ITS Monday: Edition 5, 2022
A small collection of curated content from the worlds of intelligent transport systems, smart mobility, and associated areas.
Included this week, zero emission bus planning, e-scooter safety, more more for cycleways and footpaths, and a drive for free parking.
And just in case you hadn’t caught it yet, we have a new series of interviews with transport professionals – Effects of COVID on the transport sector – what they see now, what they would like to happen post-pandemic, and what they think will happen. If you’d like to be join this conversation, drop us a line!
This week’s articles
Now, scroll down, and see what’s in this week’s edition. Oh, and before you do, be sure check out the quickest way to receive our new content via the subscription box just below …
Tendering zero emissions bus contracts with large mammals in the room
Another article form the University of Sydney’s Thinking outside the box series. In this the university’s Professor David Hensher and David Ashmore, a Senior Associate at TSA Management, consider the implications of fleets adding zero emissions buses to large-scale bus franchising and tendering arrangements. WARNING: Contains mentions of both gorillas and elephants.
READ THE ARTICLEBattle for footpaths drives increase in injuries linked to e-scooters
In last week’s ITS Monday we included an article looking at injury data 12 months in on Brisbane’s share e-scooter. It was I think an important story as Brisbane has been a leader in getting this mode on the streets. Contrast to (parts of) Melbourne, where an e-scooter trial is only two weeks or so old. There have been some incidents, and, external to the trial areas, a fatality.
Anecdotally in my part of Melbourne I am seeing quite an amount of illegal riding. Is it simply excitement about the new mode? Is it carelessness? How can education on safe riding achieve more penetration? I’m a fan of the mode, but I’d like to see more safety in its use – where they are ridden, how they are ridden, riders knowing about age and power limits, the use of helmets, … This article, and indeed my comments here, might spark some debate, but the most important thing going forward are moves to make the mode safer. And to stress again, this Melbourne trial is only two weeks old. Things can I hope settle down, and improve.
READ THE ARTICLERob Stokes aims for doubling in spending on cycleways, footpaths
New South Wales’ new Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes is aspiring to double the $950 million in spending the state government has promised for footpaths, cycleways and other links over the next five years, after conceding that existing funding is insufficient.
READ THE ARTICLEFree parking to drive business in Brisbane’s CBD
There’s a growing commentary around getting workers back into cities, in counterpoint to the idea that working from home has been something of a success, both in proving that people and businesses can be work this way, and in reducing congestion. Here we have a proposal from the Brisbane Lord Mayor for upping the number of workers back into the city.
READ THE ARTICLE