car use in European cities. Most interventions were led by local government,
planned and decided in collaboration with different urban stakeholders. We evaluated the potential of the identified intervention types to be implemented in a pilot study of Lund, Sweden, using
three criteria from Transition Management of novelty, feasibility, and suitability, as assessed by interviews with local experts. We recommend three transition experiments to reduce local car
use in Lund: Parking and Traffic Control, Workplace Parking Charge, and Mobility Services for Commuters. We suggest practitioners follow our method to identify effective and locally suitable
interventions to reduce car use, and future research quantify the effectiveness of interventions to reduce car use using the standardised outcome measure of annual passenger kilometres travelled
by car.
Simen Rostad Sæther (Norwegian University of Science and Technology),
Mobility at the crossroads - Electric mobility policy and charging infrastructure lessons from across Europe.
Transportation Research Part A 157 (2022) 144-159 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 1,1 MB]. Open Access.
"The transportation sector accounts for a significant part of European emissions and is one of the few sectors with rising emissions. Thus one crucial part of the European strategy to
reduce overall emissions is a shift, in the transportation sector, to low-emission mobility and electric mobility in particular. As European governments and policymakers consider feasible ways
of supporting the transition, one central question is whether the policies and actions they enact should aim for creating incremental or structural change, here operationalized as personal
incentives vs. charging infrastructure. Therefore, this analysis investigates the effects of electric mobility policies and charging infrastructure on plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market
shares in Europe from 2009 to 2019. Charging infrastructure, and fast charging infrastructure in particular, demonstrate by far the strongest and most robust results of the analysis, having
a significant positive effect on PEV market shares in all models. The analysis also suggests that purchase incentives, ownership tax benefits, and the policy packages for electric mobility
tested have a positive and significant effect on PEV adoption. However, these effects are notably weaker and exhibit far less robust findings across the models in the analysis. Thus, while
the study cannot conclusively come down on the side of infrastructure over personal incentives, it persuasively points to the crucial importance of charging infrastructures for the electrification
of transportation. Theoretically, this makes sense - personal incentives will increase the market shares of PEV, but only incrementally, running the risk of merely supplementing the old fossil
fuel-based transportation system rather than replacing it. Charging infrastructure on the other hand creates the potential for structural change, implying that a more active and coordinated
build-out of charging infrastructure is needed to ensure a rapid transition to low-emission mobility."
Lucina Caravaggi, Cristina Imbroglini and Anna Lei (Sapienza Università di Roma),
Rome's GRAB - Great Bicycle Ring Route - As Complex Landscape Infrastructure.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 1023 (21 p.) [formato PDF, 5,8 MB]. Open Access.
"This paper aims to describe the design strategy adopted in Rome to support and enhance sustainable mobility. It is a strategy aimed at promoting new green infrastructures for urban
accessibility, daily sports practice and social inclusion in a historic city, stratified and not very inclined to change. Therefore, the dissemination of this experience is useful for planning
a sustainable future for heritage cities that ensures an appropriate and equitable balance between conservation and development. Sustainable mobility is now considered one of the most important
challenges for metropolitan areas and large conurbations. In these terms, Rome is a weak city. The city's great bicycle ring route (GRAB), an integral part of the Extraordinary Tourism Mobility
Plan 2017-22, is a key infrastructure for increasing more sustainable and healthier modes of travel, even on a local scale. The GRAB project, whose complex infrastructure provides multiple services,
differs from a simple cycle path network. Its complexity refers to an ability to attract different types of users in different types of urban contexts-historical settings, monuments, newer
neighborhoods and areas of contemporary urbanization. The project results can be measured first in relation to its progress (already funded, in the executive planning phase, with the approval
of the first construction sites expected by 2022). A second important result is the participation of institutional bodies and citizens' associations, which will oversee the construction and
maintenance work as well as infuse into the project a constant vitality, in a true civic ecology perspective. Third, the results are important for enhancing metropolitan area accessibility
and the environmental and social re-activation of the areas crossed, achieved directly and through the project's realization. The GRAB strategy belongs to the new generation of landscape
projects that have radically changed the priorities and hierarchies of intervention in the contexts of contemporary urbanization. These projects are based on the ecological analysis of the
context but are located close to the fluctuating dynamics of contemporary metropolises and the problems of exclusion and marginality - both spatial and social - linked to the very rapid ecological,
economic and demographic transformations."
Daniel L. Marques and Margarida C. Coelho (University of Aveiro),
A Literature Review of Emerging Research Needs for Micromobility-Integration through a Life Cycle Thinking Approach. Review.
Future Transp. 2022, 2(1), 135-164 (30 p.) [formato PDF, 2,3 MB]. Open Access.
"Micromobility is an increasingly attractive option, particularly over short distances. Walking, biking, and other modes of transport, such as e-scooters, are gaining popularity. Furthermore, a
trend is emerging to introduce appealing items onto the market that incorporate new/more sustainable materials to improve wellbeing. Significant research questions concern the understanding of
emerging research needs and the environmental, social, and economic effects of sustainability in the micromobility transport system, specifically because of developing and implementing new products,
boosting the safety and comfort of ergonomic personal mobility devices (PMDs), and assuring security and privacy while digitalization arises. Such research topics can raise policymakers' and
the public's awareness while providing impactful information for decision-makers. This paper provides a literature review of the most recent research on micromobility-related topics. It uses
scientific databases, a keywords list, and defined inclusion criteria to select data, analyze content, and perform a bibliometric analysis. The findings highlight the significance of using Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools together with other methodologies to aid in the evaluation of urban complexity. Finally, using a life cycle thinking (LCT) approach, we propose a framework for
comprehensively integrating identified research needs."
Christian Schindler (RWTH Aachen University),
The Aachen Rail Shuttle ARS - Autonomous and energy self-sufficient feeder transport.
Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management 21 (2022) 100299 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 4,1 MB]. Open Access.
"This article is about a research and development project that deals with the rail bus of the 3rd generation. The vehicle concept is aimed to be energyself-sufficient and locally emission
free. It has the dimensions of a standard city road bus and is designed to operate autonomously on sight in rural areas. The Aachen Rail Bus (ARS) is intended to provide a significantly better
service by shorter headways in order to attract more passengers from the countryside to the rail. The research challenges are to prove that the ARS can operate at line of sight, that the energy
storage system is suitable for the proposed operation concept and that the passive safety system protects the light and relatively weak passenger compartment, which shall be easily exchangeable
by an adequate interface to the chassis that includes all technical equipment.!
Natalie Gravett, Luis Mundaca (International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University),
Assessing the economic benefits of active transport policy pathways: Opportunities from a local perspective.
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 11 (2021) 100456 (17 p.) [formato PDF, 8,8 MB]. Open Access.
"Combined with concerns about climate change, air pollution and human health, the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed the use of and policy interest in active transport (AT) modes, namely cycling
and walking. However, we note a high degree of uncertainty and lack of assessments addressing the economic benefits of AT policies; particularly when they are used as a mix of policies at the local
level. This study aims to address this knowledge gap. We use the city of Oxford as a case study and apply the WHO Health Economic Assessment Tool and different baselines to assess four policy
packages promoting a mode shift to AT for the 2030-2050 period. In total, 312 policy scenarios were produced and analysed. Results show that a policy mix that maximises economic benefits entails
bike-sharing, cycle parking, training and education, low traffic neighbourhoods, e-bike grants, a workplace parking levy and increased use of a 'cycle-to-work' Scheme. Considering the health
impacts from increased physical activity and avoided CO2 emissions, benefits are estimated in the range of: 62-256 prevented premature deaths; 18-50 million tonnes of avoided CO2e emissions; resulting
in a total gross benefit of €3.45-11.28 billion. These impacts remain high and robust when key input parameters are tested via a sensitivity analysis. We conclude that investing in AT policy
measures represents a multi-faceted low-carbon opportunity that should not be missed by policymakers."
Pol Camps-Aragó, Laura Temmerman, Wim Vanobberghen and Simon Delaere (Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB),
Encouraging the Sustainable Adoption of Autonomous Vehicles for Public Transport in Belgium: Citizen Acceptance, Business Models, and Policy Aspects.
Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 921 (26 p.) [formato PDF, 2,5 MB]. Open Access.
"Several mobility-related issues persist in and around urban areas. Autonomous vehicles promise substantial environmental, safety, and economic benefits but may also cause unintended adverse
effects that stem from single-passenger mobility becoming more affordable and accessible. While using them for public transport (i.e., autonomous shuttles) can help avoid such downsides, there are
many challenges to their adoption, particularly ones that are related to citizen acceptance and economic aspects. Based on a novel survey of Brussels' citizens, we provide insights from user opinions
on last-mile autonomous shuttle services and analyze the effect of various attitudinal and socio-demographic factors affecting such acceptance. Our respondents exhibit an overall positive acceptance
albeit with a limited willingness to pay for it. In addition, based on expert interviews, we provide a discussion on appropriate business models and policy recommendations to help ensure the timely
adoption of AVs in Belgium that adapts to mobility needs and policy goals."
Lamia Abdelfattah, Diego Deponte, Giovanna Fossa,
The 15-minute city as a hybrid model for Milan.
Tema. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment 2022, 71-86 (16 p.) [formato PDF, 2,9 MB]. Open Access.
"With a special focus on Milan, we explore the interpretation of the 15-minute city as a hybrid model, where soft mobility is integrated in a holistic urbanism approach. Contemporary
urban challenges, synthetized in the 15-minute city model, look for a sustainable "proximity mix": mix of uses (overcoming rigid zoning and building codes), mix of inhabitants and users, mix
of time schedules and multi-purpose open space. The proposed hybrid approach considers the living-working urban experience as a whole: it proposes to consider, as a starting point for measuring
the timeframe of 15 minutes, not only homes but workplaces as well. It welcomes innovative working facilities among those to be considered as essential services reachable within the 15-minute
walking timeframe and it integrates open spaces within urban infrastructures by mixing the neighborhood "eco-system" - both of environment and mobility - and designing them around the central
role of walking."
Stefan Gössling, Jessica Kees, Todd Litman,
The lifetime cost of driving a car.
Ecological Economics 194 (2022) 107335 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 722 kB]. Open Access.
The car is one of the most expensive household consumer goods, yet there is a limited understanding of its private (internal) and social (external) cost per vehicle-km, year, or lifetime
of driving. This paper provides an overview of 23 private and ten social cost items, and assesses these for three popular car models in Germany for the year 2020. Results confirm that motorists
underestimate the full private costs of car ownership, while policy makers and planners underestimate social costs. For the typical German travel distance of 15,000 car kilometers per year, the
total lifetime cost of car ownership (50 years) ranges between €599,082 for an Opel Corsa to €956,798 for a Mercedes GLC. The share of this cost born by society is 41% (€4674 per year) for the
Opel Corsa, and 29% (€5273 per year) for the Mercedes GLC. Findings suggest that for low-income groups, private car ownership can represent a cost equal to housing, consuming a large share of
disposable income. This creates complexities in perceptions of transport costs, the economic viability of alternative transport modes, or the justification of taxes."
2021
Domokos Esztergár-Kiss, Julio C. Lopez Lizarraga (Budapest University of Technology and Economics),
Exploring user requirements and service features of e-micromobility in five European cities.
Case Studies on Transport Policy 9 (2021) 1531-1541 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 1,4 MB]. Open Access.
"This research was specifically aiming to understand the current travel behavior of individuals in five different locations related to e-micromobility. The basis of the analysis was a
well-designed survey built to extract objective trip information when using e-micromobility, and subjective information of individual perspectives towards the service. The survey was mainly
focusing on service usage, customer satisfaction, and trip combinations, with a specific focus on knowledge about regulations. In general, travelers are familiar with e-micromobile services
and regulations, but they primarily use them for leisure trips as short-term renting, not on a regular basis. It seems that most users would shift from walking and public transport modes.
The main benefits of e-micromobility are its flexibility and speed, while the concerns cover potential conflicts with other road users, safety issues, and incorrect parking of e-micromobility
vehicles. Comparing and analyzing the results among the chosen cities helped understanding the strengths and weaknesses of e-micromobility, as well as the potential of new mobility services. We
also aimed to analyze future implications, which supports long-term policy making and potential effects on the transportation network and city structure."
Paola Pucci (Politecnico di Milano),
Spatial dimensions of electric mobility - Scenarios for efficient and fair diffusion of electric vehicles in the Milan Urban Region.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2020.103069
Cities 110 (2021) 103069 (14 p.) [formato PDF, 6,7 MB].
The spread of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the diffusion of the digital sharing mobility service are conditions capable of producing significant impacts on the urban environment and mobility
practices. Literature mainly focuses on the technical, safety, regulatory and commercial aspects of Electric Vehicles; less attention has been paid to the contextual conditions (settlements,
endowments, mobility practices), individual preferences, lifestyle and attitudinal factors, able to guarantee an efficient and fair diffusion of electric mobility in terms of use of the energy
and urban resources, as well as access to urban opportunities. Based on this, the paper investigates the spatial pattern of potential demand for electric vehicles in the Milan Urban Region
(North Italy), and its relevance in defining diversified and site-based EV policies for promoting a fair transition towards low carbon mobility. For analysing the relationships between
electric mobility, local socioeconomic and settlement features and mobility practices, a multicriteria analysis has been carried out, processing variables that describe the contextual
conditions and the propensity towards the adoption of EVs. The empirical application offers four scenarios for identifying different intensities, modes and speeds in the diffusion of EVs,
in order to orient policy-making processes to support a sustainable mobility transition."
Yuxuan Wang, Jiaming Wu, Kequan Chen, Pan Liu,
Are shared electric scooters energy efficient?.
Communications in Transportation Research 1 (2021) 100022, 11 p. [formato PDF, 3,3 MB]. Open Access.
"Shared electric scooters (e-scooter) are booming across the world and widely regarded as a sustainable mobility service. An increasing number of studies have investigated the e-scooter
trip patterns, safety risks, and environmental impacts, but few considered the energy efficiency of e-scooters. In this research, we collected the operational data of e-scooters from a major
provider in Gothenburg to shed light on the energy efficiency performance of e-scooters in real cases. We first develop a multiple logarithmic regression model to examine the energy consumption
of single trips and influencing factors. With the regression model, a Monte Carlo simulation framework is proposed to estimate the fleet energy consumption in various scenarios, taking into
account both trip-related energy usage and energy loss in idle status. The results indicate that 40% of e-scooter battery energy was wasted in idle status in the current practice, mainly due
to the relatively low usage rate (0.83) of e-scooters. If the average usage rate drops below 0.5, the wasted energy could reach up to 53%. In the end, we present a field example to showcase
how to optimally integrate public transport with e-scooters from the perspective of energy efficiency. We hope the findings of this study could help understand and resolve the current and
future challenges regarding the ever-growing e-scooter services."
Vasja Roblek, Maja Meko and Iztok Podbregar,
Impact of Car Sharing on Urban Sustainability. Review.
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 905 (19 p.) [formato PDF, 1,9 MB]. Open Access.
"The article gives us an insight into the key issues of car sharing and its impact on urban sustainability. A selection of 314 articles published in peer-reviewed journals from the Scopus
database were analysed using Leximancer 5.0 for Automated Content analysis. A total of seven themes were identified explaining the researched topic of the car sharing situation in Europe, which
are sharing, economy, model, systems, electrical car sharing, policy and travel. There are two ways of sharing owned cars in Europe; access to cars from the fleet of private organisations and P2P
car sharing. Sustainable environmental solutions in the context of the electrification of cars are used. Car sharing usually takes place online and can be free or for a fee as defined by The
European Economic and Social Committee. The article provides an overview of understanding the concept of urban car sharing in Europe."
Myriam Martone (Università Roma Tre),
Wireless charging systems for electric vehicles - a critical review of the dynamic charging feasibility. Report.
Transport Research Lab, Università Roma Tre, November 2021, 9 p. [formato PDF, 176 kB].
"In recent years, the transport system has been transforming through the introduction of new sustainable technologies, leading auto vehicles to be increasingly automated
and independent. The promising technological innovation in the transportation field treated in this paper is the dynamic wireless power transfer (WPT) of electric vehicles
(EVs). The purpose of the paper is to evaluate if the WPT-based solution is advantageous in economic, logistical, and environmental terms, comparing to
competing solutions based on conductive vehicle charging. Concretely, the paper provides a comprehensive review of the disruptive innovations that stand influencing
the way of producing auto vehicles in developed economies. It discusses the parameters that can lead to the construction of the WPT system and presents an
examination of the main advantages and main limitations of the application of the model".
Alja Plevnik, Tom Rye (edited by),
Cross-Border Transport and Mobility in the EU. Issues and State of the Art. Italian and Slovenian versions included. (Studi e ricerche, 27).
Edizioni Ca' Foscari - Digital Publishing, Venezia, 2021, 360 p. [formato PDF, 33 MB]. Open Access.
"The path towards a barrier-free single European market requires that particular attention is paid to cross-border transport. In spite of the intense commitment and actions taken by the
European Union as well as by national governments and regions, much remains to be done in order to dissolve all the barriers to cross-border mobility of people. Issues are not only infrastructural
but also related to administrative and planning coordination. Cross-border mobility planning and management is therefore a central issue in European cohesion and single market development policies.
This theme has therefore been the subject of an international workshop organized in late 2020 as part of the CROSSMOBY project, funded by the Interreg Italy-Slovenia V-A Programme 2014-2020.
This book brings together some of the contributions from that conference. The aim of this book is to provide a systematic analysis of what has already been done and what are the next priorities.
This book aims to take a first step in this direction, providing a series of contributions from both academic and practitioner on cross-border passenger transport and mobility. Such topic is here
examined according to several different perspectives: from the framework of EU regulations and policies to the projects funded and implemented in the last EU Programming period on cross-border
transport and mobility topic (2014-2020); from the application of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP) to the recognition of the territorial context and the state of the art of strategic
mobility planning in the municipalities of the Italy-Slovenia cross-border area."
World Health Organization,
WHO global air quality guidelines. Particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Bonn, 2021, 300 p. [formato PDF, 4,1 MB].
"New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) provide clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously understood. The
guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which also contribute to climate change.
Since WHO's last 2005 global update, there has been a marked increase of evidence that shows how air pollution affects different aspects of health. For that reason, and after a systematic
review of the accumulated evidence, WHO has adjusted almost all the AQGs levels downwards, warning that exceeding the new air quality guideline levels is associated with significant risks to
health. At the same time, however, adhering to them could save millions of lives.
Every year, exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million premature deaths and result in the loss of millions more healthy years of life. In children, this could include reduced
lung growth and function, respiratory infections and aggravated asthma. In adults, ischaemic heart disease and stroke are the most common causes of premature death attributable to outdoor air
pollution, and evidence is also emerging of other effects such as diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions. This puts the burden of disease attributable to air pollution on a par with other
major global health risks such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking.
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, alongside climate change. Improving air quality can enhance climate change mitigation efforts, while reducing emissions
will in turn improve air quality. By striving to achieve these guideline levels, countries will be both protecting health as well as mitigating global climate change.
WHO's new guidelines recommend air quality levels for 6 pollutants, where evidence has advanced the most on health effects from exposure. When action is taken on these so-called classical
pollutants - particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), it also has an impact on other damaging pollutants.
The health risks associated with particulate matter equal or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns (µm) in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) are of particular public health relevance.
Both PM2.5 and PM10 are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs but PM2.5 can even enter the bloodstream, primarily resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, and also affecting
other organs. PM is primarily generated by fuel combustion in different sectors, including transport, energy, households, industry, and from agriculture. In 2013, outdoor air pollution and
particulate matter were classified as carcinogenic by WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The guidelines also highlight good practices for the management of certain types of particulate matter (for example, black carbon/elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, particles originating
from sand and dust storms) for which there is currently insufficient quantitative evidence to set air quality guideline levels. They are applicable to both outdoor and indoor environments
globally, and cover all settings.
"Air pollution is a threat to health in all countries, but it hits people in low- and middle-income countries the hardest," said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"WHO's new Air Quality Guidelines are an evidence-based and practical tool for improving the quality of the air on which all life depends. I urge all countries and all those fighting to protect
our environment to put them to use to reduce suffering and save lives."
Marko Germani, Dario Zanette,
La dieta elettrica del traffico. Utili riflessioni per le associazioni ambientaliste interessate a gestire proattivamente l'imminente transizione energetica dei trasporti e per
chiunque voglia saperne di più sulla mobilità presente e futura.
Sapere, febbraio 2021, 22-27 (6 p.) [formato PDF, 867 kB]. Open Access.
"Questo articolo nasce a seguito di una serie di ragionamenti fatti dagli autori (ciclisti urbani e automobilisti elettrici) nel corso degli anni, a loro volta frutto della perplessità nel
vedere i vari movimenti ambientalisti avere posizioni labili, contraddittorie e inefficaci sul tema della mobilità sostenibile.
Se da un lato la società civile sta lentamente prendendo coscienza dell'emergenza climatica, dall'altro c'è scarsa conoscenza delle soluzioni possibili e molta confusione sull'efficacia dei
singoli strumenti. In particolare, se da una parte nell'ultimo decennio efficienza e risparmio energetico, produzione da rinnovabili e stoccaggio hanno avuto sviluppi impressionanti, dall'altra
il marketing dell'industria automobilistica e petrolifera sta facendo notevoli sforzi per rallentare il più possibile l'abbandono del business as usual, gettando discredito su forme di mobilità
diverse da quella automobilistica privata e su qualsiasi proposta radicale e necessaria per la salvaguardia dell'ecosistema in cui viviamo.
È necessario un position paper del mondo ambientalista, unitario e basato sull'evidenza scientifica che tratti in modo obiettivo il tema del futuro dell'auto privata, evitando sia di minimizzare
il problema che di finire in massimalismi sterili e irrealizzabili.
I pensieri qui esposti vogliono essere uno spunto di dibattito per chi volesse fissare dei paletti ed essere parte attiva e propositiva nella necessaria e inevitabile trasformazione dello
scenario italiano ed europeo della mobilità, senza però perdersi nel mare delle false alternative e del green washing (l'ecologismo di facciata) di certa industria."
Toke Haunstrup Christensen, Freja Friis, Marie Vang Nielsen,
Car sharing schemes and MaaS: A study of shifting mobility practices from ownership to access.
Proceedings from the Annual Transport Conference at Aalborg University, Vol. 28, No. 1 (2021), 5 p. [formato PDF, 636 kB].
"Transport levels and private car use continue to increase worldwide representing complex challenges to climate change mitigation and the liveability of cities. In recent years, interest
has arisen in the concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) as one possible path towards sustainable mobility futures. MaaS builds on the idea of a shift from private car ownership to a seamless
and integrated system providing access to multimodal mobility options including public transport and shared mobility services like car and bike sharing. Currently, only few examples of MaaS
schemes exist and knowledge of user experiences is limited.
The aim of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of how shared mobilities, like in MaaS, fit with the everyday life of citizens. Methodologically, the paper draws on insights
from qualitative interviews with families using a car sharing scheme in Copenhagen. The interviews are informed by a practice theoretical approach to study the potential of integrating car
sharing within the complex of social practices from which the everyday life consist. To inform the discussion of our empirical results, and their implications for future MaaS designs, we
base our study on a literature review of existing studies of user experiences with MaaS and an analysis of user practice representations in existing MaaS trials.
Our findings indicate three ways forward to promote MaaS as an alternative to private cars. First, future MaaS designs should aim to acknowledge the importance of the interconnections
between mobility and other everyday practices. Second, the shift from ownership to access provides several positive benefits like modal flexibility and a new sense of freedom, which the
future MaaS design should focus strategically on in order to challenge the ideals around individual ownership. Third, strategic interventions that privilege sustainable mobility solutions
through effective initiatives such as road-pricing and physical limitations in private car traffic and parking are needed."
Piotr Szymanski, Biagio Ciuffo, Georgios Fontaras, Giorgio Martini, Ferenc Pekar (European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra),
The future of road transport in Europe. Environmental implications of automated, connected and low-carbon mobility.
Combustion Engines. 2021, 186(3), 3-10 (8 p.) [formato PDF, 410 kB]. Open Access.
"The increasing efficiency of the transport system during the last 100 hundred years has fuelled and sustained the unprecedent economic growth of our society. It has shaped our livestyles
and influenced the development of our cities and town. At the same time it has posed several challenges to our world as the provision of transport opportunities has heavily contribuitred to the
depletion of natural resources, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Road transport in particular has had a major role into this. Several policies have been introduced during the last 50
years in the attempt to limit the impact of the transport system, but they have been effective only to a certain extent. During the last years, however, new technologies and social trends are
promising to disrupt the transport system and make it substantially more efficient and more sustanable. The present paper discusses the possibile environmental impacts of some of the new
technologies applied to transport, in particular highlighting how its complexity may jeopardize the possible improvements that the new technologies promise without properly governing their use."
Christian Brand, Evi Dons, Esther Anaya-Boig, Ione Avila-Palencia, Anna Clark, Audrey de Nazelle, Mireia Gascon, Mailin Gaupp-Berghausen, Regine Gerike, Thomas Götschi,
Francesco Iacorossi, Sonja Kahlmeier, Michelle Laeremans, Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen, Juan Pablo Orjuela, Francesca Racioppi, Elisabeth Raser, David Rojas-Rueda, Arnout Standaert, Erik Stigell,
Simona Sulikova, Sandra Wegener, Luc Int Panis,
The climate change mitigation effects of daily active travel in cities.
Transportation Research Part D 93 (2021) 102764 (18 p.) [formato PDF, 1,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of personal transport. Yet its net effects on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and
under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived life cycle CO2 emissions across modes and purposes. Daily mobility-related life cycle CO2 emissions
were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%. Cyclists had 84% lower life cycle CO2 emissions than non-cyclists. Life cycle CO2 emissions decreased by -14% per
additional cycling trip and decreased by -62% for each avoided car trip. An average person who 'shifted travel modes' from car to bike decreased life cycle CO2 emissions by 3.2 kgCO2/day.
Promoting active travel should be a cornerstone of strategies to meet net zero carbon targets, particularly in urban areas, while also improving public health and quality of urban life."
Fabio Borghetti, Cristian Giovanni Colombo, Michela Longo, Renato Mazzoncini, Claudio Somaschini (Politecnico di Milano),
Development of a new urban line with innovative trams.
WIT Transactions on The Built Environment, Vol 204 (2021) 167-178 (12 p.) [formato PDF, 621 kB]. Open Access.
"The trend of the population increase combined with the global climate change and the rising energy prices make sustainable mobility a big issue for urban communities. Since in urban areas
it is in act a process of infrastructure development, the modernization of Light Rail Vehicle (LRV), whose final purpose is to intensify the urban transport network in an environmentally friendly
way (reduction of visual and noise pollution), will be chased too. This paper is focused on a study developed in the North of Italy (Brescia) and its target is to plan a new tramline without
catenary to reduce the urban and architectural impact of infrastructure. In this way, it is possible to reduce the environmental impact especially in specific areas of an urban centre. The work
analyses the use of the batteries and the main parameters to size the storage system technology in order to supply the tram correctly whenever it crosses the catenary free section."
Benedikt Krams, Martin Schiefelbusch, Sixten Schockert, Felix Schönhofen,
Mit dem Bürgerbus in die Fahrplanauskunft. Webbasiertes Tool zur Integration von Linienverkehren in elektronische Fahrplanauskunftssysteme (Integration of community transport services
into timetable information systems).
Der Nahverkehr, 5/2021, p. 56-60 (5 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB].
"Citizen operated bus services are often not found in electronic time-tables. While larger transportation companies have the necessary
know-how and technical resources, this is usually not the case with smaller providers. In the course of the "FEeoV" project, an easy
to use web-based tool was developed for the acquisition and standardized processing of timetable data. The application was developed
to accommodate the specific requirements of the volunteers, who will be using the data. The article describes the methodological and
technological approach of the development with respect to the user group, its use in practice and gives an outlook on potential use cases and further development."
Emilio Ortega, Belén Martín, María Eugenia López-Lambas, Julio A. Soria-Lara,
Evaluating the impact of urban design scenarios on walking accessibility: the case of the Madrid 'Centro' district.
Sustainable Cities and Society 74 (2021) 103156 (15 p.) [formato PDF, 22,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Walking accessibility planning is seen a powerful approach for moving towards sustainable mobility paradigms; however little attention is paid to determining which factors influence this
accessibility and why. This paper addresses this gap between the theory and the practice, and evaluates how far variations in walking accessibility are related to four specific walking needs:
attractiveness, comfort, safety, and ease-to-walk. Taking the 'Centro' district in Madrid (Spain) as a case study, exploratory scenarios are simulated by altering certain urban design factors
for each walking need. Walking accessibility levels are calculated and compared across the exploratory scenarios to gain an insight into how each urban design factor affects walking accessibility.
The results show a similar spatial pattern of accessibility for the four walking needs, with higher accessibility values in the north than in the south due to the greater density of destinations.
Urban factors related to attractiveness and comfort are found to produce the most significant variations in walking accessibility. The paper concludes with a discussion on the practical usefulness
of the findings, particularly in terms of prioritising urban design policies that increase walking accessibility levels."
Xiaoyun Zhao, Claudia Andruetto, Bhavana Vaddadi, Anna Pernestål (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm),
Potential values of maas impacts in future scenarios.
Journal of Urban Mobility 1 (2021) 100005 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
"
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is considered a strategy that can provide potential solutions for a sustainable transport system. The current literature claims that MaaS can deliver net positive
impacts for the transport system. However, whether these impacts are marginal or significant is unclear, as estimations typically are based on a few pilot tests. The lack of understanding of
these impacts could create barriers for decision-making on policy and regulation in adopting MaaS strategy. The paper proposes a feasible evaluation to explore how and to what extent MaaS
leads to, for example, reduced emissions, reduced fossil energy consumption, reduced car ownership and vehicle kilometres travelled on a large scale. The aim of this paper is to provide
potential values of MaaS impacts based on analysis of future scenarios. The potential values of MaaS impacts can be used to support decision-making within both public organisations and
among service developers for MaaS implementation and development."
International Transport Forum,
Zero Carbon Supply Chains. The Case of Hamburg. International Transport Forum Policy Papers, No. 91.
OECD, Paris, 2021, 38 p. [formato PDF, 2,6 MB].
"This report assesses the potential of zero carbon supply chains via a case study of the freight transport chain linked to the port of Hamburg. It analyses the initiatives taken by selected
main stakeholders to decarbonise freight transport. In addition, it offers recommendations on how the move towards zero carbon supply chains could be accelerated. The analysis is based on desk
research and interviews with the relevant stakeholders."
Erika Winquist, Marjatta Vahvaselkä, Matleena Vuola and Panu Sainio,
Traffic microplastic - solutions to mitigate the problem : FanpLESStic-sea project report. Natural resources and bioeconomy studies 56/2021.
Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, 2021, 25 p. [formato PDF, 1,1 MB].
"Traffic microplastics, i.e. tyre and road wear particles, are reported as the largest group of microplastics entering the environment and finally the sea. Thus, it is most critical to
decrease the amount of especially traffic related microplastics and here already a small relative decrease can be significant.
The primary aim of the EU's 'Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy' is to reduce transport related GHG emissions by at least 90% by 2050 compared to 1990. However, a carbon neutral
transportation system is not enough, also other traffic related contamination, such as tyre and road wear particles, should be considered. On the contrary, with increasing number of electric
vehicles, even more attention should be paid to tyre wear. Electric cars can accelerate faster than many traditional cars, which may lead to increased tyre wear. In addition, electric cars are
today generally heavier than cars that run on liquid fuels or gas, due to the weight of the batteries.
The most efficient way to reduce the amount of tyre and road wear particles in the environment are through preventive methods. Factors that affect tyre and road wear are related to proper
use of tyres, driving behaviour, and the characteristics of the tyres as well as road surfaces. These are all presented in this report in more detail. A good starting point to tackle the
traffic microplastics' problem is all kind of public awareness raising campaigns. Some improvements might also need supportive policies for their realization. However, there is already a
lot what we can do even without further technical development. But for successful implementation, commitment is needed from all stakeholders; policy makers, industry, municipalities and consumers."
Hermes Eduardo Nichele,
Relations between cycling and healthcare network and the case of Curitiba.
Cad. Metrop., São Paulo, v. 23, n. 52, pp. 993-1016, set/dez 2021 (24 p.) [formato PDF, 2,3 MB]. Open Access.
"In the present moment of the COVID-19 pandemic, which demands social distancing, the bicycle confirms itself as an advantageous alternative mode. This article reflects on the association
between cycling and health through an index proposed to evaluate such association, the Index of Cycling Mobility in relation to the Healthcare Network (in Portuguese, IMCS). The theoretical
framework presents the qualities of cycling and the principles that the planning of bike lanes must involve. As a case study, Curitiba's cycling network and its relation to Primary Care Units
are analyzed through the IMCS, in the current and projected situations. The results show that Curitiba neglects cycling mobility and that the local healthcare system is practically inaccessible
through the cycling network."
Gina Blazanin, Aupal Mondal, Katherine E. Asmussen, Chandra R. Bhat (The University of Texas at Austin),
E-Scooter Sharing and Bikesharing Systems: An Individual-level Analysis of Factors Affecting First Use and Use Frequency. Technical paper.
Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, July 2021, 45 p. [formato PDF, 438 kB].
"Shared micromobility modes have increasingly penetrated the mobility environment of cities in
the U.S. and the world over. At the same time, to best integrate these emerging modes within the
fabric of the existing (and larger) transportation ecosystem, it is critical to understand how
individuals may respond and "who" the likely users of these relatively new modes may be. In this
paper, we develop a model to analyze first use and use frequency of two micromobility modes: E-
scooter sharing systems (ESS) and Bike sharing systems (BSS). The model employs psycho-social
constructs, built environment attributes, as well as individual-level demographics as determinants.
In doing so, we explicitly recognize the role played by awareness/first use of new technologies as
a cognitive antecedent to subsequent frequency decisions. The main data source for this analysis
is drawn from a 2019 survey of Austin, Texas area residents. Our results highlight the importance
of considering psycho-social attitudes to both gain better insights into the behavioral process
leading up to ESS/BSS adoption/use as well as ensure an accurate data fit. In particular, there are
distinctive pathways of adoption/use frequency for each of the ESS and BSS modes, but also
complementary processes and behavioral spillover effects at play that warrant a joint modeling of
the ESS and BSS modes. Our results suggest that addressing safety concerns of micromobility
modes should be the top priority of providers and public agencies. Efforts solely directed toward
extoling the "green" virtues of micromobility modes is likely to have limited returns."
Benedikte Wrålsen, Vanessa Prieto-Sandoval, Andres Mejia-Villa, Reyn O'Born, Magnus Hellström, Bernhard Faessler,
Circular business models for lithium-ion batteries. Stakeholders, barriers, and drivers.
Journal of Cleaner Production 317 (2021) 128393 (10 p.) [formato PDF, 651 kB]. Open Access.
"Business models for the circular economy, or circular business models, is a growing field of research applied in various industries. Global sustainability trends, such as electrification
of the transport sector and increased energy consumption from renewable sources, have led to rapid growth in the number of batteries produced, especially lithium-ion based batteries. Sustainable
lifetime management, including end-of-life, needs development to avoid social and environmental harm and potentially to recapture economic value as the use of these batteries increases. Current
research primarily focuses on technical and economic issues based on recycling and the second use of batteries rather than circular business models. This study's purpose is to explore the circular
business models, drivers, barriers, and stakeholders required to enable value recapturing. The Delphi panel method was applied to communicate with battery experts from various disciplines.
The study's findings reveal that the favored circular business model includes several circular strategies. According to the expert panel, the most critical driver is national and international
regulations and policies; the most critical barrier is financial viability; the most critical stakeholders are governments and vehicle manufacturers."
Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain.
Department for Transport, London, 2021, 220 p. [formato PDF, 15,1 MB].
This plan sets out the government's commitments and the actions needed to decarbonise the entire transport system in the UK.
It includes: our pathway to net zero transport in the UK; the wider benefits net zero transport can deliver; the principles that underpin our approach to delivering net zero transport.
Glenn Lyons, Andrew Curry, and Charlene Rohr,
Decarbonising UK Transport. Final report and technology roadmaps. Report to the UK Department for Transport.
Mott MacDonald, London, March 2021, 116 p. [formato PDF, 4,7 MB].
"This is an independent report commissioned by the Department for Transport to inform its Transport Decarbonisation Plan. It considers what
needs to be achieved over the next 30 years, in terms of technological solutions, to reduce and remove direct emissions from the UK's domestic
transport sector across modes by 2050. It represents the view of Mott MacDonald and partners and is not government policy.
This report sets out a series of seven roadmaps for decarbonising domestic transport in the UK. These roadmaps address: cars and light goods vehicles;
buses; coaches; heavy goods vehicles; rail; domestic shipping; and domestic aviation. International aviation and shipping are not included within the scope of
this study."
Peter Wild, Florian Mathys, Jing Wang (ETH Zurich),
Impact of political and market-based measures on aviation emissions and passenger behaviors (a Swiss case study).
Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives 10 (2021) 100405 (12 p.) [formato PDF, 3,2 MB]. Open Access.
"The global aviation industry has been increasingly urged to reduce their CO2 emissions. To achieve this, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) have successfully adopted various operational, technological, and air traffic management/infrastructural measures. However, they have also implemented market-based regulatory
measures, including the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Additionally, regional measures, such as the European emission trading system (ETS), nationwide
political measures, such as flight taxes, and compensation programs by airlines also exist. Therefore, this study surveyed the impact of such measures, primarily on business travelers and their
behavior, with a focus on Switzerland. Additionally, not only the impact of the first-last mile (airport access) was discussed, but also intermodal aspects like high-speed rails were debated.
Results indicated that flight tax programs were found to have a weak impact on demand. The impact of COVID-19 was addressed and decreased travel frequency from COVID-19 may impact global flight
emissions in the long term. Furthermore, passengers supported investments of flight-tax revenues in sustainable aviation technology; they did not support flight contingents. Conclusions are that
taxes might generate additional airport traffic. An analysis about booking behaviors revealed fundamental differences in environmental terms. Finally, voluntary compensation was highly favored."
Anne Faxér, Linda Olsson (RISE Research Institutes of Sweden),
Free-floating electric shared cars in Stockholm.
RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, MEISTER_H2020, Stockholm, January 2021, 19 p. [formato PDF, 737 kB].
"This report presents a study conducted by RISE and City of Stockholm as part of the Horizon 2020
project MEISTER. The aim was to increase knowledge of what possibilities and challenges that free-
floating electric car-sharing entails, with a focus on how this service is used and how charging can be
managed efficiently, to support City of Stockholm in their work with facilitating sustainable urban
mobility."
Emanuele Fedele, Diego Iannuzzi, Andrea Del Pizzo (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples),
Onboard energy storage in rail transport: Review of real applications and techno-economic assessments.
IET Electr. Syst. Transp. 2021;1-31 (31 p.) [formato PDF, 2,1 MB]. Open Access.
"Despite low energy and fuel consumption levels in the rail sector, further improvements are being pursued by manufacturers and operators. Their primary efforts aim to reduce traction
energy demand, replace diesel, and limit the impact of electrified overhead infrastructures. From a system-level perspective, the integration of alternative energy sources on board rail
vehicles has become a popular solution among rolling stock manufacturers. Surveys are made of many recent realizations of multimodal rail vehicles with onboard electrochemical batteries,
supercapacitors, and hydrogen fuel cell systems. The ratings, technical features, and operating data of onboard sources are gathered for each application, and a comparison among different
technologies is presented. Traction system architectures and energy-control strategies of actual multimodal units are explored and compared with literature research. Moreover, the maturity
and potential of recent technologies and alternative topologies of power converters for multimodal traction systems are discussed. Ultimately, onboard storage systems are compared with other
solutions for energy-saving and catenary-free operation, with particular focus on their current techno-economic attractiveness as an alternative to diesel propulsion."
Aaron Kolleck,
Does Car-Sharing Reduce Car Ownership? Empirical Evidence from Germany.
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7384 (17 p.) [formato PDF, 1,5 MB]. Open Access.
"The sharing economy is making its way into our everyday lives. One of its business models, car-sharing, has become highly popular. Can it help us increase our sustainability? Besides
emissions and vehicle miles traveled, one key aspect in the assessment regards the effect of car-sharing on car ownership. Previous studies investigating this effect have relied almost exclusively
on surveys and come to very heterogeneous results, partly suggesting spectacular substitution rates between shared and private cars. This study empirically explores the impact of car-sharing on
noncorporate car ownership and car markets in 35 large German cities. The analysis draws on publicly available data for the years 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017, including, among others, the number
of shared cars per operating mode (free-floating and station-based) and the number of cars owned and registered by private individuals (i.e., excluding company cars). We find that one additional
station-based car is associated with a reduction of about nine private cars. We do not find a statistically significant relation between car ownership and free-floating car-sharing. Neither type
of car-sharing appears to impact the markets for used and new cars significantly. Given the measurable impacts on car ownership levels, this result is surprising and invites future research to
study car-sharing's impact on the dynamics of car markets"
Matthias Landgraf, Arpad Horvath,
Embodied greenhouse gas assessment of railway infrastructure: the case of Austria.
Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 2021, Accepted Manuscript, (41 p.) [formato PDF, 1,3 MB]. Open Access.
"This study assesses life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the entire railway infrastructure network of Austria, a first detailed study for a country, modelled through
a top-down approach. Railway track is analysed for the first time in detail for a variety of specific boundary conditions using a bottom-up approach focusing on track renewal and maintenance.
The methodology of standard elements allows for quantifying expected maintenance demands over the life cycle as well as determination of service life (SL). For this, the network is clustered
into the main condition-affecting parameters and documented maintenance and renewal measures are analysed and interpreted accordingly to estimate future behaviour. This Austrian approach used
for assessing life-cycle costs serves as input for evaluating environmental impacts, a novel model. Data were gathered via Environmental Product Declarations, governmental publications, and
company-specific environmental reports to correspond to the standard supply chains of the Austrian Federal Railways' life-cycle (manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and reuse/recycling)
infrastructure practices, and reflect actual transport distances, transport modes, the Austrian electricity mix, and emissions. The railway infrastructure causes 235,000 tonnes of CO2eq emissions
per year (0.3% of Austria's total) based on the current infrastructure network, asset distribution, and renewal rates. Within railway infrastructure, the track (incl. rails, fasteners, sleepers
and ballast) is the main contributor to GHG emissions with 55% of the total. The GHG emissions associated with the concrete tunnels are 16 times more GHG-intensive per kilometre per year than
the railway track but supply only 22% of the total emissions. The railway infrastructure contributes an additional 141% of GHG emissions over emissions from passenger traffic, which is much
higher than previously anticipated. In-depth analysis of railway track shows that concrete sleepers with under-sleeper pads come with lower environmental impacts than conventional concrete
sleepers. Higher traffic loads as well as narrow curves cause a significant increase in environmental impacts. For rails in a straight section with a SL of 50 years and two grinding measures,
the costs regarding GHG emissions amount to ¤6,500 (including the production, construction, and use phases) when calculating with a cost of ¤20 per tonne CO2eq on the market. Currently, this
equals to around 5% of the economic costs, but this is expected to significantly increase as costs for environmental impacts are set to increase until 2050. Mitigation potential can be found
in special rail steel production, reuse of materials, use of alternative fuels, and efficient maintenance strategies."
Marco Migliore, Gabriele D'Orso, Alessandro E. Capodici (University of Palermo),
The Go2School project for promoting cycling to school: A case study in Palermo.
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 2 (2021) 100019 (12 p.) [formato PDF, 2,4 MB]. Open Access.
"The identification of transport policy measures able to reduce the use of private cars for home-to-school travel is very relevant to reduce congestion during peak hours and to ensure
that the areas around schools have livable environments. An action that policymakers could apply is promoting cycling to school through the introduction of bikesharing programs and creating
safe routes to school through the construction of new cycle infrastructure. The aim of the paper has been, therefore, to assess if these policies could lead the high-school students to cycle
to school, considering the city of Palermo as a case study. The goal is reached through the calibration of a modal choice model based on Stated Preference interviews. The costs that the local
authority have to support have been compared with the benefits that the realization of new cycle paths entails in terms of the modal shift, reduction of car mileage and reduction of the
externalities. According to the model, the construction of the new cycle paths will lead to an impressive increase in the use of the bicycle for home-to-school travel and also to greater
use of public transport, due to the multimodality guaranteed by the bikesharing stations near the railway stations and tram stops."
Giacomo Falchetta, Michel Noussan,
Electric vehicle charging network in Europe: An accessibility and deployment trends analysis.
Transportation Research Part D 94 (2021) 102813 (18 p.) [formato PDF, 4,9 MB]. Open Access.
"If coupled with a low-carbon electricity mix, electric vehicles (EVs) can represent an important technology for transport decarbonization and local pollutants abatement. Yet, to ensure
large-scale EVs adoption, an adequate charging stations network must be developed. This paper provides the first comprehensive bottom-up analysis of the EV charging network in Europe. Combining
a crowd-sourced database of charging stations with accessibility data and algorithms, we produce maps of the travel time to the most accessible EV charging station across Europe, we evaluate
the charging points density and the number of active operators in different areas. We find that although recent years have witnessed a notable expansion of the EV charging network, stark
inequalities persist across and within countries, both in terms of accessibility and of the charging points available to users. Our results allow for a better understanding of some of the
key challenges ahead for ensuring mass EVs adoption throughout Europe and thus potentially reducing the environmental impact of the transport sector."
Milo N. Mladenović, Noora Haavisto,
Interpretative flexibility and conflicts in the emergence of Mobility as a Service: Finnish public sector actor perspectives.
Case Studies on Transport Policy 9 (2021) 851-859 (9 p.) [formato PDF, 535 kB]. Open Access.
"Mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) is still largely under development, with high uncertainties of its societal implications. This development is happening across sectoral, multi-layered, and
multi-actor networks. Previous case studies on understanding networked governance of MaaS inform us that there is a range of challenges in the current institutional arrangements, lack of shared
MaaS vision, divergent interests, and even conflicts over roles and responsibilities. These case studies have used analytical frameworks based on socio-technical transitions theory, complemented
with theories from institutional and business studies. This study focuses on Finland, aiming to provide additional insights about perspectives of non-commercial actors. In particular, we provide
a more sophisticated understanding of underlying reasons for conflict and lack of cooperation concerning an understanding of MaaS, its implications, and associated governance actions. The applied
analytical framework is building upon concepts from the philosophy and sociology of emerging technology, as well as the contemporary political theory of Chantal Mouffe. Interview findings from
seventeen non-commercial organisations have been classified into five categories, namely definitions, operational and business aspects, user perspectives, systemic effects, and governance.
Discussion of these interview findings focuses on the interpretative flexibility of MaaS and governance processes in the context of inherent conflict in the value-laden mobility domain. The
paper concludes with outlining directions for further synthesis in developing analytical frameworks for studies of governance and responsible innovation in the domain of emerging mobility
technologies."
Panrawee Rungskunroch, Zuo-Jun Shen, and Sakdirat Kaewunruen,
Getting It Right on the Policy Prioritization for Rail Decarbonization: Evidence From Whole-Life CO2e Emissions of Railway Systems.
Front. Built Environ. 7:638507 (2021) 5 p. [formato PDF, 590 kB]. Opinion article. Open Access.
"In the past several years, global warming has caused essential issues that all sectors must respond immediately. The Paris Agreement has turned into a critical framework provoking public
and private sectors worldwide (Dimitrov, 2016; Pye et al., 2017). One approach to solving this problem involves the use of green energies and reducing CO2 emitted from all sectors.
Regarding the transportation sectors, it emitted CO2 above one-fourth of the global emission. A well-known problem with over emission is that some countries have inadequate public transportation
and non-environmental policies. The low-fare service and high accessibility on public transit are major strategies to reduce emission from a private car (Krishnan et al., 2015; De Andrade and
D'Agosto, 2016). These schemes eventually promote a long-term shift from self-vehicle to public transportation services. The United Kingdom government has been concerned with the global warming
issue and provided new strategies to reduce CO2 emission in all sectors, such as launching new public transportation (Kaewunruen et al., 2018; Logan et al., 2020). Additionally, the United
Kingdom's railway network is considered the lowest CO2 emission per passenger over other public services. Regarding the global climate policies, the United Kingdom government has still intended
to cut off the railway's emission by replacing it with alternative fuels and changing the current diesel engine system toward the decarbonization concept, mainly reducing the emission from
the operational process.
Even though the CO2 emission from the railway's life cycle predominantly comes from the railway infrastructure, the United Kingdom government and rail sectors exceptionally focus on
reducing those emissions from the operational stage. In this research, the authors believe that only promoting strategies to reduce CO2 in the operational process cannot bring the United Kingdom
government to reach its targets by 2050. In contrast, the government should also consider other effective and practical strategies.
In order to understand the amount of CO2 emission from the railway network, the research deeply examines the entire life cycle analysis (LCA) through the high-speed rail (HSR)'s infrastructure.
This research aims to provide future strategies and policies to cut the CO2 off the railway network. Furthermore, the decarbonization concepts and practical approaches to the railway system have
been stated in this study."
OTI Nord (Osservatorio Territoriale Infrastrutture),
Rapporto 2020. A che punto siamo.
OTI Nord (Osservatorio Territoriale Infrastrutture), gennaio 2021, 111 p. [formato PDF, 2,6 MB].
"Nel 2001 nasceva OTI NordOvest, l'Osservatorio Territoriale Infrastrutture, su iniziativa di
Assolombarda, di Confindustria Genova e dell'Unione Industriale di Torino, con l'obiettivo
di monitorare lo stato di avanzamento dei progetti infrastrutturali strategici di questa parte
del Paese.
Nel 2021 l'Osservatorio amplia la sua rete di partner confindustriali grazie all'adesione di
tutte le Confindustrie del Nord Italia: Confindustria Emilia-Romagna, Confindustria Friuli-
Venezia Giulia, Confindustria Liguria, Confindustria Lombardia, Confindustria Piemonte,
Confindustria Trento, Assoimprenditori Alto Adige e Confindustria Veneto, dando al
progetto un pieno respiro nazionale.
Le sette Regioni rappresentano 27 milioni di abitanti e ben 2,2 milioni imprese (pari al 42%
del totale nazionale), le quali generano il 56% del PIL e il 70,4% dell'export italiano.
Con l'ampliamento a tutto il nord Italia e con il continuo aggiornamento dei contenuti, il
nuovo sito www.otinord.it di OTI Nord e il nuovo rapporto annuale diventano veri e propri
strumenti di coordinamento e monitoraggio sull'avanzamento delle opere, con particolare
attenzione al rispetto delle tempistiche e alla segnalazione di eventuali emergenze e
criticità in caso di ritardi rispetto al cronoprogramma.
Si ampliano i sistemi che compongono il mosaico infrastrutturale del Nord Italia, che
diventano 15: Corridoio "Mediterraneo"; Corridoio "Reno-Alpi"; Corridoio "Baltico-
Adriatico"; Corridoio "Scandinavo-Mediterraneo"; Corridoio "Tirreno-Brennero (TI.BRE)";
Sistema dei valichi alpini; Sistema portuale; Sistema aeroportuale; Sistema Pedemontano;
Nodi metropolitani di Milano, Torino, Genova, Venezia, Bologna; Sistema degli interporti
merci.
Crescono a una settantina di opere anche i progetti prioritari monitorati e che ricadono
all'interno di uno o più dei sistemi infrastrutturali identificati."
Isti Hidayati, Wendy Tan, and Claudia Yamu,
Conceptualizing Mobility Inequality: Mobility and Accessibility for the Marginalized.
Journal of Planning Literature. First Published May 4, 2021. (16 p.) [formato PDF, 317 kB]. Research Article. Open Access.
"The burgeoning landscape of literature on mobility inequalities has led to discrepancies between a conceptual understanding of mobility inequalities and its implementation in planning
practice. Reviewing 270 publications across five decades, this article identifies intrinsic and extrinsic factors and approaches for understanding and analyzing mobility inequality. Using two
thought experiments to critically locate variations in factors and approaches, dilemmas and challenges in addressing mobility inequality for the marginalized are exposed. The article concludes
with future research directions for investigating mobility inequality."
Danique Ton, Dorine Duives (Delft University of Technology),
Understanding long-term changes in commuter mode use of a pilot featuring free e-bike trials.
Transport Policy 105 (2021) 134-144 (11 p.) [formato PDF, 3,6 MB]. Open Access.
"Globally, the need for more sustainable modes of transport is rising. One of the main contenders of the car is the electrical bike (e-bike). To promote the use of e-bikes, pilots
are being organised worldwide (e.g. in the USA, Norway, and the Netherlands). Studies have shown that providing a free e-bike to people for a limited period of time changes their mode
choice behaviour during the pilot period. Only few studies have also investigated the long-term effects of these free e-bike trial periods, which show increase in e-bike use in general.
However, these studies have failed to investigate why some participants of the trials change behaviour on the long-term, whereas others continued their former behaviour. This study aims
to bridge this gap. A pilot with e-bikes was organised at Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, with the goal of reducing car use for commuter trips towards the university.
Data was collected at various moments during and after the trial period to evaluate the long-term changes in commuting behaviour and to identify potential reasons for these changes.
A total of 82 participants are included in this study. Overall, car use for commuting decreased from 88% before the pilot to 63% three months after the pilot. E-bike use went up
from 2% to 18% in the same time period. A binary logistic regression model shows that the most important variables to explain the decrease in car use are 1) purchase of an e-bike, 2)
the participant's perception regarding e-bike safety, and 3) the aim of the participant to use the pilot to change their current behaviour. Besides that, the most important predictor
of increase in e-bike use is the purchase of an e-bike. Furthermore, participants identify the investment costs of an e-bike as the strongest reason for not purchasing an e-bike and,
thus, not changing their commuting behaviour. Future pilot programs could consider the potential of incrementally purchasing an e-bike over a longer period of time, instead of at once,
to increase e-bike adoption rate."
Caroline Zimm (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis),
Improving the understanding of electric vehicle technology and policy diffusion across countries.
Transport Policy 105 (2021) 54-66 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 2,4 MB]. Open Access.
"The transport sector is particularly difficult to decarbonize. Use of electric vehicles (EV)-a potentially transformative and sustainable transport technology-can reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, domestic fossil fuel demand, energy import dependency, and air pollution. Policies play an important role in the diffusion of new technologies, such as EVs, principally in their
formative stage as they compete with an incumbent technology. However, great discrepancies exist across countries regarding EV support and uptake.
EV diffusion is conceptualized as an outcome of policy diffusion based on national characteristics and international mechanisms. This study aims to explain the variation in EV policy diffusion
across countries, by conducting an event history analysis on EV diffusion (EVs > 1% market share) between 2010 and 2017, using a sample of 60 countries. It identifies characteristics and mechanisms
relevant to the novel technology's "formative phase", focusing on the formation of state goals, international diffusion, and local technology adoption and deployment. The empirical contribution
lies in identifying and validating socioeconomic and political factors and the international mechanisms influencing a country's position on the diffusion curve. This can help improve scenarios
via better reflecting EV diffusion."
Xiaojian Hu, Nuo Chen, Nan Wu, Bicheng Yin,
The Potential Impacts of Electric Vehicles on Urban Air Quality in Shanghai City.
Sustainability 2021, 13, 496 (12 p.) [formato PDF, 2,5 MB]. Open Access.
"The Shanghai government has outlined plans for the new vehicles used for the public transportation, rental, sanitation, postal, and intra-city freight to be completely powered by
electricity by 2020. This paper analyzed the characteristics of vehicle emissions in Shanghai in the past five years. The potential reduction in road traffic related emissions due to the
promotion and application of electric vehicle in Shanghai was evaluated. The potential reduction was quantified by vehicular emissions. The vehicular emissions inventories are calculated
by the COPERT IV model under the different scenarios, of which the results indicate that promoting electric vehicles is the efficient measure to control all road traffic related emissions
and improve urban air quality. The results also provided basis and support for making policies to promote and manage electric vehicles."
Joel Wolff and Esko Hakanen (Aalto University),
Managing the Disruption of Mobility Services: How to align the value propositions of key ecosystem players.
Technology Innovation Management Review, 2021, 11(4): 13-25 (13 p.) [formato PDF, 1,8 MB]. Open Access.
"Many industries nowadays are facing drastic changes that enable and require new forms of interdependencies that facilitate complex ecosystems of interconnected actors. This paper investigates
such a transformation facing the mobility sector, as user-centric bundles of mobility services are being introduced and compiled, by referring to the Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) concept. In the
process, new value propositions arise that call for aligning the established players with new entrants. The implementation of MaaS is still in its infancy, and many open questions remain about how
local authorities should support its emergence. One key challenge relates to decomposing the focal offering of the MaaS ecosystem into complementary value propositions for key players in the industry.
This paper presents the results of a constructive design research project, building on interviews with a leading MaaS provider, as well as stakeholders representing national and local authorities
in four European cities. The findings emphasize the need to balance a shared desire to disrupt conventional ways of offering mobility services against reluctance to overturn the industry's public
and private incumbents. The co-design framework that results serves to summarize five steps that enable MaaS by guiding strategic interaction between local authorities and various players in the
mobility ecosystem. In addition, the article builds on ecosystem research insights and emphasizes the need to align value propositions among multiple stakeholders. The study suggests that the
mobility sector provides a prominent empirical context for future ecosystem research."
Carlo Tritto, Andrea Poggio,
Il ruolo dell'idrogeno nel trasporto terrestre. Un briefing di Transport & Environment e Legambiente.
Transport & Environment, Brussels, Legambiente, Roma, Aprile 2021, pp. 20 [formato PDF, 1,4 MB].
"Raggiungere la neutralità climatica entro il 2050 è una sfida molto ambiziosa. Questo è particolarmente sfidante per il settore dei trasporti italiano che, nell'arco dei prossimi 30 anni,
dovrà portare a zero le circa 108 milioni di tonnellate di CO2 che emette attualmente. La grande sfida si giocherà soprattutto nel trasporto stradale, che è responsabile dell'80% delle emissioni
di CO2 da trasporti e per cui, in molti segmenti, esistono già alternative a zero emissioni per sostituire i mezzi inquinanti, come i veicoli elettrici e a idrogeno. Ciononostante, a causa della
minore efficienza energetica, ammettere l'utilizzo dell'idrogeno in questo settore richiederebbe il doppio dell'energia da fonti rinnovabili per azzerare le emissioni. In quest'ottica, privilegiare
le tecnologie a maggiore rendimento è fondamentale, specialmente se si considera che la quota di energie rinnovabili è e sarà nei prossimi anni ancora troppo piccola e preziosa per essere dissipata
in processi inefficienti."
Yves Crozet, Jean Coldefy,
Mobility as a Service (MaaS): a digital roadmap for public transport authorities. [Research Report].
CERRE (Centre on Regulation in Europe), Brussels, January 2021, pp. 62 [formato PDF, 2,8 MB].
"The mobility of people in urban areas is important, in the context
of both the transition to climate neutrality and the impact of the digital revolution. As the title
indicates, the themes of decarbonisation and digitalisation are also at the heart of this report. It
follows on from the report that CERRE published in September 2019 on shared mobility and MaaS.
While providing a perspective on the current potential of new mobility services, the report invited
public transport authorities (PTAs) to show greater ambition in the digital field and its applications.
This new report will deepen these recommendations with concrete content. It will present what could
be the digital roadmap of the organising mobility authorities (OMAs), whose tasks exceed solely
organising the traditional modes of public transport such as buses, tramways, metros, and trains."
Carlo Giglio, Roberto Musmanno and Roberto Palmieri,
Cycle Logistics Projects in Europe: Intertwining Bike-Related Success Factors and Region-Specific Public Policies with Economic Results.
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1578 (31 p.) [formato PDF, 777 kB]. Open Access.
"The aim of this paper is to investigate whether and which specific, distinctive characteristics of European cycle logistics projects and the corresponding supporting policies have an impact
on their economic performances in terms of profit and profitability. First, we identify project success factors by geographic area and project-specific characteristics; then, we statistically test
possible dependence relationships with supporting policies and economic results. Finally, we provide a value-based identification of those characteristics and policies which more commonly lead to
better economic results. This way, our work may serve as a basis for the prioritization and contextualization of those project functionalities and public policies to be implemented in a European
context. We found that cycle logistics projects in Europe achieve high profit and profitability levels, and the current policies are generally working well and supporting them. We also found that
profit and profitability vary across the bike model utilized: mixing cargo bikes and tricycles generates the highest profit and profitability, whilst a trailer-tricycle-cargo bike mix paves the
way for high volumes and market shares."
Gaëlle Katharina Suermann, Katharina Thoms, Auxane Bonnet-Hévin, Max Floris van Geuns,
Tax Incentives for Bicycle Commuting inthe Capital Region of Copenhagen. Public report - Commissioned by Supercykelstier.
CBS Copenhagen Business School, Supercykelstier, Copenhagen, 2021, 39 p. [formato PDF, 1,5 MB].
"Denmark is considered a role model for cycling. However, tax incentives for bicycle commuting
do not exist yet. In its development plan, the Capital Region of Copenhagen aims for 50% of all
commuting trips to be by bicycle. Favorable infrastructural conditions are already in place, but
the individual needs more incentives to choose the bicycle over the car. Supercykelstier, a
cooperation between the Capital Region and 30 municipalities creating a network of cycle
superhighways that provide better conditions for bicycle commuters, commissioned this study to
find one or more viable tax solution(s) for incentivizing bicycle commuting in Denmark.
Applying a best-in-class scan, five pioneer countries were selected that have been referred to
as being successful in incentivizing bicycle commuting: United Kingdom, Belgium, France, the
Netherlands, and Germany. For each country, the exact tax incentive schemes have been
described and analysed, discussing the advantages and shortcomings, as well as some
financial and non-financial costs and benefits. Qualitative research was conducted through
semi-structured and open-ended interviews with country-specific experts about the schemes in
place. In addition, online reports and websites about the background and performance of the
different measures have been consulted.
The main finding is that there are five different categories of tax incentive schemes that
Denmark could implement or improve: a tax-free mileage allowance, a distance-flat mileage
rate, a bicycle leasing scheme, company pool bikes, and a bicycle financing model."