La movilidad post pandemia: perfiles y usos de la micromovilidad en Barcelona

Abstract

La irrupción de la micromovilidad, como una alternativa sostenible e inclusiva a los modos motorizados convencionales, cobra especial importancia a raíz de la crisis del COVID-19. El objetivo del artículo es estudiar el perfil de los usuarios de estos medios de transporte y cómo la pandemia ha modificado sus desplazamientos, contribuyendo a la incipiente investigación en este ámbito. El estudio ofrece una aproximación a estas nuevas formas de movilidad en Barcelona, usando la primera encuesta realizada en la ciudad a personas usuarias de patinete eléctrico, bicicleta convencional y eléctrica compartidas, y motocicleta eléctrica compartida (n=902). El análisis presentado indica que los usuarios más habituales son hombres jóvenes y ocupados. Los motivos de desplazamiento son diversos, aunque varían en función del vehículo. Los resultados también apuntan que casi un tercio de los usuarios de micromovilidad modificó su modo de transporte habitual a raíz de la pandemia, especialmente los que antes se desplazaban en transporte público o a pie. Se cuestiona el potencial de la micromovilidad para reducir las emisiones y se apunta a las implicaciones en términos sociales, tanto por el uso diferenciado en función de las características sociodemográficas, como por el impacto en la salud y en el espacio público.

Gendered travel behaviour in micromobility? Travel speed and route choice through the lens of intersecting identities

“…Previous literature on micromobility has acknowledged a gender gap, in which women are less likely to travel with micromobility modes than men (Laa and Leth, 2020;Pellicer-Chenoll et al, 2021;Reilly et al, 2020;Sardi et al, 2019). This gender split is more noticeable for escooter riders than for cyclists (Bieliński and Ważna, 2020), a finding also observed in Barcelona, where women represent a third of e-scooter riders and, almost half of bike-sharing cyclists (Roig-Costa et al, 2021). Indeed, gender differences in cycling appear to be linked to the presence of dedicated cycling facilities (Higuera-Mendieta et al, 2021;Wang and Akar, 2019).…”

“…Between September 2020 and July 2021, the NEWMOB project surveyed 902 micromobility users in Barcelona streets. Within this operation, a total of 326 e-scooter owners, 251 moto-sharing drivers and 325 bike-sharing users were interviewed using an intercept survey and following the CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) methodology (more information is available in the study by Roig-Costa et al, 2021). Of all the interviewees, a sample of 70 conventional bike-sharing cyclists and 65 e-scooter riders was further asked to wear a GPS device (QStartz BT-Q1000XT; QStarz International Co., Ltd., Taiwan, R.O.C.)…”

“…Men on two wheels are more likely to perform risky behaviours, such as stunts, fast riding, swerving, quickly accelerating or braking or running red lights (Arellano and Fang, 2019;Balkmar, 2018;Gioldasis et al, 2021;Saber et al, 2022). In Barcelona, men cyclists are not only more prone to breach traffic rules (Lind et al, 2021), but they also constitute the majority of micromobility users (Roig-Costa et al, 2021). Apart from modal choice and riding behaviour, gender also influences route preferences.…”

Are E-Scooters a Threat to Active Travel?

“…While escooters were also hailed as a potential solution to reduce car dependency, a notion frequently promoted by e-scooter companies. The reality suggests a different narrative in densely populated urban areas, struggling to convince car users to make the switch (Roig-Costa et al, 2021). Research indicates that people who previously walked short distances or walked to the nearest public transport stop may now opt for e-scooters (Laa & Leth, 2020).…”

Assessing Environmental Performance of Micromobility Using LCA and Self-Reported Modal Change: The Case of Shared E-Bikes, E-Scooters, and E-Mopeds in Barcelona

“…Among the initiatives that fall within the latter strategy, micromobility is recently gaining relevance as an increasingly extended transport solution. Micromobility, consisting of private or shared lightweight vehicles, which operate at low speeds and are used for short trips [7], includes vehicles such as e-bicycles, e-scooters, and e-mopeds. Many authors have theorized that micromobility characteristics, including its flexibility, sustainability, and affordability make them ideal for substituting more private vehicles that contribute to pollution [8].…”