tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/sustainable-transportation-69210/articlesSustainable transportation – The Conversation2023-08-27T13:32:46Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2105062023-08-27T13:32:46Z2023-08-27T13:32:46ZBike and EV charging infrastructure are urgently needed for a green transition<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/bike-and-ev-charging-infrastructure-are-urgently-needed-for-a-green-transition" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The green transition is happening too slowly. We are in a climate emergency and it is clear that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to more sustainable transportation.</p>
<p>However, without sufficient infrastructure to enable electric vehicles (EVs) or cycling for <a href="https://www.burnhamnationwide.com/final-review-blog/bike-infrastructure-key-to-healthier-cities-reduced-emissions">commuting</a>, these options will remain too inconvenient or unsafe for most. Canada’s <a href="https://unfccc.int/news/climate-plans-remain-insufficient-more-ambitious-action-needed-now">climate obligations</a> will not be met without these infrastructure changes.</p>
<p>We just experienced the hottest July <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/july-2023-set-be-hottest-month-record">on record</a>. We cannot burn more carbon, no matter the remaining <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/chapter-2/">carbon budget</a>. Climate <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/photos-extreme-weather-events-2023-climate-change/">disasters around the world today</a> are dictating timelines now. Meanwhile, gas cars are needlessly on city streets, adding to traffic congestion and pollution while urban sprawl means gas <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2022/aug/31/how-car-culture-colonised-our-thinking-and-our-language">car driving habits</a> expand.</p>
<p>Canada requires urgent investment in transport infrastructure and incentives to reverse this trend.</p>
<h2>Policy breakdowns</h2>
<p>Here in Toronto, a recent mayoral election provided a platform for two candidates who made election promises to close down <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/traffic-congestion-byelection-campaign-trail-1.6883005">cycling lanes</a>. Meanwhile, a lack of high-quality cycling infrastructure in the city incentivizes travel by car to the <a href="https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2020/cities-and-happiness-a-global-ranking-and-analysis/">detriment of the city’s happiness</a> and carbon budget.</p>
<p>This stands in stark contrast to a city like Copenhagen, Denmark where <a href="https://cyclingmagazine.ca/advocacy/over-60-per-cent-of-people-in-copenhagen-commute-to-work-or-school/">62 per cent of people commute by cycling</a>. A city which, by some metrics, <a href="https://www.earthtrekkers.com/copenhagen-happiest-destination-europe">may also be the happiest in the world</a>. </p>
<p>Closer to home, <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-canadas-first-national-cycling-map-will-benefit-both-riders-and-public-planners-208347">cycling infrastructure remains poor</a> and bike theft rose by <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/bicycle-thefts-in-canada-soar-by-429-per-cent-during-summer-months-report-1.6467265">429 per cent in Canada this summer</a>. However, the solutions to this problem, such as bicycle lockers, are not widely enough installed and where they do exist, they are only for regular users and require a <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/streets-parking-transportaon/cycling-in-toronto/bicycle-parking/bicycle-lockers/">reservation and monthly payments</a>. </p>
<p>Solutions such as an <a href="https://www.translink.ca/news/2021/june/translink%20launches%20new%20on-demand%20bike%20lockers">on-demand bicycle storage system</a> being piloted in Vancouver and the <a href="https://thebicyclevalet.ca/our-locations">Vancouver City Centre Bike Valet</a> show promise for nation-wide implementation but will require effort to implement at scale.</p>
<h2>Nowhere to charge</h2>
<p>Likewise, a recent survey says that <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/two-thirds-of-canadian-drivers-unlikely-to-buy-an-electric-vehicle-1.6462200">Canadians are not switching</a> to cleaner EVs partly because of a lack of charging infrastructure. In a climate emergency, bike and electric vehicle infrastructure should have been installed long ago. </p>
<p>Toronto’s mandate is to reach <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/musservices-payments/water-environment/environmentally-friendly-city-initiatives/transformto/">net zero by 2040</a>, but its efforts pale in comparison to the actions of other cities in Canada and around the world.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-far-to-the-next-electric-vehicle-charging-station-and-will-i-be-able-to-use-it-heres-how-to-create-a-reliable-network-209222">How far to the next electric vehicle charging station – and will I be able to use it? Here's how to create a reliable network</a>
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<p>A variety of <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/global-ev-policy-explorer">incentives and legislation</a> are accelerating an EV transition including fee exemptions, grants and mandated targets. Brazil is proposing that all gas stations offer EV charging. </p>
<p>Ireland’s <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2022/07/13/all-car-sales-will-have-to-be-electric-by-2030-to-reach-climate-targets-oireachtas-committee-told/">zero emissions office</a> is aiming for 100 per cent of new car sales to be EVs by 2030. France supports EV purchases with funding and bonuses for low income individuals. Ecuador’s public transport will be 100 per cent electric by 2025 and Sweden’s government fleet will be electrified by 2035. Colombia and South Africa are setting EV charging infrastructure minimums.</p>
<p>There are notable Canadian EV initiatives in <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/global-ev-policy-explorer">Québec and British Columbia</a>. Québec has ambitious electrification plans including expanding EV charging, funding further vehicle electrification across the province. B.C. is improving upon the Canadian national mandate by installing more EV charging stations and planning a changeover to clean vehicles. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/right-to-charge-laws-bring-the-promise-of-evs-to-apartments-condos-and-rentals-206721">Right-to-charge laws bring the promise of EVs to apartments, condos and rentals</a>
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<p>In contrast, Ontario and Toronto are without any unique innovations in electric vehicle infrastructure or policy.</p>
<h2>An electric future</h2>
<p>EVs are already addressing local air pollution around the world and reducing <a href="https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-triggers-causes/air-pollution-smog-asthma/">health issues such as asthma</a>. Higher EV sales are also associated with higher <a href="https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI">human development indexes</a> (HDI). An HDI is a national measure of wealth, and a good reflection of standard of living, including health and education. Countries with higher EV sales also tend to lead worldwide in the development of environmental inventions. Healthier inventions make a <a href="https://hdr.undp.org/">better life</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps in Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Norway and certain Canadian provinces such as Québec and B.C., the connection is clearer between switching to cleaner technologies and increasing levels of personal health and <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/happiest-countries-in-the-world">happiness</a>. Improving <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/climate-solutions/education-key-addressing-climate-change">education</a> is a catalyst for change. </p>
<p>If Canada is to meet its climate commitments, it has to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Infrastructure investments, such as for EVs and cycling, improve our quality of life and the <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/080816/can-infrastructure-spending-really-stimulate-economy.asp">economy</a> at the same time. Building infrastructure is a classic approach to boosting an economy. It is also a green economic opportunity if the right choices are made.</p>
<p>Canada can start by applying well-known policy solutions and rapidly installing infrastructure nationwide. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114961">Studies have validated this recommendation</a> and additional phased-in electrical grid capacity is neither controversial nor impractical. Emissions reductions with EVs as compared to gas cars, no matter the energy fuel source, ultimately validate EVs green utility over gas powered cars. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/batteries-in-electric-vehicles-have-more-mileage-in-city-driving-rather-than-highway-driving-206564">Batteries in electric vehicles have more mileage in city driving rather than highway driving</a>
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<p>Around the world, such as in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b05264">China</a> where they have energy mix variations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02209-6">across regions</a> including coal, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122063">EVs make sense</a>. Emissions reductions for Ontario have been calculated at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b01519">around 80 per cent</a> when EVs are driven. </p>
<p>The International Energy Agency offers a <a href="https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/global-ev-policy-explorer">comprehensive policy database of worldwide examples</a> for places like Toronto that are lagging on clean transportation transition policy and change. Beyond benchmarking, Canada could strive for leadership on the world stage by investing in university research and applying ambitious initiatives across the country. </p>
<p>Canada has an opportunity that should not be missed to stimulate its economy by investing in sustainable transportation infrastructure to accelerate the green transition.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210506/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deborah de Lange receives funding from SSHRC and ESRC. </span></em></p>Canada should invest in sustainable transportation infrastructure to accelerate the green transition.Deborah de Lange, Associate Professor, Global Management Studies, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1888582022-08-16T17:44:31Z2022-08-16T17:44:31ZTourism and the metaverse: towards a widespread use of virtual travel?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479413/original/file-20220816-10908-n97dlr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C1%2C942%2C545&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Travelling without moving thanks to the metaverse.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/metaverse-five-things-to-know-and-what-it-could-mean-for-you-171061">metaverse</a> can be defined as a set of virtual shared spaces that are indexed in the real world and accessible via 3D interaction. It is a term that has been rapidly gaining ground in the media landscape ever since Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the creation of the Meta Group.</p>
<p>While some people remain cautious or resistant to the idea, others see this technological evolution as an opportunity to develop new offers. Given tourism is a sector that moves forward largely in line with information and communication technologies, it is entirely relevant to look at how it could integrate this virtual universe.</p>
<p>So how could the metaverse take over tourism, a practice that requires physical travel?</p>
<h2>Can tourism and technology work together?</h2>
<p>There is a clear correlation between the development of tourism and that of technology. Indeed, from the computerised booking centres of the 1970s to the domestication of the Internet in the late 1990s, technology has always been used in tourism to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517708000162">develop new practices</a>. The metaverse is part of this evolution of the Internet, which deploys increasingly immersive technologies to offer <em>phygital</em> experiences – i.e., that blur boundaries between the real and the virtual.</p>
<p>Whether it be for museums, national parks or heritage sites, the health crisis has also enabled many organisations to increase and sustain their use of technological tools to offer virtual reality tours. The <a href="https://www.flyoverzone.com/">Fly Over Zone</a> application, as well as offering an exploration of World Heritage cultural sites, shows users what damaged sites would have looked like in their original state. Web giant Amazon launched <a href="https://www.amazon.com/b?node=19419898011&ref_=ae_nav_lgo">“Amazon Explore”</a>, allowing people to “travel the world, virtually”. This venture is an interactive live-streaming service, which they say allows you to discover new places from your computer. Although this service is still in its infancy, with a beta version it is likely that these virtual tours will progress to offer even more immersive formats.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Moya Land is a 260,000 m2 created in 2007 and spread across four servers.</span></figcaption>
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<p>When it comes to tourism, Asia is a forerunner, with proposals such as the <a href="https://fr.euronews.com/next/2021/11/17/metavers-seoul-ouvre-la-porte-de-ce-nouvel-univers-numerique">Seoul Metaverse</a> project, which aims to become the first major city in the world to enter the metaverse, with a tourist route reproducing the city’s main sites. But it is in France that we find one of the most successful projects with <a href="https://www.moyapatrick.com/sltourisme.htm">MoyaLand</a>, a virtual tourism realm including a tourist office, museums, an airport and a historical centre where inhabitants and tourists can move around virtually via their avatars.</p>
<p>Other tourism stakeholders could follow suit, with 25% of people forecast to spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse by 2026, according to the American company <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2022-02-07-gartner-predicts-25-percent-of-people-will-spend-at-least-one-hour-per-day-in-the-metaverse-by-2026">Gartner</a>. So how will people experience tourism in this virtual environment?</p>
<h2>Using the metaverse to inspire travel</h2>
<p>There are two main trends defining <a href="https://journals.openedition.org/viatourism/1347">the tourism experience</a>: the first is related to the process, with a transformation of the world into knowledge, the second is about the moment, with a focus on hedonism and feelings of success. While by definition, tourism requires physical travel, there is a contradiction in the tourism experiences offered by the metaverse. The metaverse cannot replace physical travel, but can create the desire to travel.</p>
<p>In the immersive reality of the metaverse, technological devices feed the user with sensations such as sight, hearing, touch and even smell. Besides acquisition costs, the use of these new devices calls into question the perception of the senses connecting humans to their environment.</p>
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<p>The metaverse results from the interaction between a device, a user putting themselves in the shoes of a tourist, and other spectators. Although the experience is virtual, the senses are indeed put to work by stimulating certain situations that are desired but not accessible at the time. Through immersion, the virtual reality headset or haptic sensors allow us to <a href="https://www.cairn.info/revue-hermes-la-revue-2016-1-page-188.htm">experience things that were previously intangible</a> and to reconnect with the senses. Through an avatar, the metaverse user can embody a tourist by creating a virtual tour route, interacting with other avatars and consequently imagining how they feel, stimulating what Giacomo Rizzolatti calls <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror">mirror neurons</a>.</p>
<h2>Societal and environmental constraints</h2>
<p>Whether imitated, reproduced or simulated, travel and holidays are touristic practices that provide a break from everyday life. They’re also an opportunity for some to see their loved ones or to engage in activities that are difficult to do in everyday life. Observing animals in a safari, discovering archaeological sites or practising a foreign language are activities that produce unique, essential bodily and spiritual sensations different from those produced virtually by metaverse devices.</p>
<p>Moreover, the metaverse, which is in itself a technological development of the Internet, is not yet complete. It requires financial investment and the construction of a regulatory framework to control user behaviour. For when Mark Zuckerberg expresses his desire to create a virtual and alternative world in which users can also travel, we must not lose sight of the fact that users’ data will be put to use. And while some people see the metaverse as a solution to avoid flying and move toward sustainable tourism, the <a href="https://www.myclimate.org/information/faq/faq-detail/what-is-a-digital-carbon-footprint/">digital pollution</a> it will create could well work against this ‘virtuous’ form of tourism.</p>
<p>Although tourism in the metaverse will not be able to replace outdoor experiences, some tourism professionals could use it to promote sites that are not easily accessible or are ignored by tourists, who can discover them virtually.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188858/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Naïma Aïdi ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>How might the metaverse take over tourism, a sector which up to now has required physical mobility?Naïma Aïdi, Doctorante en sciences de l'information et de la communication, rattachée au laboratoire Dicen-IdF. Tourisme et Smart Tourisme, Université Gustave EiffelLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1674502021-09-13T01:43:06Z2021-09-13T01:43:06ZCan an app change Australia’s car culture? Only if all moving parts work together<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420217/original/file-20210909-16-xy6n4q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5300%2C2642&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Getting around an Australian city without a car can be a real hassle. Imagine how much easier it would be if you had the option of combining public transport and shared services — be it bus, train, tram, taxi, car share, electric bicycle or e-scooter — and could book and pay for the lot using a single app. </p>
<p>In Finland, this is already an option. The digital platform <a href="https://whimapp.com/helsinki/nain-se-toimii/">Whim</a> enables you to book and pay for a trip mixing public transport, ferry service, car rental, taxi, shared bike and even e-scooter. </p>
<p>You simply have to enter your destination in the app, and Whim recommends the best options. You can pay on a subscription or pay-as-you-go basis. It’s convenient, flexible and better value than booking each leg separately. </p>
<p>The concept and technology behind Whim is known as <a href="https://maas-alliance.eu/homepage/what-is-maas/">Mobility as a Service</a> — or MaaS. The aim is to promote more sustainable modes of travel and make individual car ownership unnecessary for urban mobility.</p>
<p>Whim has now expanded to the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland. Could such service work in Australia? </p>
<p>MaaS in Australian cities must obviously contend with both supply and demand challenges. On the supply side, challenges include lower population densities with less comprehensive alternatives to private vehicle use. Emulating the success of Whim would also need something like Finlnad’s <a href="https://maas-alliance.eu/2017/11/03/new-legislation-adopted-finland-enable-maas/">national transport law</a>, which requires mobility services to make their data and APIs open to third parties.</p>
<p>On the demand side, Australians have a high rate of car ownership, with fixed costs creating incentives to use those vehicles, rather than alternatives. </p>
<p>Could a MaaS service tempt more Australian to leave the car at home? Our research suggests some room for optimism, with 44% of 331 adults we surveyed saying they would use a MaaS regularly if it was available. But translating that enthusiasm into actual behavioural change will require getting many moving parts to mesh.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/all-your-transport-options-in-one-place-why-mobility-as-a-service-needs-a-proper-platform-157243">All your transport options in one place: why mobility as a service needs a proper platform</a>
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<h2>What our survey found</h2>
<p>We conducted our survey at the end of 2020. Our survey sample was broadly representative of Australian society. There were more women (59%) and people with degrees (40%, compared with <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/education/education-and-work-australia/latest-release">35% of all Australians</a> aged 20-64). About 13% had an annual income of more than $100,000. About 84% owned a car (roughly in line with the rate of car ownership <a href="https://chartingtransport.com/category/car-ownership/">suggested by statistics</a>).</p>
<p>Attitudes towards the MaaS concept were generally very favourable. Of the 144 of 331 participants who said they would use MaaS on a regular basis if it was available, 75% said they would use for social trips, 72% for commuting to work and study, and 66% for general trips (shopping, errands, visiting the doctor etc). </p>
<p>At the last census of Australian’s travel modes (<a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbyreleasedate/7DD5DC715B608612CA2581BF001F8404?OpenDocument">in 2016</a>), 69% drove to work, with another 5% being car passengers, 4% walking and 5% working from home. This means 17% used other modes. In our survey 31% indicated they were open to using MaaS for commuting.</p>
<p>Of course, there is almost always a difference between good intentions and actual behaviour. The phenomenon of response bias in surveys, with the desire to appear pro-social influencing respondents’ answers, is well documented.</p>
<p>Nonetheless our results do suggest MaaS could make a difference in shifting travel habits, not to mention making urban travel much easier for those without cars. </p>
<h2>MaaS in Australia</h2>
<p>Our research underlines the importance of a MaaS service being intuitive, easy to use, reliable, efficient and economical. </p>
<p>This last point has also been shown by the results of the one MaaS trial so far done in Australia. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://imoveaustralia.com/project/project-outcomes/sydney-maas-trial-final-report/">Sydney Maas trial</a>,ran from November 2019 to March 2021 involved 100 employees of insurance company IAG using an app (called Tripi) supplied by MaaS software developer <a href="https://skedgo.com/">Skedgo</a>. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="SkedGo's Tripi app, used for the Sydney Maas trial." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=426&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/420406/original/file-20210910-27-vtkux4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">SkedGo’s Tripi app, used in the Sydney Maas trial.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://skedgo.com/the-sydney-maas-trial/">SkedGo</a></span>
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<p>The trial tested, among other things, users’ willingness to pay, either by subscription or pay as you go, for transport bundles combining public transport, taxi, ride share, car share and car rental.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
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<p>The research was run by the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies at the University of Sydney. The <a href="https://imoveaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/iMOVE-Sydney-MaaS-Trial-Final-Report-March-2021.pdf">final report</a> was published in March 2021. The key outcomes were that MaaS had appeal to car owners and frequent car users, but those most keen were already multi-modal travellers. </p>
<p>Notably the researchers reported:</p>
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<p>Without a (monetary) incentive, travellers appear to see very little value in MaaS in the presence of existing apps that are improving all the time (such as Opal Connect, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and improved technical platforms that facilitate payment in addition to searching and planning) and hence one may not get enough buy-in to make a currently niche product scalable.</p>
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<p>And also:</p>
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<p>While a MaaS app (and hence technical actors) is important, it is only one of the many factors that we need to structure a successful MaaS program/product offer.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
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<p>So while our survey results show enthusiasm about MaaS, we must be cautious about about its current viability to work at scale. More understanding is needed about the design of MaaS, the sustainability of commercial models, the scalability of trials and users’ reactions and behavioural insights.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167450/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Sophia Duan is affiliated with the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, RMIT University. She is a member of the Australian Computer Society, the Association for Information Systems, and the Institute of Analytics Professionals of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Professor Alemayehu Molla is affiliated with the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, RMIT University. He is a Member of the Australian Computer Society and the Association for Information Systems </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Professor Hepu Deng is affiliated with the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, RMIT University. He is a Member of the Australian Computer Society.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Tay is affiliated with the Department of Logistics and Supply Chain at RMIT University. He is Fellow and Life Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineer, a Fellow of the Chartered Institue of Logistics and Transport and a Senior Fellow of the Economic Society of Australia.</span></em></p>Imagine if you had the option of booking and paying for multiple public transport and shared services using a single app.Sophia Duan, Lecturer in Information Systems, RMIT UniversityAlemayehu Molla, Professor of Information Systems, RMIT UniversityHepu Deng, Professor, RMIT UniversityRichard Tay, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1433792020-09-14T12:15:12Z2020-09-14T12:15:12ZFive ways to make your holidays more sustainable<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357490/original/file-20200910-23-1g6f2fp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C119%2C7928%2C5178&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cheerful-dark-skinned-female-traveller-holding-1281959434</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>COVID-19 has resulted in the most severe disruption to the global tourism industry in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1758708">modern times</a>. And although many countries have now reopened to visitors from overseas, the economic impact is likely to be felt for many years. </p>
<p>Prior to the pandemic, awareness had <a href="https://globalnews.booking.com/bookingcom-reveals-key-findings-from-its-2019-sustainable-travel-report/">been growing</a> regarding the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/18/environmental-damage-of-tourism-comes-under-mps-spotlight">environmental sustainability of tourism</a>. From over-consumption of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/20/national-parks-america-overcrowding-crisis-tourism-visitation-solutions">precious resources</a> to the destructive impact on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/22/the-world-needs-wildlife-tourism-but-that-wont-work-without-wildlife">natural habitats</a>, tourism can put enormous strains on <a href="https://theconversation.com/tourists-not-welcome-how-to-tackle-the-issue-of-overtourism-101766">destination communities</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/what-is-overtourism">Overtourism</a> has also been highlighted as an issue in many places. The Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Mount Everest, Majorca, Barcelona and Venice have all <a href="https://theconversation.com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029">felt the affects</a>. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-airlines-feel-the-pressure-of-flight-shaming-and-the-greta-2/">Greta Thunberg’s</a> climate-change activism has added the term “flight shame” to our vocabulary. Her work has encouraged airlines to engage in tree planting or invest in wind farms to offset their carbon emissions, and travellers to think before they fly. </p>
<p>As global restrictions begin to ease, now is a good time to think radically about the purpose of tourism and the way we all travel. This is a chance to <a href="https://unlearn.travel/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Unlearn-Bruce-Poon-Tip.pdf">reset everything</a> we know – and not simply return to business as usual.</p>
<p>Obviously, one of the difficulties is that many of us are used to going wherever we want, whenever we want – which is not sustainable. But a few changes to our travel plans can play a key role in shaping the future of the travel industry. </p>
<p>Below are five suggestions to help you travel in a more purposeful way.</p>
<h2>1. Choose carefully</h2>
<p>Carefully consider your desired destination and avoid places impacted by overtourism. Visiting during off-peak seasons will likely save you money and enhance your overall experience - and let you skip the queues.</p>
<p>It’s also worth thinking about a different type of “holiday” or travel experience. You could volunteer for a <a href="https://sustainabletourism.net/case-studies/companies-and-organizations/ngos/">local NGO</a> or consider travel opportunities that support <a href="https://planeterra.org/what-we-do/our-projects/sisterhood-of-survivors/">marginalised groups</a>, for example.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman in tree house looking out at sea." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=14%2C44%2C4919%2C3240&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357487/original/file-20200910-17-1yyfhdo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Open up your horizons by heading off the tourist trail.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-girl-on-steps-traditional-house-1146883205">PhotoSunnyDays/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>2. Travel slowly</h2>
<p>Travel like Greta to minimise your environmental impact. Travel less for longer, swapping the quantity of experiences for quality. Instead of taking three separate long weekends, why not take just one two-week holiday. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.smartertravel.com/art-slow-travel/#:%7E:text=What%20Is%20Slow%20Travel%3F,and%20traditional%20food%20preparation%20methods.">Slow travel</a> is a mindset. Rather than pursuing Instagram-worthy photos and trying to squeeze as many attractions into your trip as possible, leave your phone at home and explore each destination at your own pace. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Bicycle for rent outside a shop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357492/original/file-20200910-23-vkbq0b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=668&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Make how you travel part of the adventure.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/zanzibar-tanzaniya-july-16-bicycle-rent-509729236">Tatyana Vyc/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Keeping sustainability in mind, it’s also worth considering opportunities that allow you to slowly experience a certain city, country or region while supporting local projects. Try a walking tour that supports previously <a href="https://sockmobevents.wordpress.com/author/sockmobevents/">marginalised locals</a> or rent a <a href="https://planeterra.org/what-we-do/our-projects/belize-bike-with-purpose/">bike with purpose</a> and help to fund educational programmes for local students.</p>
<h2>3. Plan how you spend</h2>
<p>Wherever you go, make sure you seek out local initiatives including local guides and local accommodation providers. This will make sure your money goes directly to people who will benefit from your support.</p>
<p>Sites such as <a href="http://good-travel.org">Good Travel</a> list businesses that prioritise environmental action and support local communities. You can also find out about locally made products sold at local businesses employing local people. This helps to ensure positive impacts remain in the community. </p>
<p>And if you’re thinking of heading to Africa, <a href="http://www.fairtrade.travel/Home/">Fair trade tourism</a> is also a great resource to find out about businesses recognised for promoting responsible practices. Certified businesses range from eco-lodges, resorts, safaris, educational centres, township tours, golf clubs and cruises – so there are a lot of different options to choose from.</p>
<h2>4. Eat like a local</h2>
<p>Food accounts for over a quarter of global <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, so it lies at the heart of tackling climate change, reducing water stress, pollution and restoring land. </p>
<p>There are many ways to minimise your food miles when you travel. For a start, avoid eating at restaurant chains and instead, try to eat like a local. Visit markets, local neighbourhoods or local vendors for your foodie needs.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Ripe fruits stacked at a local fruit and vegetable market." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/357491/original/file-20200910-21-i6u93f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Visit local markets and discover a wealth of different foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nairobi-kenya-february-6-2014-ripe-192912803">Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You could even check out a food tour or meal-sharing host. <a href="https://www.travelingspoon.com/">Traveling Spoon</a> has a whole host of online and in-person cooking classes with locals from around the world. Eating locally supports local jobs and can also teach you about new cuisines.</p>
<h2>5. Immerse yourself</h2>
<p>An immersive type of travel prioritises people over places and avoids overcrowded spaces. This allows you to make real connections and can also help you gain insights about local traditions, cultures and history. For example, you could go trekking with a <a href="https://www.adventurealternative.com/experiences/">local guide</a>, enrol in a language course or attend a local festival or event. </p>
<p>Ultimately, the pandemic has presented an opportunity to rethink and act radically and really consider the actual purpose of tourism. This is not only important from an environmental perspective, but travelling in a more purposeful way is more likely to help support local people in destination communities. And it also helps to contribute to a future where tourism is less harmful to people, places and the planet.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143379/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Here’s how to travel with purpose and be a more responsible tourist.Brendan Paddison, Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, York St John UniversityKarla Boluk, Associate Professor in Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of WaterlooLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1451362020-09-08T11:56:08Z2020-09-08T11:56:08ZCoronavirus showed the way cities fund public transport is broken – here’s how it needs to change<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356808/original/file-20200907-18-t650st.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3926%2C2937&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Masked passengers on the London Underground. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-uk-0724-male-female-passenger-1784024906">Yau Ming Low/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>COVID-19 has triggered a crisis for public transport, as lockdowns caused its use to <a href="https://www.enotrans.org/article/covids-differing-impact-on-transit-ridership/">plummet by 70-90%</a> worldwide. Even as lockdowns ease, buses and trains can only carry <a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14844">15% of the usual number of people</a> due to social distancing requirements – taking the “mass” out of mass transit for the foreseeable future. </p>
<p>For most cities, fewer users mean less fare revenue, triggering a budget crisis just as cities begin to recover from the upheaval caused by coronavirus. The scale of the shortfall is big. Transport for London estimates a <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/07/24/transport-london-seeks-second-bailout-funding-shortfall-widens/">£6.4 billion shortfall</a> in the next two years, and the Hong Kong Mass Transport Railway estimates a <a href="https://sg.news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-mtr-faces-hk-112159260.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS91cmw_c2E9dCZyY3Q9aiZxPSZlc3JjPXMmc291cmNlPW5ld3NzZWFyY2gmY2Q9JnZlZD0wYWhVS0V3alQ0NXlQMHR2cUFoWERtRndLSFpHRERBRVF4ZlFCQ0Q0d0F3JnVybD1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnNnLm5ld3MueWFob28uY29tJTJGaG9uZy1rb25nLW10ci1mYWNlcy1oay0xMTIxNTkyNjAuaHRtbCZ1c2c9QU92VmF3MXR4bFRXREJuaGJvcF80WDNsMWdaVg&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACqUU-iApUFZCQIwDW4c-XP7QC1NnlS8Akjoyukl4nd3sLtr_DEnhAv0vDn8d4wX8t06G0pWbrPmgpO-03gp_oZSlJx3_ZRX1q6iC4iFNLVJxG01q5XOxWB4YxFcB4WBuVEw8W5CIbPNVzJf8eViJQNxez8xfAw3DE8Dvv63BtUO">HK$400m (£39m) net loss</a> for the first half of 2020. </p>
<p>In the midst of the crisis caused by lockdown, the large drop in users meant that cities around the world had to ask repeatedly for bailouts from central or state governments. Instead of these bailouts, permanent reform of public transport funding is needed to reduce reliance on fare revenue and guarantee central government contributions to support a decent level of service.</p>
<p>The social value of public transport also needs to be better understood, so it can meet the wide range of travel needs of the people that rely on it.</p>
<h2>Sustainable options</h2>
<p>Reliable and affordable public transport is essential to address climate change and improve social equity, but it needs sustainable sources of funding. Most of us don’t know exactly how our bus or train rides are paid for. It usually involves a mix of fare revenue, commercial taxes, tolls, and contributions from regional or national government. The mix differs a lot between cities, as shown in the charts below which lay out the operating revenue sources for New York, Paris and London.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/nyregion/coronavirus-nyc-subway-federal-aid-.html">Rescue packages</a> and <a href="https://www.citymetric.com/transport/whats-actually-uk-government-s-bailout-package-transport-london-5170">bailouts</a> helped to bridge funding gaps during lockdown, but the pandemic is showing major flaws in the way that cities fund transit. Reliance on income from fares and a lack of funding almost immediately caused service cuts, at the exact time when public transport was an essential service for key workers to travel to and from work.</p>
<p>COVID-19 also interrupted a boom in sustainable mobility. Lisbon saw a <a href="https://jornaleconomico.sapo.pt/en/news/562-million-to-november-public-transport-passengers-rose-17-in-the-metropolitan-area-of-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Blisbon-529987">17% increase</a> in public transport passengers after introducing a €40 (£36.20) monthly pass in 2019. Paris expanded its cycle network by 300km and saw a <a href="https://www.thelocal.fr/20191016/why-paris-cyclists-are-more-numerous-than-ever">54% increase</a> in cycling in 2019 alone, with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2019/12/28/how-bike-lanes-are-transforming-paris/#23dccc86f620">5% fewer</a> car trips than in 2010. Even in New Zealand, one of the most car-dependent countries in the world, infrastructure upgrades saw the number of rail trips taken in Auckland <a href="https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2018/01/22/aucklands-rail-patronage-past-present-future/">increase by 72%</a> in five years. </p>
<p>However, this boom didn’t benefit everyone. In cities across North America and the UK with social housing shortages and market-driven housing systems, public transport improvements <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/in-order-to-keep-mass-transit-accessible-we-must-understand-the-relationship-between-gentrification-and-public-transportation/">fuelled gentrification</a>, which in turn can displace <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/may/02/poverty-chic-working-class-urban-life-colonised">working class</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6801918/">Black and minority ethnicity</a> residents. </p>
<p>There is an opportunity to go beyond short-term rescue packages to make permanent changes to transit funding, to address social inequalities and catalyse the shift to just and sustainable mobility. </p>
<h2>Social impacts</h2>
<p>In a post-COVID world, public transport isn’t dead, but it must adapt. Social distancing may have <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rush-hour-returns-traffic-up-in-major-cities-8d2tb737p">led to more driving</a>, although this is not inevitable and depends on whether cities <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/nyregion/nyc-streets-parking-dining-busways.html">protect more road space</a> for walking, cycling and public transport. People are travelling less as firms shift to flexible working, students are learning online and more people are opting to <a href="https://www.cityam.com/the-future-of-urban-transport-is-human-powered/">walk or cycle</a> in cities worldwide.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Empty train carriage." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=733&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=733&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/356811/original/file-20200907-18-dsjbow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=733&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An empty carriage on the Hong Kong MTR, May 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hong-kong-may-20-2020-empty-1771489964">Andy Yang98/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, it is possible to return to previous levels of public transport use, by encouraging different travel modes for those who travelled by car before the pandemic. Public transport is still critical for cutting carbon emissions, as well as an essential public service. </p>
<p>If public transport isn’t financially sustainable with existing funding models, we must question the alternative. Is it sustainable to allow a large-scale shift back to private vehicles? The social cost of inadequate or unaffordable public transport is clear. Research on <a href="https://www.poverty.ac.uk/report-transport/transport-poverty-hits-15-million-people">transport poverty</a> shows how unaffordable public transport or dependence on car ownership is a barrier for low-income households to get to work or to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/26/los-angeles-social-mobility-lack-public-transport">access healthcare services</a>.</p>
<h2>Changing the model</h2>
<p>To make sure public transport has sustainable funding in the coming years, the mix of funding from different sources and levels of government must change. </p>
<p>First, a decent baseline level of services must be guaranteed. Service cuts create huge social costs, but this is inevitable if funding relies heavily on fare revenue. Stable revenues like property taxes and commercial income can support this baseline. As local and regional governments must run balanced budgets, central government support is also an essential stopgap to prevent service cuts. </p>
<p>Second, affordable fares, or even <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-08/-safe-streets-are-not-safe-for-black-lives">free transit</a>, helps to retain higher levels of use, and improve accessibility to jobs, education and public services for low-income residents. High fare increases put a burden on low-income households that often don’t have an alternative. </p>
<p>Lastly, we can make better use of funding for public transport by engaging with people who rely on transit to get around the city. Public transport cannot improve social equity without understanding the needs of everyone from office commuters to shift workers, Black, indigenous, and minority ethnicities – including parents, children, disabled and senior citizens. This is under threat if funding is not sustainable after COVID-19.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145136/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jenny McArthur has consulted to New Zealand Transport Agency and Auckland Transport. She has received research funding from Auckland Council, EPSRC and the European Commission. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emilia Smeds receives funding from EPSRC and the European Commission. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rosalie Singerman Ray is affiliated with the Fare Free Transit Coalition in New York City and has conducted research on the possibilities for fare free transit in the U.S. for political candidates. </span></em></p>Instead of repeated bailouts, permanent reform of public transport funding is needed.Jenny McArthur, Lecturer in Urban Infrastructure and Policy, UCLDr Emilia Smeds, Researcher in Urban Governance and Mobility, UCLRosalie Singerman Ray, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Transportation Technology and Society, University of ConnecticutLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1379092020-05-11T15:29:18Z2020-05-11T15:29:18ZHow major cities are trying to keep people walking and cycling<p>COVID-19 has radically changed our travel habits in just a matter of weeks. Walking and cycling are up, as people enjoy their <a href="https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/coronavirus-qa-it-safe-cycle">daily exercise</a> or take essential journeys they might otherwise have made by public transport. Cycle-to-work schemes have seen a 200% increase in the number of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52564351">bicycle orders</a>, while car use is roughly <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/883678/2020-05-06_COVID-19_Press_Conference_Slides.pdf">40% of what it was in mid-February</a> as more people work from home. Air pollution in cities has duly fallen rapidly, with nitrogen oxide pollution down 70% in <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/oxford-road-pollution-levels-coronavirus-18189142">Manchester</a>, England.</p>
<p>Transport is the <a href="https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2020/02/uk-emissions-fall-as-coal-power-shut-off-date-brought-forward/">UK’s most polluting sector</a>, so encouraging more people to keep walking and cycling after the pandemic would <a href="https://theconversation.com/car-dependency-uk-government-cant-cut-driving-and-build-lots-of-roads-at-same-time-134965">benefit the environment</a>, as well as make cities healthier for the people who live in them. </p>
<p>The UK government is preparing to keep social distancing intact once public transport networks resume full service by <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518">reducing the number of passengers</a> by 90% and staggering work times. But the <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/respacing-cities-resilience-covid-19.pdf">International Transport Forum</a> predicts there’ll be a sudden rise in car use after the lockdown is eased, with many people opting to avoid potential exposure to the virus on buses and underground trains. So how can we ensure the positive developments in active travel become permanent features of city life?</p>
<h2>How cities are adapting</h2>
<p>As people change how they work, study and enjoy free time during the pandemic, city authorities are changing how transport can be accessed. Public transport provision in London has dropped due to record low demand, and the London mayor’s office is <a href="https://www.bikebiz.com/mayors-streetspace-plan-could-see-cycling-increased-tenfold-post-lockdown/">developing a plan</a> to enable more people to walk and cycle for essential journeys, by extending footways, restricting driving on shopping streets and adding extra cycle lanes. A £5 million fund has been proposed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to <a href="https://news.tfgm.com/news/leaders-progress-bold-active-travel-plans-as-up-to-gbp-5m-of-emergency-funding-made-available-as-part-of-coronavirus-recovery">carry out the same work here</a>.</p>
<p>Similar schemes are being implemented elsewhere. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/04/22/paris-to-create-650-kilometers-of-pop-up-corona-cycleways-for-post-lockdown-travel/?utm_source=Newsletter+GDPR&utm_campaign=fce7b5c10b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_19_12_28_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f7628c0cad-fce7b5c10b-147465709%234fd547e154d4">Paris has created</a> 650km of new cycle ways, including “<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/pedestrians/pedestrians_and_cyclists_unprotected_road_users/walking_and_cycling_as_transport_modes_en">pop up</a>” options which have widened cycle routes, reducing the space given to cars. In <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/01/city-leaders-aim-to-shape-green-recovery-from-coronavirus-crisis?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other">Milan</a> 22 miles of roads, formally used by cars, have been turned into walking and cycling routes. In the Colombian capital, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/11/world-cities-turn-their-streets-over-to-walkers-and-cyclists">Bogota</a>, officials have made 75 miles of streets free of motorised transport.</p>
<p>These temporary changes could reduce the overall demand for motorised travel well into the future. With cleaner air and stronger social bonds, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-uk-lockdown-end-poll-environment-food-health-fitness-social-community-a9469736.html">fewer than one in ten people</a> want life to return to “normal” after the pandemic. Lowering the number of diesel and petrol vehicles, allowing people more space to walk, run and cycle through city streets and designating <a href="https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/b6e6c7e903e367bb61cb0fa01470f3a9c94c12da36dadbab08bbe13738d83aa0/159951/Wood%2520%2526%2520Smyth%25202019_author%2520copy.pdf">more green space for residents</a> to enjoy could make urban areas permanently happier.</p>
<h2>Barriers to change</h2>
<p>To head off this danger of a return to heavier car use, the UK government recently pledged <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52600708">a £250 million emergency fund</a> to create pop-up cycle lanes, widen pavements and create walking and cycling only streets across England. In the long term, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps promised a £2 billion national cycling plan, which includes legal changes to protect road users and at least one “zero emissions city”, where the centre would be for bikes and electric vehicles only.</p>
<p>Research suggests that 58% of car journeys in the UK <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/pedestrians/pedestrians_and_cyclists_unprotected_road_users/walking_and_cycling_as_transport_modes_en">are shorter than 5km</a>, so walking or cycling could be the main alternative for many city dwellers. That’s how people in Denmark got around while still maintaining social distancing. <a href="https://www.shine.cn/news/world/2005037442/">More Danes are cycling</a> than ever, but a cycling culture had already existed in the country for a long time. </p>
<p>Cultural changes can take a long time to take root. A lasting transformation of city streets will need careful planning and buy-in from the public. The enjoyment that many have taken from quieter streets during their daily exercise could produce a cultural shift towards more active travel and less car use in the UK. But in coming weeks and months, clear guidance from the government on using transport safely and efforts to build the infrastructure for walkers, runners and cyclists will be critical to making it stick. Reshaping cities to allow people more space to walk and cycle will help lay the ground for permanent change.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=140&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/263883/original/file-20190314-28475-1mzxjur.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=176&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/imagine-newsletter-researchers-think-of-a-world-with-climate-action-113443?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=TCUKengagement&utm_content=Imagineheader1137909">Click here to subscribe to our climate action newsletter. Climate change is inevitable. Our response to it isn’t.</a></em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137909/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As lockdowns ease off, there is a danger that the old city traffic jams will soon be back with a vengeance.Nick Davies, Lecturer and Programme Leader, BA International Tourism and Events Management, Glasgow Caledonian UniversityClare Cornes, PhD Candidate in Sustainable Mobility, University of SalfordGraeme Sherriff, Research Fellow in Urban Studies, University of SalfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1138802019-04-11T21:28:29Z2019-04-11T21:28:29ZBetter city bike maps are made by volunteers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266369/original/file-20190328-139377-36ocka.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A safe, connected network of bike lanes and paths encourages cycling.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Not all bike routes are equal. Some places that are marked as bike routes on a map feel precarious when traversed on two wheels, including shoulders covered in debris and places where you can feel the wind from speeding cars. </p>
<p>North American cities are building <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2017.1340234">more bicycling routes</a>, by adding <a href="https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/">on-street painted lanes, physically separated cycle tracks, bicycle-only or multi-use paths and local street bikeways</a>. These different kinds of routes appeal to different types of users, from the interested but concerned cyclist to the keen road rider. </p>
<p>Despite this boost in biking infrastructure, a city’s website may not immediately reflect the changes or it may lack important information that can make cycling safer or more enjoyable.</p>
<p>Web-based maps that allow people to add information about bike routes give riders detailed data about the type of route, what it might feel like to ride there (do you have to ride close to cars?) and where it can take them (for example, shopping, work or school). </p>
<p>They can also tell us which Canadian city is the most bike-friendly. </p>
<h2>Measuring bike routes</h2>
<p>We set out to assemble a dataset of bike routes in Canadian cities using their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441647.2015.1084067">open data websites</a>. But we found it was nearly impossible to keep it up-to-date because cities are constantly changing and the data are shared using different standards. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A physically separated cycle track in Victoria, B.C.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">E. Gatti (TeamInteract.ca)</span></span>
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<p>The solution was <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org">OpenStreetMap</a>, which <a href="https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page">creates and distributes free geographic data</a>. Anyone can add data or make edits to OpenStreetMap, whether they want to build a better bike map or make a navigation app. </p>
<p>We looked at OpenStreetMap data for three large cities (Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal) and three mid-sized cities (Victoria, Kelowna and Halifax) in Canada. </p>
<p>Not only did the data in OpenStreetMap agree reasonably well with the cities’ open data, in many cases it was more up-to-date. OpenStreetMap tended to include more local details such as when painted bike lanes ended and often marked the short cuts connecting suburban streets. </p>
<h2>How did OpenStreetMap measure up?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2018.1519746">analysis focused</a> on how well different types of routes were mapped. We measured cycle tracks (which physically separate bikes from motorized traffic), on-street painted bike lanes (which use painted lines to separate bikes from motorized traffic), bike paths (which are located away from streets) and local street bikeways (which include traffic-calming features and where bicycling is encouraged).</p>
<p>Painted bike lanes are the most common type of route and also the most consistently well mapped. This makes sense, because the definition of a painted bike lane may be clearest across time and place. There is also a straightforward way for volunteers to tag it on OpenStreetMap. </p>
<p>But it was harder for us to distinguish cycle tracks from on-street painted lanes or paths (bicycle-only or multi-use) using OpenStreetMap. Local street bikeways were challenging to identify because of the wide range of ways cities design these kinds of routes along residential roads. Some use traffic-calming measures such as curb extensions, traffic islands, speed humps and raised traffic crossings to slow vehicle traffic and encourage safety, or greenery, reduced speed limits and bike-friendly markings on signs and the road surface.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Correspondence between OpenStreetMap and Open Data for categories of bicycling infrastructure.</span>
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<p>Bicycle routes that are physically separated from motor vehicles and pedestrians, like cycle tracks and bicycle-only paths, have the <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300762">greatest benefits for bicycling safety</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-010-9284-y">encourage bike use</a>. </p>
<p>Ease of access to bicycle routes is important to a city’s overall bicycle friendliness, but there are other important things to consider including the <a href="https://www.walkscore.com/bike-score-methodology.shtml">distance to destinations, the number, slope and length of hills, number of riders</a> and how the <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/news?id=141968">transportation culture of a city can influence its safety</a>. </p>
<h2>Bike-friendly Canadian cities</h2>
<p>Our results showed that Montréal has the <a href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/05/is-montreal-still-north-americas-cycling-capital/527214/">greatest total distance in cycle tracks in Canada</a>. As cities continue building more bicycle routes, researchers and planners can use OpenStreetMap to measure these changes on the ground. </p>
<p>The perfect bicycle map is up-to-date, covers the entire globe and gives riders an idea of the kinds of experiences to expect on different trails, roads and paths. People cycling in cities can contribute to the high-quality geographic data needed to understand changes in bicycle friendliness. </p>
<p>But OpenStreetMap is only as good as its contributions. The exciting thing is that anyone who wants a better bike map — city planners, researchers and everyday riders — can join the bike-mapping revolution by logging in to OpenStreetMap and mapping the features that are important to bicyclists.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113880/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colin Ferster receives funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Meghan Winters receives funding for bicycling research from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and local goverment and public health organizations. </span></em></p>Volunteers can contribute data to maps that help cyclists choose their routes and let planners know how city cycling can be improved.Colin Ferster, Post-doctoral fellow, University of VictoriaMeghan Winters, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1151232019-04-11T14:57:21Z2019-04-11T14:57:21ZFlying cars could cut emissions, replace planes, and free up roads – but not soon enough<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268618/original/file-20190410-2909-1cjdqz5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An artist's impression of a flying car.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/pesonal-air-vehicle-flying-above-cityscape-449659522?src=1nZm1N6SBJLavVF0xksmPg-1-2">Costazzurra/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitty_Chitty_Bang_Bang">Chitty Chitty Bang Bang</a> was released 50 years ago, flying cars were a flight of fancy. Now, these futuristic vehicles are entering the outer fringes of reality. According to a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09426-0">Nature</a>, for some journeys flying cars could eventually be greener than even electric road cars, cutting emissions while also reducing traffic on increasingly busy roads.</p>
<p>However, gaps in necessary technology and practical uncertainties beyond the cars’ promising physics mean that they may not arrive in time to be a large-scale solution to the energy crisis and congestion – if at all.</p>
<h2>How to make a car fly</h2>
<p>It might at first seem crazy that a flying car could be more efficient than a road car, especially when conventional planes have such a reputation as gas guzzlers. But flying isn’t inherently inefficient – after all, birds can fly between continents without eating. Of course, a small, four-passenger car isn’t an albatross, but it isn’t a Boeing 737 either.</p>
<p>There are many ways to make a car fly, but most are too problematic to get off the ground. Perhaps the most promising option is that taken in this study, based on the physics of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. They’re pretty amazing beasts.</p>
<p>If you’ve heard of VTOL, something like a Harrier Jump Jet probably springs to mind, with two huge engines directing thrust that can be tilted vertically or horizontally. But these much smaller and lighter flying cars operate differently, with lots of tiny electric fans blowing air from many places. This fast-developing distributed electric propulsion (DEP) technology is key for efficiency when cruising, and it also creates possibilities for quieter take-off and hovering, as multiple small noise sources can be better managed.</p>
<p>Wing and propeller design can also be optimised to be long, thin, and have lots of moving surfaces, just as birds do to make their flying efficient. The aim of all of these technical enhancements is to achieve maximum lift for minimum drag – the force that opposes an object’s motion through air and slows it down. A better lift-to-drag ratio means lower power consumption, and therefore lower emissions.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">NASA’s Greased Lightning VTOL prototype in testing.</span></figcaption>
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<p>These energy-saving innovations make cruising a breeze – but they don’t help much with take-off, hovering, or landing, which are still inherently inefficient. So while VTOL flying vehicles are still viable for short intra-city travel and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/dominos-has-delivered-the-worlds-first-ever-pizza-by-drone-to-a-new-zealand-couple.html">pizza deliveries</a>, they will not solve the energy crisis.</p>
<p>For 100km journeys, electric flying vehicles could be 35% more efficient than a petrol-powered car – although, assuming the same number of passengers, still less efficient than an electric road car. However, it’s fair to assume that flying cars will serve primarily as taxi services in pre-defined air corridors, and are therefore likely to consistently carry more people. Taking this into account, for a 100km journey flying car emissions could be 6% less than those of electric road cars.</p>
<p>As journey distance increases, so too do the efficiency gains over stop-start road cars, which have to deal with rolling resistance and less efficient airflow. But unfortunately, range is the Achilles heel for electric aviation. The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09426-0">study</a> looks at a range of up to about 200km and here flying cars could perform well. But while jet-fuelled planes can lose as much as 70% of their weight during flight (albeit at a cost of 100kg of CO₂ per passenger per hour), batteries don’t get lighter as they discharge. This means that beyond 200km or so, carrying batteries becomes a distinct disadvantage.</p>
<p>The accepted view is that electric planes will only ever be viable for <a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/3/1/18241489/electric-batteries-aircraft-climate-change">short-haul flights</a>. It’s energy density that matters, measured in watt-hours per kilogram. Right now, the best batteries provide around 250 W-h/kg, a mere shadow of jet fuel and gasoline’s 12,000 W-h/kg. Batteries could creep up to 800 W-h/kg by the middle of this century, increasing their feasible range to 700 miles – half of all global flights fall within this distance. But without more dramatic innovation in battery technology, biofuels and liquid fuel from air-capture of CO₂ will likely need to play a substantial role in long-haul air travel.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Coming soon to a sky near you.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Problems in practice</h2>
<p>In focusing entirely on the physics of flying cars, the paper steers clear of a number of practicalities that must be considered before we embrace VTOL flying cars as a sustainable form of transport for the future. For example, it is important to consider the carbon costs of production, maintenance and down time, known as Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA). Electric vehicles have been criticised for both the energy and environmental costs of mining primary materials for batteries, such as lithium and cobalt. Added infrastructure required for flight may worsen the problem for flying cars. And of course, a grid powered by low-carbon sources is essential to make battery-powered vehicles part of the solution to our climate crisis.</p>
<p>Aircraft also have highly stringent criteria for maintenance and downtime, which can often <a href="https://www.mro-network.com/aerospace-materials/cost-maintaining-composites-can-offset-performance-gains">offset gains</a> in performance and emissions. As an entirely new breed of planes, it’s impossible to predict how much it might cost to keep them air-worthy. Unforeseen maintenance complications can cost billions – just ask <a href="https://theconversation.com/boeing-737-max-how-much-could-the-grounded-fleet-cost-the-company-114863">Boeing</a>. </p>
<p>Finally, weather matters. A tailwind of 35mph reduces power use and emissions by 15%, but a 35mph headwind increases them by 25%. Having to carry heavy extra batteries to avoid the potential catastrophe of running out of charge before encountering a suitable landing place could offset emissions savings. Road cars, by contrast, can easily pull over to the side of the road when needed, without consequence.</p>
<p>So when it comes down to CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometre, at present these advanced DEP flying cars are at best comparable to their road-going electric equivalents, and, at worst, little better than conventional combustion cars. With technology and safety improvements, they could yet play a part in our fossil-fuel-free future, taking short-haul planes out of our skies and freeing up fume-filled roads. The question on everyones’ lips is whether these flying cars will be ready in time to make a jot of difference to our very pressing energy crisis. Can we wait 30 years?</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hugh Hunt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With further technology required and practical uncertainties, time is running out for them to be useful in the fight against climate change.Hugh Hunt, Reader in Engineering Dynamics and Vibration, University of CambridgeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.