ZBEs cause travel difficulties for 50% of citizens
How has mobility evolved over the last 10 years? Have our travel habits in urban environments really changed?
The increased adoption of shared transport modes, the integration of on-demand transport through mobile applications, the implementation of more efficient and sustainable public transport systems or the expansion of electric mobility in charging infrastructures demonstrate that this is the case.
The continued increase in population concentration in large urban centres poses an environmental challenge that triggers the search for more sustainable and technologically advanced solutions.
⏩ Coinciding with our 10th Anniversary, @Juan Manuel Mogarra, CEO of iPark, analyses with @Patxi Fernández of @ABC Motor the results of our study ‘Evolution and new mobility habits in cities’ and the role of parking as a sustainable alternative.
ZBEs cause mobility difficulties for 50% of citizens
Two out of three Spaniards have changed their urban mobility habits in the last 10 years
The implementation of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in urban areas is one of the concerns of Spaniards in terms of mobility. Although 60% of those surveyed consider it necessary to limit private vehicle traffic, 50% recognise that these measures will change their mobility habits and admit that it may make it more difficult for them to travel.
While 54% of respondents say they would opt to increase the use of public transport to travel to areas where the ZBE have been implemented, 17% plan to continue using their own vehicle using authorised car parks. In addition to travelling on foot, which is the main option for 18% of Spaniards, the use of taxis, VTC and other micromobility alternatives such as bicycles and scooters will be options chosen by 11% of the population.
This is one of the main conclusions of the study “Evolution and new mobility habits in cities” prepared by iPark. Through a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 people between 25 and 70 years old, the company – which is celebrating its first ten years in the market – reveals in this study key aspects of changes in mobility habits in cities, as well as the perception of the implementation of Low Emission Zones (LEZ), parking lots or the future of the electric vehicle, among other issues.
Thus, 22% of the population say they move around cities less than 10 years ago and 50% say they do so more on foot. However, regarding the evolution of the use of means of transport in these last ten years, 44% of the population say that they have increased the use of public transport, while 22% say they use private vehicles more than before. Around 13% say they use means such as bicycles and scooters, followed by the increase in the use of taxis and vehicles with driver (VWDs) -10%-, as well as shared mobility -6%-.
In this dynamic context of changes, the upcoming implementation of Low Emission Zones in urban centres, planned for 2024, is one of the concerns of Spaniards in terms of mobility.
Park and ride parking as a sustainable alternative
This same study covers the perception and role of parking in regulated parking areas. According to the results, almost half of those surveyed who use their private car in city centres – 47% – choose to park in private car parks, compared to 22% who prefer to use regulated parking areas on the street. Around 31% park nearby and travel on foot.
According to Juan Manuel Mogarra, CEO of iPark, “parking lots have become something more than just a place to park your car.” According to the executive, especially in large cities such as Madrid, where many vehicles are usually parked on the street and therefore without access to private charging points, parking lots have become “a real alternative that provides a solution to the problem of electric mobility, eliminating one of the barriers that electric cars have in Spain.”
To do this, the owners and managers of the car parks have also had to adapt to a new situation, in which not everything is easy. “One of the problems we have encountered is administrative management, since we have noticed significant delays on the part of the administrations in getting the charging points up and running.”
Another important aspect when it comes to making the installations and adapting the existing ones to electric cars is determined by their own characteristics. “Electric cars are between 20 and 25% heavier than their combustion equivalents, so it is necessary to study ways to make sure that the structures of these car parks are not affected. For this reason, we have studied the situation with the collaboration of the College of Civil Engineers of Santander, with whom we are examining the real situation in order to guarantee maximum safety and that the car parks support these new loads,” he explains.
As Juan Manuel Mogarra explained, “iPark was created exactly ten years ago, and this data show us a great evolution in mobility since then, an evolution that represents the commitment of the population and entities to create more sustainable cities, but which also continues to reflect the important role of private vehicles in our society. It is in our hands, and in the hands of all mobility agents, to promote measures that allow us to make the most of the advantages of each of the agents involved with the aim of creating cities that are not only cleaner and more sustainable, but also safer.”
In this regard, although only 38% of respondents say they are aware of the role of park and ride parking, those located on the outskirts of cities whose purpose is to encourage drivers to park there and continue their journey to the city centre by public transport, more than 70% of respondents say that their use would help reduce traffic and environmental pollution. Only 26.7% of respondents have admitted to using applications and websites for reserving and paying for parking spaces.
Regarding the implementation of more eco-friendly spaces and vehicles, a third would be willing to pay more for more sustainable parking. In addition, the survey reveals that 25% of Spaniards intend to buy an electric car in the next three years. Today, the main obstacle to purchase is the price (72%), followed by the lack of charging infrastructure (58.7%), limited autonomy (58.3%) and recharging time (54.9%).