SMAPE's Exploration of Europe's Shared Mobility Landscape
With partners from seven countries, including Belgium, Germany, Norway, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, and Romania, the Shared Mobility Action Programmes Exchange (SMAPE) project aims to improve seven policy instruments by focusing on shared mobility. To expand knowledge, exchange ideas and share experiences about shared mobility solutions, the SMAPE project recently organised the first of a series of meetings and invited a group of experts to discuss its impacts
Rebecca Karbaumer from the City of Bremen provided a detailed overview of shared mobility impacts. Drawing insights from the Share North project and the Planner's Guide to the Shared Mobility Galaxy, she outlined various shared mobility possibilities, such as carsharing, bikesharing, shared micro-mobility, ride sharing, ride sourcing, and shared space. Rebecca emphasised the numerous benefits of shared mobility, including increased travel options, reduced emissions and congestion, and fostering healthier and more affordable travel modes. However, she also acknowledged potential drawbacks, such as restrictions to public space accessibility and competition with other sustainable travel modes. Rebecca stressed the necessity for clearer shared mobility policies in cities and regions, highlighting the importance of quality standards, realistic expectations, and flexibility for the effective development of these services.
Gunnar Nehrke, a representative of the Bundesverband CarSharing, presented data on the impact of carsharing on car traffic and greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. He showcased the positive impact car sharing has had, with numerous municipalities, operators, and shareable cars in circulation. Studies conducted in inner-city residential areas of Cologne and Frankfurt am Main revealed that one carsharing vehicle could potentially replace up to 20 privately-owned cars. Gunnar mentioned a study estimating that 4.1 to 6.7 million tons of greenhouse gases could be prevented if households in Germany replaced privately-owned cars with carsharing services. The car replacement ratio varies across cities, from a single shared car replacing 5 private vehicles in some cities to 20 in others.
Johannes Rodenbach from Autodelen.net discussed the impact of car sharing in Belgium. He highlighted that car-sharing users predominantly fall into two categories: free-floating and roundtrip. However, the usage of shared cars shows a more balanced spread. Car sharing could potentially replace a significant number of private cars, ranging from 3.1 private cars per free-floating car to 9.5 private cars per roundtrip car. Johannes emphasised that car sharing contributes to creating more liveable cities and fosters more active travel behaviour.
Dr Patrick Utz from CoMoUK concluded the presentations by focusing on the impact of bike and e-scooter sharing in changing travel habits. Micromobility plays a significant role in attracting new users and bridging the gender gap. While e-scooters are often seen as a replacement for walking, bike sharing is viewed as an alternative to car usage. Making the shift towards micro-mobility more inclusive and sustainable for the long term was highlighted as an important goal.
The SMAPE meeting concluded with a shared vision among consortium members and stakeholders regarding the need to plan for shared mobility in cities throughout Europe and prepare to embrace a future driven by sustainable and efficient transportation, supported by improved shared mobility policies.