Google Maps and the Encouragement of Urban Pollution: The Issue of Car Use as Default Introduction: Google Maps has become an essential tool for people across the globe to navigate through cities and towns. Although it offers various means of transportation options, the app has car use set as its default mode. This seemingly innocent default setting may actually be encouraging urban pollution by promoting the use of cars. This argument will be supported by three main points: the influence of default settings, the environmental impact of car use, and the overlooked alternatives to driving. Poin ..read more

Google Maps encourages car use over active travel. Including cycling and walking, EVEN When they are more suitable than using a car. Mobile phones with Google Maps installed, it's important to note that Google Maps comes pre-installed on most Android devices, which represent a significant share of the smartphone market. Additionally, many iOS users also choose to download and use Google Maps on their iPhones. Shifting the Focus to Active Travel: Why Google Maps Should Prioritise Walking and Biking Over Cars Introduction: Over the past decade, Google Maps has become an essential tool for milli ..read more

We have talked quite a bit as to the future development of the micromobility space in the UK. We have continued to see money go into Escooter trails with mixed results. However, the stand out success of ebike free floating rentals shows the future is not with the Escooters, rather it is with Ebikes. Ebikes come in many different forms, including cargo ebikes. Riding ebikes is considered smarter and more sophisciated than the long maligned escooter rider. Who even in the political discussions are considered to be rule breakers. Whereas ebikes are considered to be smart. On the ground you can se ..read more

Cargo Bikes are the solution for much of the urban transport challenges facing the UK. The widest block in the development of cargo bike use in the UK is the definition of the what can be a untaxed, uninsured vehicle that can use the road. With Europe it is 750 KW/h pedal assit motor, while in the UK it is 250 KW/L. Defined by the 1988 transport act. There has been attempts in the last Government to update the act. Mostly led by Baroness Vere which includes the update of the escooter laws. In our previous blog posts we have discussed how the escooter laws are about to change. Cargo Bikes are ..read more

Ebike Tourism, renting ebikes for a week in a similar fashion to boating is something the UK has yet to take off in a serious manner. So much of the UK's popular coastal tourism regions are hilly and are ill suiited for normal bikes. They have a small roads that struggle with the inlux of traffic for short periods of the year. Could the medium term Ebike rental in tourist areas provide a new form of low impact tourism and bring biking to areas that previously didnt have it. To test this theory we took two ebikes to one of the hilliest parts of England. South Devon along the river dart is famou ..read more

London's Micromobility strategy: There is something peculiar about how different micromobility firms are operating in London. There seems to be so many restrictions on usage of the ebikes, which are not licensed by central government unlike Escooters. Councils take a sensible view of as long as they are not in the way of pedestrian walkways, they actually run Ebike schemes that micromobility firms can pitch for to help councils reach their net zero targets. So why is it that micromobility firms in London choose to restrict Ebike usage almost as much as Escooters? A liberal apporach to Ebike ar ..read more

What has been clear over the past few weeks of micromobility conferences in the UK. Along with local elections in May is the political capital for low traffic neighbourhoods aka pedestrianisation goes hand in hand with the rise of micromobility. What we know for sure is the UK's micromobility laws are currently been sculpted to go to Parliment in 2023. A little later than hoped, due to the pandemic. While the Government is providing grants for high street renewals. Which include limiting traffic to improve the high street environment. Plus and possibly more profound is the rise of low traffic ..read more

HumanForest, London's micromobility firm is set to roll out its shared e-moped service in London from January. This will be the first company in the country to have a shared e-moped fleet. It will c consist of 100 vehicles, to be deployed across the capital, with numbers going up to 200 during the year. The new fleet will be supported by an ad network. Along with the usual pay and play. Which sits along side their ebike micromobility offering. “Our e-mopeds will be good for people and businesses looking to move around London in an affordable and sustainable way, helping to reduce air pollution ..read more

What has been clear over the past few weeks of micromobility conferences in the UK. Along with local elections in May is the political capital for low traffic neighbourhoods aka pedistrastion goes hand in hand with the rise of micromobility. What we know for sure is the UK's micromobility laws are currently been sculpted to go to Parliment in 2023. A little later than hoped, due to the pandemic. While the Government is providing grants for high street renewals. Which include limiting traffic to improve the high street environment. Plus and possibly more profound is the rise of low traffic neig ..read more

The University of Warwick's WMG hosted a highly focussed micromobility one day conference. Bringing together the protagonists of this new and exciting industry. The conference launched the WMG Micromobility road map. You can find the Micromobility road map here. A broad list of micromobility companies presenting through the day along the transport minister who gave the opening speech. There was some excellent examples of the UK's innovation. Especially illstracting the support groups and inncabators of these light weight, emission free vehicles. Including the Niche Vehicle Network and Catapult ..read more