THEME OF THE FORTNIGHT
URBAN MOBILITY
REPORTS
Urban Mobility Readiness Index Report 2024
Authors: Guillaume Thibault, Andreas Nienhaus, Alexandre Bayen, Matthieu De Clercq, and Ludovic Cartigny
Publication Details: Oliver Wyman Forum, in partnership with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, 2024
This report discusses the transformative impact of technology on urban mobility, highlighting the role of cities in adapting to new mobility solutions like autonomous vehicles and AI. It emphasizes the importance of investing in innovative technologies to enhance affordability, efficiency, and meet climate goals. The sixth edition of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index introduces a new Technology Adoption sub-index alongside existing ones focused on Public Transit and Sustainable Mobility. Ranking 70 cities, it offers valuable benchmarks and customized recommendations to guide urban mobility improvements for business and policy leaders.
Sustainable Mobility: Policy Making for Data Sharing
Authors: Aman Chitkara and Grace Chen
Publication Details: World Bank - Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4AllTM) initiative, February 2021
The report highlights that data sharing among diverse stakeholders is pivotal to achieving sustainable urban mobility. A collaborative approach involving policymakers, governments, citizens, businesses, civil society, and academia is necessary to define a shared vision and ensure data sharing aligns with specified purposes while adhering to principles of purpose specification and data minimization. This is especially critical for business-to-government (B2G) data transfers and individual citizen data.
The report emphasizes creating shared social, environmental, and economic value through data sharing fosters inclusivity and accelerates progress. Policymakers play a vital role in designing equitable and competitive ecosystems that consider stakeholders’ varied capacities. Skill development in advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing is essential to enhance data processing and sharing capabilities. Governments should provide incentives to local authorities to bridge knowledge gaps and implement national priorities effectively.
The report suggests that harmonization across jurisdictions, coupled with local customization, enables the scalability and adaptability of data-sharing models. National or international frameworks can facilitate interoperability and cost efficiency, breaking down silos across organizations, departments, and governments. Trust frameworks—standardized legal and contractual agreements—are essential to ensure equitable outcomes and align data-sharing practices with the shared vision.
Policymakers should adopt iterative and adaptive processes, leveraging demonstration projects, regulatory sandboxes, and fast-failure methods to refine data-sharing models. Starting with priority objectives and gradually scaling up ensures a robust and resilient foundation for long- term success in sustainable urban mobility.
Read More: https://www.mobiliseyourcity.net/sites/default/files/2021- 10/policymakingfordatasharing.pdf
Transforming the Urban Space through Transit-Oriented Development: The 3V Approach
Authors: Serge Salat and Gerald Ollivier
Publication Details: Open Knowledge Repository, World Bank Group, 2017
Mass transit systems significantly shape urban form and influence the distribution of economic density over time. Central, high-traffic stations play a pivotal role in this process, requiring targeted Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) planning. Feedback loops between transit networks and density patterns reinforce each other, creating a lock-in effect that moulds cities into networks with emergent locations. A compact urban form with core and polycentric centres, well-linked by transit, depends on well-designed mass transit networks. However, integrating economic, transport, and land use planning is complex due to differing perspectives across agencies. Clear city-level accessibility objectives, like Singapore’s goal of ensuring 80% of residents live within a 10-minute walk from a train station by 2030, can guide such integration. The World Bank’s Community of Practice on TOD developed the 3V Framework — a methodology based on the Node, Place, and Market Potential value of each station to facilitate TOD at metropolitan and urban scales.
The 3V Framework identifies the economic potential of transit corridors and station areas, recommends public resource allocation for TOD, and creates a unified development vision. This framework helps align TOD strategies at multiple levels and equips policymakers with data to synchronize transit, land use, and economic goals, enabling equitable urban growth and informed infrastructure planning.
Read More: https://hdl.handle.net/10986/26405
Investing for Momentum in Active Mobility
Authors: Claudia Adriazola-Steil, Hannah Ohlund, and Siba El-Samra of the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Felipe Targa and Giovanni Zayas of the World Bank Group
Publication Details: World Bank Group, October 2021
The discussion paper provides an overview of the benefits and opportunities of active mobility for enhancing accessibility and mitigating climate change, while also addressing broader health and equity considerations. It highlights the potential of active mobility to create more inclusive and sustainable urban environments. The paper briefly outlines effective infrastructure options for promoting walking and cycling and delves into strategies for financing and investing in active mobility to achieve and sustain significant adoption rates globally, with a particular focus on developing countries. The exploration of financing mechanisms is structured across four key dimensions:
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Local Finance and Policies: Examining how local governments can implement policies and allocate resources to encourage investments in walking and cycling infrastructure.
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National-Level Finance Initiatives: Discussing the role of national programs and funding schemes in scaling active mobility efforts.
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International and Multilateral Finance: Investigating the contributions of global and regional financial institutions in supporting active mobility initiatives.
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Private Sector Funding: Exploring opportunities for leveraging private sector investment to promote bicycle use and pedestrian infrastructure.
By addressing these dimensions, the paper underscores the importance of coordinated efforts across multiple stakeholders to foster active mobility as a key solution for sustainable urban development and equitable access to transportation.
RESEARCH PAPERS
Moving Millions: A Recipe to Make Urban Mobility Work
Authors: Nikolaus Lang, Markus Hagenmaier, Arturs Smilkstins, Sebastian Sackmann, Vladislav Boutenko, Richard Sargeant, Emmanuele Benatti, and Johannes Wahl
Publication Details: Boston Consulting Group, November 2024
The article, "Moving Millions: A Recipe to Make Urban Mobility Work," addresses the pressing challenges urban centers face due to congestion, accidents, and emissions. It highlights that drivers in the world's ten most congested cities lose approximately 130 hours annually to traffic jams, with London drivers losing about 148 hours yearly. Additionally, over 1.3 million people die annually from road traffic accidents, a problem particularly severe in emerging cities like Bangalore, where the fatality rate is about three times higher than in high-income cities. Furthermore, more than 90% of the urban population lives in conditions that do not meet WHO health standards, with car-centric cities like Riyadh experiencing emissions levels more than five times above the WHO limit.
The article outlines a six-step "recipe" for cities to transition trips from private motorised transport to public and active mobility:
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Diagnostics, Vision, and Ambition: Assess the current mobility landscape and establish a comprehensive vision for improvement.
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Program Definition and Prioritization: Develop and prioritize initiatives across various transport modes and policy enablers to achieve the set vision.
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Quick Wins: Implement immediate, no-regret actions that provide quick benefits and build momentum for further changes.
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Mid- and Long-Term Initiatives: Plan and execute more complex projects that offer a substantial, lasting impact.
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Digital Twins: Utilize digital simulations to predict the effects of proposed initiatives, enabling data-driven decision-making.
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Organization and Communication: Ensure the city's organizational structure supports the transformation and maintains transparent communication to gain public support.
By following this structured approach, the article suggests that cities can effectively address urban mobility challenges, leading to more sustainable and efficient transportation systems.
Infrastructure Technologies: Challenges and Solutions for Smart Mobility in Urban Areas
Authors: Riccardo Boin, Timo Möller, Vadim Pokotilo, Andrea Ricotti, and Nicola Sandri
Publication Details: McKinsey & Company, McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics, and Infrastructure practice and the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, March 2023
The article highlights the challenges and opportunities in implementing smart mobility solutions in urban areas. It discusses the increasing complexity of traffic systems due to growing urban populations, changing mobility patterns, and the need for sustainable decarbonization. The article also emphasizes the importance of leveraging digital technologies, infrastructure upgrades, and a collaborative approach to address urban mobility issues. It provides case examples to show how cities can adapt technologies and innovations tailored to their specific needs and local regulations.
Place-based Sustainable Urban Mobility: A Conceptual Framework to Spark Local Designs
Authors: Kostas Galanakisa, Helen Heinzb, and Clemens Marggraf
Publication Details: Taylor & Francis Online Journal, September 2024
Sustainable urban mobility transitions consider the transportation needs of users, utilities, local contexts, regional development, and social inclusivity. This research explores the complexities involved and outlines a conceptual framework based on the 'avoid, shift, improve' planning approach with place-based considerations. Case studies from Durham, Nottingham, and London highlight local priorities, governance, and investment needs, demonstrating the importance of coordinated collaboration between public and private stakeholders to promote mobility alternatives, improve infrastructure, and address investment challenges.
Read More: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00343404.2024.2406290?needAccess=true
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