The constrained governance of socio-technical transitions: Evidence from electric mobility in Scotland

Electric Vehicles (EVs) embody a number of technical innovations which have the capacity to make substantial contributions to prominent societal objectives associated with improving energy security, increasing energy efficiency, promoting low-carbon mobility and reducing local air pollution. Fostering a transition to an electric mobility (e-mobility) personal transport system represents a strategic aim of most economically developed nations and is a central feature of the European Commission’s vision of an integrated and sustainable transport system. For this vision to be achieved, EVs will need to overcome formidable barriers associated with structural lock-ins to the existing internal combustion engine vehicle, technical deficiencies linked to EV attributes, citizen preference for proven technologies and the embedded interests of system agents. This chapter outlines how the transition to an e-mobility personal transport system is being managed in Scotland by evaluating the governance structure which has been established to support the uptake of EVs. This governance structure is considered in terms of the strategic, tactical and operational activities which aim to facilitate the e-mobility transition and the role of reflexive governance in evaluating the progress so far made. Specific attention is paid to how the agency of the Scottish Government is constrained in its ability to manage the transition due to the defined authority of the government and the local circumstances of Scotlan

Exploring the effect of local transport policies on the adoption of low emission vehicles: Evidence from the London Congestion Charge and Hybrid Electric Vehicles

The London Congestion Charge (LCC) is a transport policy with a precise spatial footprint. As such, its impact on the transport system can be expected to vary over space, providing an opportunity to explore the geographical reach of local transport interventions. This paper assesses whether the exemption of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) from the LCC affected the registration rate of these vehicles in Greater London and the surrounding areas. The analysis uses official data on the number of HEVs registered across the local authorities of the United Kingdom. This dataset is assessed using [1] exploratory spatial analysis to determine the degree of spatial variation in HEV registrations, [2] area classifications to consider if HEV registrations diminish as nearness to the LCC recedes, and [3] spatial regression models to evaluate the association between distance to the LCC and HEV registrations, controlling for other area characteristics (i.e. socioeconomic, household, and transport system variables). The results clearly show that nearness to the LCC is positively associated with HEV registrations, implying that this form of transport policy is effective at promoting the adoption of low emission vehicles

Exploring the expectations of transport professionals concerning the future automobility system: Visions, challenges, and transitions

A mixture of potentially significant changes in technology, commercial structures, and social practices is currently entering the automobility system. These changes have the potential to combine together and lead to a substantial shift in the manner in which society fuels, owns, and makes use of its cars. This paper reports a research project that made use of focus groups to examine the narratives of British transport professionals concerning forthcoming developments in the automobility system. Specific attention was given to what the expectations for future change in automobility are, if these changes will likely lead to a transition toward a more sustainable system and the manner in which a transition of this nature could be facilitated. The oral testimony offered during the focus groups has been assessed qualitatively using thematic analysis. The results suggest that there is a commonly held view that the automobility system is entering a stage of flux, which may lead to considerable changes in system configuration. However, the attainment of a sustainable transition for the system will likely be inhibited by a series of institutional, societal, and physical barriers, which may restrict system developments

The effect of electric car adoption on travel patterns

This chapter provides a reflective commentary on how the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) may alter how society uses cars through an inspection of evidence from the studies which have examined the impact of EV adoption on trip patterns. A framework for evaluating trip patterns is applied which considers how the adoption of an EV could generate impacts for the spatial distribution of car trips, when these trips occur, the journey purpose these trips serve, and the driving style in which the trips are conducted. It is identified that the principal issue which is likely to motivate alterations in trip patterns following a transition to EVs is the technical and regulatory differences which distinguish them from conventional vehicles. Spatial trip patterns could become anchored to the burgeoning chargepoint infrastructures, with network coverage having implications for where EVs will be seen. Changing seasons could reduce the range of the battery packs, limiting the useability of EVs in winter months. Low operating costs of EVs may encourage their use for short distance trips due to a feeling of guilt-free travel. Eco-driving functions of EVs could promote sustainable driving practices by gamifying energy efficiency though the introduction of targets, medals, and leader boards. It is concluded that the exact manner in which trip patterns will be altered by the transition to EVs is difficult to predict with clarity, with many alternative futures being conceivable. In part, the impact on trip patterns will be contingent on whether or not EVs start to look and feel like conventional cars as the technology matures. </p

The demand for cycle sharing: Examining the links between weather conditions, air quality levels, and cycling demand for regular and casual users

This paper examines temporal variation in the demand for cycling to understand how environmental conditions may promote or hinder active travel. The role of environmental conditions is considered in terms of the prevailing weather as well as concentration levels of local air pollutants. Using data derived from the London Bicycle Sharing Scheme, a set of autoregressive distributed lag models are specified to explore these relationships. The models distinguish casual cyclists from regular cyclists to allow the analysis to consider the demand profiles of these two market segments separately rather than jointly. The analysis makes use of an open science approach, with the data inspected, the models applied, and the results derived being made freely available to interested parties through an online repository. The results of the models indicate that the demand of casual cyclists is more strongly linked to concurrent weather condition as compared to the demand of regular cyclists, though regular cyclists seem to be more inclined to delay trips to avoid inclement weather. The associations between cycling demand and air quality levels is mixed, with high concentrations of ozone linked with lower levels of demand from regular cyclists while high concentrations of particulate matter 10 are positively related to both regular and casual cycling demand. The findings of this paper could provide benefits to bicycle sharing system managers such as in planning the schedule of maintenance work as well as highlighting the need to inform cyclists about the actions they can take to reduce their exposure to local air pollutants

Competition in Multi-Airport Regions: Measuring airport catchments through spatial interaction models

The paper makes use of a novel dataset of the surface access flows of passengers departing from the four main airports surrounding London to construct a spatial interaction model for the region. This model explains the spatial variability in the flows through four separate components being [1] spatial separation between the origin of the flow and the destination airport, [2] the demand characteristics at the origin, [3] the attractiveness of the service offered by the airport, and [4] the presence of intervening opportunities. A spatial econometric approach is taken in the modelling to account for the presence of spatial dependence in the data. The output of the model reveals a strong distance decay effect, where the level of interaction between origins and airports displays a negative spatial gradient. Each of the four airports dominate passenger flows in their immediate vicinity, with the market in the region being hotly contested in central London. All four components of the model are useful in explaining spatial variation in passenger flows, demonstrating the efficacy of this approach in considering how airports source their demand in a Multi-Airport Region. The performance of the model is superior when considering passenger surface access flows for scheduled flights, while the explanatory power is reduced for flows associated with chartered flights. Having verified the applicability of the model, it is possible for policy makers to utilise the approach to consider such issues of expanding, limiting or reducing capacity at existing airports in the region, establishing new airport facilities, and the effect of population growth on the geographic form of airport demand.</p

An investigation into zero-carbon planning policy for new-build housing

Housing represents a critical sector globally in the drive to reduce carbon emissions with many countries adopting building energy standards to lower the carbon emissions of new build housing. However, ambition is often inadequate when considering the long-life time of homes built today. Globally, many regional or local authorities are taking action to improve the performance standards of new build housing beyond national requirements, though application within nations is heterogeneous. Understanding of why adoption of performance standards displays this diversity represents a research gap. The present work sets out to determine why the application of local planning powers relating to lowering emissions in new-build housing have been inconsistently implemented within local level planning policy. This is achieved through an explanatory sequential mixed method design targeted towards all local authorities within the case study nation of England. It is found that uncertainty following the withdrawal of national level agendas has led to a policy void for many local authorities, with many now suffering from a lack of policy power to enforce lower carbon standards. Drivers of heterogeneous uptake of standards at a local level have international relevance and indicate the need for clear central governance to facilitate local level ambition

Dockless bike use as a last-mile solution: Evidence from Reno and Sparks, Nevada

Dockless bike-sharing schemes have become more prevalent in cities around the world. While interest grows in studying their usage in larger cities with well-established transit systems, their role in expanding mid-sized cities that are more automobile-dependent remains understudied. This paper evaluates how dockless bike-sharing can provide a last-mile solution by connecting existing bus stops with destinations through an analysis of data collected from 111,155 unique trips over a five-month trial period of a dockless bike sharing scheme in Reno-Sparks, Nevada, USA in the summer of 2018. We classify trips by frequency of use and adjacency to bus stops into four categories and apply multivariate models to determine the link between trip occurrence and the immediate environment. Results indicate that repeat users’ trips that begin or end near the same bus stop are more strongly linked with proximity to bicycle lanes, but tend to be farther from parks and casino resorts. Repeat users typically start trips in denser areas of the city with higher shares of renter-occupied units and higher shares of households without a vehicle, and ended them in less dense areas with higher percentages of white, non-Hispanic residents compared to one-time users. We find differences in association of travel with food service, education, health services, and casino resorts. This suggests that some benefits may be realized by deploying bike sharing in mid-sized cities, but must be weighed against findings that show repeat usage in areas that align with common early transportation technology and service adopter profiles

Public acceptability towards Low Emission Zones: The role of attitudes, norms, emotions, and trust

In recent years, the topic of air quality has grown in prominence due to an improved understanding of the detrimental impacts of local air pollutants on human health and wellbeing. The introduction of Urban Vehicle Access Regulations such as Low Emission Zones represents one policy that is being actively considered in city governance to address this problem, whereby the access of highly polluting vehicles is restricted to reduce traffic-related emissions. For such a policy to be implemented, an understanding of public support can prove useful by identifying the issues that underpin citizen reaction.This paper presents an assessment of public acceptability to Low Emission Zones through the application of a conceptual framework. This framework integrates an array of socio-psychological constructs sourced from theoretical models of behaviour and empirical findings on acceptability to Transport Demand Management measures. The framework is applied through a Structural Equation Model with the results of the analysis indicating that attitudes, policy specific beliefs, trust in government, and problem awareness all represent significant constructs in terms of their direct and in-direct effects on acceptability. This information can contribute to the discussion within local governments by providing guidance in their policy development on what contentious issues need to be addressed in public engagement strategies.</div

Air travel and urbanity: The role of migration, social networks, airport accessibility, and ‘rebound’

Residents of urban areas, and particularly urban cores, have higher levels of long-distance travel activity and related emissions, mostly on account of greater frequency of air travel. This relationship typically remains after controlling for basic socio-economic correlates of long-distance travel. There is an ongoing debate in the literature about what causes this association, and whether it calls into question urban densification strategies. Understanding this is important from a climate policy perspective. In this article, we investigate the role of three factors: i) access to airports; ii) the concentration of people with migration background and/or geographically dispersed social networks in urban areas; and iii) greater air travel by urban residents without cars (‘rebound effect’). We use representative survey data for the UK including information on respondents’ air travel frequency for private purposes and derive estimates of greenhouse gas emissions. The dataset also includes detailed information on migration generation, residential location of close family and friends, car ownership and use, as well as low-level geographical identifiers. The findings of regression analysis show that Greater London residents stand out in terms of emissions from air travel. Airport accessibility, migration background, and dispersion of social networks each explain part of this association, whereas we find no evidence of a rebound effect. However, proximity to town centres remains associated with higher emissions after accounting for these issues, indicating that this association is due to other factors than those considered here. We conclude by discussing implications for urban and climate policy, as well as future research