ITS Monday: Edition 16, 2020

To avoid a return to pre-coronavirus traffic congestion, experts want to talk about change right now

‘… experts say going back to the “normal” gridlock on Melbourne’s transport network is not only unappealing — it’s unnecessary.’ Opinions here from Marion Terrill of The Grattan Institute, Jonathan Spear of Infrastructure Victoria, and Tony Morton, Public Transport Users Association president.

Capped Uber and taxi fares to boost public transport: new survey

An overview of the results of the recent Transport Opinion Survey, run by the University of Sydney’s Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies.

A chance to build Sydney’s Cycle Network in 3 years

‘The NSW Government already has a plan to deliver a cycle network for Greater Sydney. Unluckily, the current rollout will take 36 years. The Committee for Sydney believes this program should be accelerated as a key piece of post-COVID-19 economic stimulus and delivered in 3 years.’

Paris to create 650 kilometres of post-lockdown cycleways

Again here is the theme of the pandemic forcing change that may well have happened anyway, but just as in the Sydney proposal above, in a longer timeframe. ‘Paris is the latest global city to roll out emergency bike lanes for the use of key workers and others during the lockdown. 650 kilometers of cycleways—including a number of pop-up “corona cycleways”—will be readied for May 11 when lockdown is eased in France.’

Pop-up infrastructure for active mobility in Berlin

A ‘story map’ providing examples of pop-up infrastructure projects in Berlin and other cities from around the world that are ad-hoc measures for (re-)distributing space in favour of active modes of transport, such as cycling and walking, while ensuring the required physical distancing can be kept.

UK’s regional light rail services at risk from coronavirus outbreak

There are conversations about this issue happening across the world right now. Public transport is obviously suffering in term of patronage, and cost to run, because of the lockdown. Contracts and timetables are being discussed, plus the questions of how long can public transport keep running as it is in a lockdown, and just what will patronage be like post-pandemic?

Milan announces ambitious scheme to reduce car use after lockdown

‘Milan is to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking, in response to the coronavirus crisis.’

Crisis gives delivery robots a chance to prove their worth

Starship Technologies has deployed a fleet of 20 autonomous “on-demand robots” Friday in Fairfax, Virginia, delivering food and groceries from a handful of restaurants and markets in and around the small city’s downtown area.

The poor ROI of autonomy

An article from the founder and CEO of the recently-shuttered Starsky Robotics.

‘True autonomy is worth almost nothing when it comes to trucks. For robot-driven unmanned trucks, or robotrucks, the magnitudinal improvement actually comes from solving the driver shortage the efficiencies fleets can focus on once they’re no longer preoccupied with the hiring and retention of drivers. Per dollar invested, making a robotruck truly drive itself has the least ROI of all of those improvements, which is fortunate because it’s also the least likely to happen.’