Shared e-scooters and the promotion of equity across urban public spaces - a case study in Braga, Portugal

Shared e-scooters were introduced in urban public spaces as a way to promote a modal shift from cars in short-distance trips, as well as to improve sustainability, resilience, and equity in urban transport. However, the expansion of shared e-scooter services in 2019 proved that this mode of transport, without integrated planning strategies, can bring some problems to cities, which are related to the illegal parking of e-scooters, an increase in head injuries, and the lack of population diversity among users. Regarding the latest, this research work aims at conducting a case study in the city of Braga, Portugal to reveal who the actual and potential users of shared e-scooters are and how their socioeconomic profile (e.g., gender, age, income range, literacy, occupation) and usage patterns related to the ones found in other cities. For this, a revealed preference survey was deployed on the case study site, and the respondents’ profiles were statistically correlated with the socioeconomic characteristics of the city’s general population in order to assess if this mode of transport provides an equitable service. Results show that shared e-scooters are not equally used by people of different genders, ages, and income ranges. Information on e-scooter usage inequalities across the population is useful for the city to proceed with more socially equitable mobility policies.This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, grant number 2020.05041.BD

The role of shared E-Scooter systems in urban sustainability and resilience during the COVID-19 mobility restrictions

Shared e-scooter systems were first introduced in 2017 and have since been spreading around the world as a sustainable mode of transport. The success of this mode is also due to new urban mobility strategies and plans, such as the European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which relies on non-pollutant modes. To display the range of effects that can be achieved in urban mobility through the proper implementation of shared e-scooter systems, a systematic literature review and a case study were performed. It was found that this shared system can help cities with environmental issues, such as reducing air pollution, reducing inequality in access to transport, promoting money-saving, and improving mobility resilience. During the Covid-19 pandemic, shared e-scooters became a great asset in many cities worldwide, because they promote social distancing and help cities not to rely only on private cars to replace public transport rides, especially for short-distance trips. In the case study of Braga, it was found that the city still relies on shared e-scooter modes as a mobility option after the pandemic, also promoting special fares for people to start using the service.This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, grant number 2020.05041.BD

The valuation of environmental externalities : a stated preference case study on traffic noise in Lisbon

This research study was motivated by the need to valuing environmental externalities from road transport. The main objective was to develop a methodology centered on the Stated Preference-choice (SP-choice) method for valuing traffic noise when individuals are in their homes. The aim was to assess the nature and extent of households’ heterogeneity of preferences for quiet. For this purpose, two different metrics of the noise variable were used to estimate the marginal values of quiet, ratings based on household’s perceptions and the physical noise measures in Leq dB(A). An innovative computer survey model was developed and administered to more than 400 households in a residential area in Lisbon with high-rise residential buildings in the vicinity of mam roads. The experimental design explored respondents’ familiarity and experience with perceived noise levels indoors in various apartment situations and at different floors of the block (lot). Lower and upper floors and their exposure to road traffic (fronting the main road or located at the back façade) played a central role in the experimental design. A range of situational, socio-economic, behavioral and attitudinal variables relating to each household were collected. Physical noise measurements were taken at each apartment (indoors and at the exterior façade) and related to respondents’ perceptions. Complementary methods such as the revealed preference (RP) data on apartment purchases and the openended contingent valuation method (CVM) were also included. The issue of convergent validity of noise value estimates for the same sample of respondents was explored. Multinomial Logit models including additional effects (MNL-INT) of a wide range of variables were explored, as well as combined MNL-INT with additional variables with random parameters’ logit specifications (Mixed Logit, ML). In brief, the study found that models based on respondent’s perceptions outperformed those based on physical noise measures. A range of other influential variables were found to interact with householders’ preferences such as adjusted household income per person, sign of noise changes (improvements or deterioration in the levels), floor number, base noise level experienced, and others. The ML specifications gave a better fit with the data. The income elasticity of marginal values of quiet was of similar magnitude in the SP-choice and RP methods, but a weak income effect was detected when using the CVM data. Nevertheless, the strategic bias may have affected both the SP-choice and CVM experimental markets. The noise value estimates were in the range of estimates found in other studies

Micromobility: a systematic literature review on the measurement of its environmental, social, and economic impacts on urban sustainability

The use of micromobility in cities has been highly associated with environmental, social, and economic benefits. These sustainability impacts can be achieved by the proper city planning before the implementation of micro vehicles, which can include pilot programs, connection to public transport to promote first-and-last mile trips, curb space management, and safety measurements. Although to better understand the real environmental, social, and economic impacts of micromobility usage in cities, some methodologies need to be used in order to measure them. Thus, this research focuses on an extensive literature review to discuss the most used methodologies to measure the sustainability impacts generated in cities by micromobility. As the results show, to measure the environmental impacts, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology can be used, followed by geospatial analysis and surveys to measure the social impacts, and conversion of health, and time-saving benefits to a monetary unit to measure the economic impacts of micro vehicles.This research was funded by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Foundation for Science and Technology), Grant number 2020.05041.B

Stated choice valuation of traffic related noise

This paper reports a novel application of the stated choice method to the valuation of road traffic noise. The innovative context used is that of choice between apartments with different levels of traffic noise, view, sunlight and cost with which respondents would be familiar. Stated choice models were developed on both perceived and objective measures of traffic noise, with the former statistically superior, and an extensive econometric analysis has been conducted to assess the nature and extent of householders’ heterogeneity of preferences for noise. This found that random taste variation is appreciable but also identified considerable systematic variation in valuations according to income level, household composition and exposure to noise. Self-selectivity is apparent, whereby those with higher marginal values of noise tend to live in quieter apartments. Sign and reference effects were apparent in the relationship between ratings and objective noise measures, presumably reflecting the non-linear nature of the latter. However, there was no strong support for sign, size or reference effects in the valuations of perceived noise levels

Stated choice valuations of traffic related noise

This paper reports a novel application of the stated choice method to the valuation of road traffic noise. The innovative context used is that of choice between apartments with different levels of traffic noise, view, sunlight and cost with which respondents would be familiar. Stated choice models were developed on both perceived and objective measures of traffic noise, with the former statistically superior, and an extensive econometric analysis has been conducted to assess the nature and extent of householders’ heterogeneity of preferences for noise. This found that random taste variation is appreciable but also identified considerable systematic variation in valuations according to income level, household composition and exposure to noise. Self-selectivity is apparent, whereby those with higher marginal values of noise tend to live in quieter apartments. Sign and reference effects were apparent in the relationship between ratings and objective noise measures, presumably reflecting the non-linear nature of the latter. However, there was no strong support for sign, size or reference effects in the valuations of perceived noise levels

Utilização de plataformas digitais para avaliação de sistemas partilhados de trotinetes: O caso da cidade de Braga

O sistema de trotinetes partilhadas vem sendo implementado em cidades desde 2017. Logo, para que este meio de transporte proporcione um aumento da eficiência e da sustentabilidade na mobilidade urbana, é necessário que os padrões de utilização sejam conhecidos, para que seja possível planear a disponibilização destes veículos e maximizar sua utilização. Assim, este trabalho tem como objetivo mostrar de que forma plataformas digitais atuam no tratamento de dados de micromobilidade partilhada mostrando, designadamente, quais os principais dados que podem ser recolhidos, analisados e disponibilizados para os gestores da mobilidade urbana, conferindo especial atenção ao caso da cidade de Braga

Road Safety Performance Indicators: Theory. Deliverable D3.6 of the EU FP6 project SafetyNet.

This document provides details about the theory behind the development of Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) in seven major areas which are central to the fields of activity in road safety in Europe. The fields of activity were selected as a result of reviews of national road safety plans in many of the EU countries and around the world and are considered the central themes of activity in road safety, necessary to bring about a significant improvement in road safety in the EU countries. Within each field SPIs were developed which are directly related to that field of activity, can be quantitatively measured, can provide the basis for the assessment of the level of road safety in each country and can serve as an indicator to describe the level of activity in that field and country and can provide a yardstick for comparison. Comparisons can be before and after certain actions are taken or can be comparisons between countries. As stated above, this document deals with the theory behind the development of each of the seven SPIs. It provides the rationale behind their development, the proofs for their relevance in the specific fields and the existing limitations that led to the adoption of the specific SPIs. The document provides also some recommendations for the possible improvements required to obtain better SPIs. Two companion documents are also being prepared. One is a manual which provides details on the procedures necessary to collects the required data for the development of each SPI in each country. The second document provides results on the data collected so far for each of the 25 EU countries and the SPIs developed so far, based on the data submitted by each of the countries. It can be seen that a lot of work still has to be done, both in collecting the necessary data and in improving the SPIs, once better and more detailed data becomes available

Reconsidering social equity in urban transport choices: putting women and elderly in the mobility agenda

This paper aims to present the research study conducted in the city of Brindisi in Italy: it is a city of 89,846 habitants with a density of 270/km2, where the Public Transport Company of Brindisi (S.T.P. SpA) provides public transportation in the city with 54 buses and 19 lines. Our research focus is on urban transport choices that cover most vulnerable users. Mobility data was collected in 2013 by running a survey on 581 housing units. The idea is to illustrate through real data and empirical results that link mobility needs and behaviour of the population in Brindisi, with a particular focus on some vulnerable population groups: women and the elderly (population aged over 65). Through the statistical analysis of data, several insights are provided on needs of these specific user groups. Gender issues and social equity of aging population are key aspects to consider in urban policies. In addition, the potential willingness to pay of users to obtain a general improvement in bus service quality is investigated through discrete choice modelling. The idea behind this study is to overcome the crucial impediment in understanding urban travel patterns and the key forces behind user attitudes which normally characterise city dynamics. Therefore, attitudinal and behavioural variables are considered to evaluate the propensity of using buses and changing habits for modal choices by the elderly and women through a random utility model. Results from the Brindisi case study allow a comprehensive understanding of the mismatch between transport demand needs and the public transport service supplied, and of the possible measures to be implemented in terms of transport policy. We believe, that these findings can be easily replicated in other geographical areas with similar transport users profile and population structure, where there is the need to reduce the car use and to provide a correct accessibility to elderly and women. The analysis from the survey show that for Brindisi there is the need to take action through some focused intervention on public transport services able to meet the specific demand needs of most vulnerable groups. The lack of bus users’ satisfaction is so high that the obvious solution to most seems to be car use. This is mainly due to the low frequency and to unreliable services in terms of punctuality and safety. But local bus operators can consider the willingness to pay for higher fares that allow the provision of better services by attending to service quality and meeting equity issues and accessibility needs. It is necessary, therefore, a bus reform, in operative and managerial terms. The municipality has to act on the territory with the tools of sustainable mobility with the aim of reducing congestion, allocate resources to environmentally-friendly interventions and to information systems easily accessible for all and paying special attention to most vulnerable groups’ needs. Finally, the research takes some policy insights from the experience of the city of Lisbon in Portugal regarding the implementation of policies and urban public transport means targeting most vulnerable users as a way to inspire future transport and mobility reforms in the city of Brindisi