The International Transport Forum (ITF) has called on governments to prioritise micromobility over cars to minimise pollution and meet sustainability goals.
In a newly released report, the think tank has detailed what changes can be made to encourage people to leave cars at home in favour of sustainable transport modes.
Allocating more road infrastructure and parking spaces to micromobility was the number one recommendation from the IFT.
According to the organisation, space should be reallocated to public transport, pedestrians and micromobility. The report stated: “The emergence of shared micromobility has increased demands for redistributing space.
“Expanding dedicated cycling lanes to accommodate e-scooters, e-bikes and similar micro-vehicles will do much to make these safer, and also perceived as safe, thus making micromobility a much more attractive alternative to cars.”
The ITF’s findings were welcomed by micromobility operator Voi. Regional general manager, Richard Corbett, said: “This report echoes our mission statement and recommends causes we’ve been championing since launch.
“It’s a significant and positive step towards a cleaner, safer, more sustainable future to see such a well-regarded think tank, associated with a highly influential group of 37 countries, make such recommendations.”
Furthermore, the study echoed the IFT’s Safe Micromobility report, which was published earlier this year and indicated that a lack of dedicated e-scooter lanes had led to the perception that e-scooters are unsafe for riders and other road users.
Corbett added: “We believe it’s crucial to reallocate space in cities and build better lanes for all lightweight travellers. This will make our streets safer and offer more space for the local community to thrive. By sharing data with cities, we help with improving the understanding of traffic flows.
“And by integrating with public transport in many cities, we further improve the accessibility and flexibility of urban transport, presenting a viable alternative to short car rides. We’re confident that these recommendations and this report will kickstart the next stage towards reclaiming our cities.”
