Highlands Ranch, Colorado — June 25, 2019 — A report released today by Arcadis (EURONEXT: ARCAD), the leading global design and consultancy for natural and built assets, shows that people-centric mobility is key to improving future quality of life for citizens around the world. Arcadis looks at people-centric mobility through three lenses: connected, sustainable and optimized mobility.
The report, titled “Future Mobility is People-Centric,” advises decision-makers in the field of urban mobility to focus investments on the end-user’s benefit. If they don’t, their overly congested state of mobility will deteriorate, with major consequences for livability and viability of cities.
Smart investment in core mobility (i.e. rail) combined with the adaptation and integration of the right new technologies (i.e. data analysis, Mobility as a Service [MaaS]) and micro-mobility solutions can rejuvenate any city’s transportation offerings. It will provide tailor-made journeys for public transit users.
Cities investing in a people-centric combination of optimized mobility, connectivity and sustainability will have a competitive advantage. The “first and last mile,” which describes the movement of people from home to a transportation hub, from the hub to a destination (home, workplace, school, restaurant, etc.), and back again, is a crucial component of a commuter’s journey. Find out more.
Optimized mobility aims to elevate the value of the full asset ecosystem in a city to its highest level, which requires an understanding of three things:
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- Citizen wants and needs
- Existing infrastructure
- Data knowledge
With the development of new technologies and smart use of data, it is possible to connect people, places and goods across all transport modes in cities in a seamless way.
Connected mobility creates a seamless, flexible and integrated experience to benefit travelers based on technology and data management. Apps or platforms allow a user to choose the most cost-friendly and efficient mode of travel. The data gathered and shared through such platforms will improve cities’ strategic decision-making and operational performance, while mitigating inequalities.
Sustainability is a vital thread that supports future mobility. Many new forms of mobility (i.e. Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, motorised bikes, etc.) are more sustainable. New modes of low carbon transportation will impact every stage of commuting, but particularly the first and last mile.
“People-centric mobility is about the commuter — the person undertaking a journey on a daily basis,” states John Batten, Arcadis’ Global Cities Director. “We want to make that experience more sustainable, more connected and more efficient. Cities need to understand what these changes will mean for current infrastructure assets, and how to plan for the future to truly make their mobility more people-centric. Their future success and the wellbeing of their citizens largely depends on the investments made now in the field of people-centric mobility.”