Posts by Phil Latz
ACT Scooter Share Schemes Tipped to Expand
Canberra, ACT Although there will not be an official announcement until July, results of a major government survey and comments made by local politicians are pointing towards a likely continuation and expansion of Canberra’s current scooter share schemes. The survey of 1,907 people found that 65% of respondents supported the current scheme, 16% were neutral…
At A Glance – Ebike Sales Boom in Europe
Europe The data below shows the number of ebikes sold in calendar year 2020 and the percentage growth over 2019 sales. Average growth year on year across these countries was 36%. Country Number of Ebikes Sold % increase YOY Germany 1.9 million +43% Netherlands 547,000 +30% France 514,000 +29% Italy 280,000 +44% Spain 212,635 +49%…
Cyclists Demand Access to Auckland Harbour Bridge
Auckland, New Zealand Not unlike Sydney, Auckland is a city on two sides of a large harbour that is crossed by a single, iconic bridge. Needless to say, that eight lane bridge is extremely busy. But unlike Sydney, Auckland’s Harbour Bridge provides no lanes or access for pedestrians and cyclists whatsoever. On Sunday 30th May…
Mobility App Will Show Location of Rideables in Sydney and Canberra
Canberra, ACT Micromobility company Beam has partnered with mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) solutions provider Moovit to show users where Beam’s electric rideables are available nearby. Moovit will show riders in Australian cities where Beam e-bikes and e-scooters are available for more alternative and convenient first- and last-mile micromobility options. Moovit will indicate in real-time where nearby Beam…
Dockless E-bikes to Join Expanding Brisbane Scooter Fleet from July
Brisbane, Qld Eight-hundred dockless bikes will join a growing fleet of electric scooters on Brisbane streets within weeks, as the city council unveiled what it described as a world-first strategy for the sector. On Tuesday 1st June, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced that Beam, which hosts its purple bikes and scooters in several other…
Should Motor Vehicles Get a Safety Warning Label?
New York, USA Targeting large pickup trucks and SUVs, a New York bill proposes a safety rating system that would rank vehicles on the dangers they pose to pedestrians and cyclists. A bill in the New York State senate would establish a statewide pedestrian and cyclist vehicle safety rating system — the first of its…
The Tenuous Life of Temporary Infrastructure
Wollongong, NSW Covid-19 has brought tragedy on a global scale, which I don’t want to disrespect in any way, but it has also brought unexpected opportunities. Specifically, in relation to micromobility, we’ve seen ‘temporary’ infrastructure, literally popping up in cities all over the world. Over the coming months and years, the battles will be fought, city by city to either make permanent or discard each…
Sydney Harbour Bridge Concept Plans Finally Released
Sydney, NSW After years of delays to the long-awaited project, NSW Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, revealed the final concepts for the Milsons Point ramp. Release of the designs comes weeks after Transport for NSW refused to reveal the options to the public because its staff wouldn’t have been able to cope with the volume of expected feedback.…
The Stark Politics of Vehicle Choice Revealed
San Diego, California In wealthy western countries, apart from avid cyclists and inner city dwellers of major cities, most residents are virtually compelled by their nation’s planning decisions and resultant built environment, to purchase and drive some sort of vehicle, at least for some of their journeys. We’ve seen interesting studies before about personality characteristics of typical purchasers of certain…
First Data Shows Scooter Share in Canberra is Booming
Canberra, ACT Take a quick visit to the centre of Canberra on any sunny day and you’ll immediately notice e-scooters being ridden in every direction. The purple Beam and orange Neuron scooter-share schemes were launched in September 2020 as we previously reported. Each company was given permission to deploy up to 750 scooters in Canberra. On 9th April 2021 ACT Minister for…