ITS Monday: Edition 3, 2023

Statement regarding misinformation on social media

This might need a little setting up before you click to read. The last few years have seen a solid rise in noise from a group, or collection of groups, that have been named sovereign citizens. If you’ve been paying attention in very small corners of the media the noise stepped up a little with a mainstream media publication or two shining the light on ‘sovcits’.

These people love spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories, around such subjects as vaccination, 5G, eugenics, and a few more things I won’t go into here. In the last few weeks they’ve hatched a new conspiracy theory, generated from the idea that is the 20-minute city. Or 30-minute city … the time varies, but the idea is the same. You and I know it’s about better local transport, walkability, well-being and so on. Sovcits have declared that the idea is about the government controlling us, and limiting our movement, all for perceived nefarious reasons.

In the last couple of weeks sovcits have taken to disrupting local council meetings (example here), voicing strong opposition to the x-minute city. This article is from Yarra Ranges Council, in response to a recently disrupted meeting.

Related iMOVE content: The 30-minute city: Small decisions for big gains

Is the tiny little neighborhood the city of the future?

The tiny, little neighbourhood in question here is O’Fallon, Illinois, in the US of A. “The idea is relatively simple. Residents should have everything they need within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. “Transforming O’Fallon into a 15-minute city will help make our lives more convenient, less stressful and more sustainable,” the plan suggests.” Pack on more tinfoil sovereign citizens!

Scotland aims to cut car use by creating ’20-minute neighbourhoods’ in net zero push

More 20-minute city content?! Yes. “Scotland has set out a bold new vision for towns and cities that aims to cut private car use by ensuring all services are within a 20-minute walk or cycle from a person’s front door.”

COVID has proved working from home is the best policy to beat congestion

“COVID-19, it turns out, has done something that nobody in government has been able to achieve – cutting road congestion almost overnight.” This article is written by Matthew Beck and David Hensher, both from the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, and both of whom have been involved in iMOVE’s Working From Home projects.

See more Working from Home articles and projects at our Working From Home landing page

Grants to turbo charge electric car fleets

“More than 1000 extra electric vehicles will hit Australian roads over the next nine months after the NSW government announced a new round of subsidies for the next-generation vehicles.”

Related iMOVE project: Electric vehicles: Supporting uptake, investigating smart charging

Hydrogen and electric buses to be trialled in regional NSW test

“Hydrogen and electric buses are set to be trialled in regional NSW, as part of a $25 million scheme that pits the two technologies against each other.” At this point the breakdown of how many hydrogen-powered and electric-powered buses will be trialled, and where the trials will take place, has yet to be determined. An EOI has been sent to bus and coach fleet operators.

Related iMOVE project: Bus performance assessment using GTFS data

The battle over bike lanes needs a mindset shift

This story is about the situation in New York, but this is an issue, or a debate, the world over. “Installing protected routes tends to boost local shops. But many store owners remain attached to their street parking—and fight to protect it.”

Related iMOVE project: Safer cycling and street design: A guide for policymakers

Net-Zero aviation Is possible with hydrogen fuel cells

This article is written by Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, a company that replaces conventional jet aircraft engines with hydrogen-electric powertrains. So yes, he has skin in the game. Even so have a read, if for nothing else that the projected increase in air travel, and the projected emissions saving such a fuel change would bring on.

Related iMOVE content: Experiments on consumer preferences for sustainable airlines and Emma Whittlesea: Flying toward Net Zero

A Volvo FH Electric semi just made a 3,000 km trip across Europe

The headline says it all really. 20 tons of oranges delivered from the orchard direct to a grocery store. A very big grocery store I presume, as that seems like quite a lot of oranges! There some interesting details around how long the trip took compared to the trip in a diesel truck.

Related iMOVE article: Tim Camilleri: Prime mover in new truck tech

Subscription-based bike hire schemes on a roll

Tales from Canada, England and the Netherlands, about e-bike users who have decided that rather than use share bikes, or buy an e-bike outright, to instead long-term rent theirs by way of a monthly subscription.

Amsterdam opened a new bicycle parking facility, underwater!

Under the water, not underwater. It opened last week, and looks like a mashup of a sci-fi film and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Headquarters building. Situated under the lake in front of Amsterdam Central Station, it has room to park more than 7,000 bicycles.