MaaS Alliance and MMfE forge strategic partnership to advance sustainable urban mobility

February 2024 

 

The MaaS Alliance and Micro-Mobility for Europe (MMfE) are pleased to announce the formation of a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the development and implementation of sustainable mobility solutions in cities in Europe and beyond. This landmark collaboration brings together two leading organizations dedicated to shaping the future of urban transportation and fostering innovation in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and micro-mobility.

As global public-private partnerships, both the MaaS Alliance and MMfE have been at the forefront of advocating for sustainable mobility practices and promoting the adoption of innovative technologies to address urban transportation challenges. With a shared vision of creating more inclusive, efficient, and environmentally friendly mobility systems, the Parties have joined forces to drive progress in this critical domain.

Under the terms of the strategic partnership, the Parties will leverage their respective expertise and resources to collaborate on key initiatives aimed at advancing sustainable and data-driven mobility transformation. This partnership will facilitate knowledge-sharing, foster innovation, and promote the widespread adoption of MaaS and micro-mobility solutions worldwide.

Key areas of focus for the collaboration include:

  • Exchange of Knowledge
  • Collaborating on the realisation of the Mobility Knowledge Loop
  • Strategic positioning of the Open Mobility Ecosystem

Commenting on the partnership, Roelof Hellemans, Secretary General of the MaaS Alliance, stated: “We are excited to join forces with Micro Mobility for Europe to advance our shared goals of promoting sustainable urban mobility. By combining our strengths and resources, we believe we can accelerate the transition towards more inclusive, efficient, and environmentally friendly transportation systems.”

Echoing these sentiments, Marc Naether, Co-Chair at Micro-Mobility for Europe, added: “This strategic partnership represents a significant milestone in our efforts to revolutionise urban transportation. By collaborating with the MaaS Alliance, we can amplify our impact and drive positive change in cities in the EU.”

 

MaaS Alliance

The MaaS Alliance is a global public-private partnership creating the foundations for a common approach to Mobility as a Service (MaaS), unlocking the economies of scale needed for successful implementation and take-up of MaaS in Europe and beyond.

 

Micro-Mobility for Europe

MMfE is a coalition of shared micro-mobility providers offering short-term rental of electric scooters and bicycles. Our members want to ultimately transform urban mobility by creating a sustainable transport ecosystem together with the cities in which they operate.

Parking challenges & recommendations

November 2023

 

Since the beginning of the shared micro-mobility industry, parking has
been a persistent and serious challenge that cities and operators must
solve together. This guide outlines the challenges related to parking
shared e-scooters and e-bikes, offers recommendations, and provides
case studies for EU stakeholders looking to solve this essential piece to
ensure micro-mobility’s success in cities.

Micro-Mobility for Europe identified best practices and recommendations
on parking of shared micro-mobility devices.


Lack of dedicated parking

  • Mandatory physical parking spots in dense areas
  • Make use of existing bicycle rack infrastructure so long as there is
    enough room for private bicyclesReplace car parking spaces
  • Locate physical infrastructure to complement public transport
  • Consider safety when picking parking locations
  • Use incentives to direct riders to parking infrastructure and education
    about local parking rules
  • Stationless parking for less dense areas


Competition for urban space

  • Clearly designated space for micro-mobility vehicles


Public education gaps

  • Overcome gaps with obvious and intuitive rules
  • City and operator partnership for direct education
  • Use operator data to drive interventions


Compliance measurement and enforcement

  • Technology solutions to vet misparking
  • Allow penalties to consider circumstances
  • Standard escalation process before penalties
  • Bring penalties into line with other modes

See the full article here.

Shared e-scooters in Malta

November 2023

 

Micro-Mobility for Europe expresses disappointment over the recent decision to ban rental e-scooters in Malta. This restrictive measure overlooks the benefits of shared e-scooters in enhancing urban mobility and combating climate change. With more than 1.4 million trips covering a total of 2.4 million km, demand for shared e-scooters in Malta is high. If shared e-scooters were banned, there is a risk that these trips will be done using less sustainable modes in the future. 

Micro-Mobility for Europe emphasizes the importance of balanced and evidence-based policy-making, structured around close collaboration with authorities to tap into micro-mobility’s potential to create safer and more sustainable cities. We call on authorities to exchange constructively with shared micro-mobility operators and civil society organisations to address challenges and find solutions that enable citizens to choose from a wide portfolio of mobility options, including shared e-scooters. Enabling a constructive dialogue is of highest importance to us, and our Parking Guide provides details on challenges and recommendations. 

 

Friends of the Earth Malta and ROTA Malta endorse this statement. 

Friends of the Earth Malta has been active in the environmental field in Malta since 1985, and campaigns on some of today’s most pressing environmental and social issues including climate, energy and mobility. 

ROTA Malta is a cycling advocacy group dedicated to promoting cycling as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation on the Maltese islands. ROTA Malta works towards creating safer cycling infrastructure and advocating for policies that support and encourage cycling as a means of commuting and recreation. 

Micro-Mobility for Europe is a coalition of shared micro-mobility providers such as short-term rental of electric scooters and bicycles. Our members want to ultimately transform urban mobility by creating a sustainable transport ecosystem together with the cities in which they operate.

Political priorities for Micro-Mobility 2024-2029

November 2023

 

Micro-Mobility for Europe has joined forces with Transport & Environments’ Clean Cities Campaign and the Urban Intergroup at the European Parliament and set out policy priorities for the next term. 

  • Priority 1: Dedicate EU funds to foster dedicated infrastructure for micro-mobility, including cycling

  • Priority 2: Promote the use of shared micro-mobility as a key to reduce dependency on privately owned-cars and create Day of Micro-Mobility

  • Priority 3: Harmonise vehicle categories and encourage harmonised rules on the use of micro-mobility without creating new hurdles for the use of these vehicles and services

  • Priority 4: Encourage multi-modal ticketing and the sale of public transport tickets

Jens Müller, Deputy Director and Head of Policy and Research, Clean Cities Campaign:

“Shared e-bikes and e-scooters are crucial to unlocking new ways of moving around cities -they are flexible, fast and don’t pollute the air we breathe. Policy-makers should tap into their full potential for reducing cars use. This requires more cycle lanes, dedicated parking areas and better rules to protect all road users. The EU can play its role by redirecting funding from cars to shared mobility and promoting the integration with public transport.”

Marc Naether, Co-Chair of Micro-Mobility for Europe:

“Ahead of the EP Elections in 2024, we have drawn up policy priorities together with our partners from T&E’s Clean Cities Campaign and the Urban Intergroup of the European Parliament. Shared micro-mobility can be a key enabler to reduce emissions, strengthen public transport and increase accessibility, and to seize its opportunities, we have outlined priorities that we would like EU institutions to focus on in the next term.

These include the need to invest in infrastructure, promote the use of shared micro-mobility to reduce dependency on private cars, the creation of a Day of Micro-Mobility, harmonising vehicle categories and enabling multi-modal ticketing.”

MMfE joins call on national governments to back stricter air pollution limits

October 2023 

 

On 31 October, Micro-Mobility for Europe joined a coalition of transport companies and associations in calling for accelerating solutions to reduce toxic air pollution, particularly in cities and urban areas. With regards to the revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive, we are calling on Member States to support an ambitious text which reflects the EU’s commitment to human health and the economy.

Members of Micro-Mobility for Europe are offering sustainable mobility solutions that complement public transport. In addition, together with other shared and collective modes, micro-mobility reduces dependency on private car ownership. Key to the uptake of shared micro-mobility is investment into infrastructure that ensures safety for all traffic participants.

Find the letter here.

Driving license directive

October 2023  


Mandating users of e-bike and e-scooters to have a Driving Licence is detrimental to the sector, Europe’s climate ambition, does not result in safety gains and would harm the freedom of movement as many users rely on shared micro-mobility as a way to commute.

Shared micro-mobility services offer alternatives to private car ownership for persons that want to diversify their mobility patterns and use sustainable modes that occupy less urban space. In addition, shared mobility empowers citizens to move across urban areas without the need of obtaining a driving licence.

Micro-mobility can act as last mile connection to increase the reach of public transport – adding a driving licence would be a barrier to this extended reach and would restrict accessibility to public transport and overall connectivity. Moreover, obtaining driving licences results in significant costs, which especially young users may not be able to afford. Mandating driving licences would therefore reduce the mobility options available.

Shared e-scooters and e-bikes have a maximum speed of 20 or 25 km/h in the EU, which is lower than other means of transport and already one of the few transport modes that have a speed limit that users cannot exceed, unlike bicycles or cars. Operators of shared micro-mobility are already constantly working towards educating users by working together with cities, launching individual campaigns or online courses. 

Strengthening cities’ mobility portfolio by improving public transport and seizing the opportunities of shared mobility is a crucial element for cities to reach their climate ambitions. At the same time, shared mobility requires less space, energy, raw materials and therefore contributes to reducing air pollution and emissions (Clean Cities Campaign 2023).

Micro-Mobility for Europe welcomes efforts that update training and testing requirements especially for drivers of cars with the goal of raising awareness and attention to the road safety needs of vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists and users of micro- mobility devices. Improving safety in urban areas requires investments in infrastructure, speed limits and enforcement of rules.

Follow-up on cycling declaration

October 2023 

 

Micro-Mobility welcomes the launch of European Cycling Declaration as an important step in moving the focus of policy-makers towards more sustainable and efficient modes of transport, and can facilitate the uptake of alternatives to privately-owned cars in urban areas. 

Investments in infrastructure are crucial and an enabler to boost the uptake of mobility options that reduce dependency on private car ownership. This empowers cities to reduce air pollution and noise while offering less resource intense mobility options that require less urban space. 

While the European Parliament and the Council are reviewing the Declaration, we call on the institutions to acknowledge that boosting the uptake of cycling also benefits other sustainable modes, like shared micro-mobility. Especially the Chapters on Creating more and better cycling infrastructure, Improving road safety and security and Supporting multimodality and cycling tourism should include references to shared mobility or micro-mobility. 


  • Creating more and better cycling infrastructure: The improvement of existing and investment in new cycling infrastructure will also benefit shared micro-mobility, as users share the same lanes and require protection from motorised traffic. Both user groups are vulnerable road users.

  • Improving road safety and security: Micro-mobility users are vulnerable road users and benefit from measures taken to increase the safety of cyclists. As for all traffic participants, it is crucial that competent authorities enforce the road safety rules, to ensure a safe coexistence of modes.

  • Supporting multimodality and cycling tourism: Like bicycles, micro-mobility serves as first and last mile means of transport and complement public transport and can stimulate tourism. At the same time, micro-mobility helps to expand public transport’s catchment area by improving connectivity and offering an alternative to private car ownership.

MMfE response to launch of the European cycling declaration

October 2023  


Today’s Launch of the European Cycling Declaration is an important step in moving the focus of policy-makers towards more sustainable and efficient modes of transport, and can facilitate the uptake of alternatives to privately-owned cars in urban areas.

Micro-Mobility for Europe strongly supports the draft Declaration, and we are pleased to see that the European Commission acknowledged that better cycling infrastructure will also benefit micro-mobility solutions. This is particularly relevant, as cyclists and shared micro-mobility users rely on the same infrastructure. 

Promoting investments in cycling infrastructure and acknowledging the role cycling can play for first/last-mile transport and complementing public transport are aspects that also apply to shared micro-mobility. In the process of drawing up the Declaration, Micro-Mobility for Europe has raised these proposals as part of its work in the European Commission Expert Group on Urban Mobility.

We look forward to engaging with all involved actors in making the Declaration a success – beyond cycling.

MMfE position on helmets in Italy

July 2023  


To read this article in Italian click here.

Micro-Mobility for Europe is an industry coalition that aims to provide safe and sustainable transportation options for all, and support policy measures that can enhance the safety of micro-mobility riders. We call on decision-makers in the EU, national, and local authorities to prioritize safe infrastructure and promote the use of non-policy measures to encourage personal helmet use to achieve our collective Vision Zero goals and objectives, by moving as close as possible to zero severe injuries and fatalities.

While we believe that mandatory helmet laws are a good faith effort to increase rider safety, growing evidence supports that mandatory helmet laws are not proven to effectively increase safety and may have unintended consequences, including a reduction in ridership and the associated safety benefits of higher ridership.

Data from more than 16 million trips over 32 million kilometers taken in 2022 in Italy, reveals that the rate of injuries requiring medical treatment for e-scooter riders was 2.3 per million kilometers, which is 36.4% lower than e-bikes, 64.5% lower than the previous year, and 45% lower than the EU average. MMfE is working together with third parties to validate results. In addition, there was no fatal injury involving shared e-scooters. This indicates that the safety of e-scooter riders in Italy is improving as ridership grows.

As rides increase, and Italian policymakers seek to make riding safer, we recommend focusing on the key contributors to rider safety, such as reducing vehicle speed limits and road infrastructure, as studies show that mandatory helmet laws do not effectively increase rider safety. In fact, a 14-year analysis of the effects of Canada’s mandatory helmet law found that “the rate of [injury] decline was not appreciably altered on introduction of legislation”,suggesting that helmet laws alone are not sufficient to improve safety outcomes.

If Italy would move forward with the obligation for e-scooter users to wear helmets, the country will be among the first Member States in the EU that imposes such restrictions which may result in a spillover effect. While the intention may be positive, this could have a detrimental effect on the uptake of sustainable modes of transport.

Moreover, for the majority of cyclist injuries, research shows that over 80%, would not have been prevented with helmet usage. Instead, the environment in which riders operate, including the presence of motorised traffic and the quality of cycling infrastructure, plays the most crucial role in the overall risk for crashes, injury, and death. Therefore, investing in safe micro-mobility infrastructure, such as segregated cycle lanes and a bicycle network, would be more effective in improving rider safety.

Mandatory helmet laws also have the potential to reduce the number of riders, diminishing the “safety in numbers” effect. Research indicates that higher cycling mode share is associated with lower hospitalisation rates. As seen in Australia, implementing helmet mandates discourages people from riding, resulting in a decline in ridership, modal shift and the associated safety benefits.

In conclusion, we believe that mandatory helmet laws for e-scooters are contrary to the EU Commission’s goals of decarbonising urban transportation and creating safer streets. In addition, the uptake of shared micro-mobility services also benefits the uptake and safety of other modes, such as cycling. We advocate for a holistic approach that prioritises safe infrastructure and encourages helmet use through alternative policies. By adopting a safe systems approach and working collaboratively with cities and policymakers, we can create a safer and more accessible micro-mobility environment for all.

Injury rates on shared e-scooters fall by 19% in 2022, according to new data from Micro-Mobility for Europe

Micro-Mobility for Europe welcomes timely TRL study on road safety but calls for further regulatory discussions

June 2023  


While demand for shared micro-mobility services in Europe continued to increase in 2022 with 39% uptake compared to 2021, the rate of e-scooter injuries requiring medical treatment has fallen by nearly 20% compared to 2021 (from 5.1/mio km in 2021 to 4.1/mio km in 2022). The risk of fatality has decreased by 17.7% compared to 2021.

When comparing transport modes, MMfE data shows that the risk of injury requiring medical treatment is comparable between shared e-scooters and shared e-bikes, with 4.09/mio km and 4.15/mio km respectively. In Germany, where the total amount of km cycled can be deduced from an available ministerial report (1), we observe a similar risk of a fatal incident on a shared e-scooter (0.013/ Mio km) as on bicycles (0.011/ Mio km) (2). According to aggregated data from AXA on shared e-scooters in Europe between 2019 and 2022, the risk of accidents is 20 times lower for shared e-scooters than for mopeds.

Micro-Mobility for Europe (MMfE) new data report takes into account over 350 million e-scooter trips over a total of 640 million kilometres, and 28 million e-bike journeys over 75 million kilometres. The data is based upon reports from users and follows the same reporting methodology as previous incident reporting from MMfE.

The industry group behind the data release has been working to make e-scooter and e-bike information more accessible. Earlier in 2023, MMfE published the first-of-its kind data from 2021 on shared e-scooters in an effort to contribute evidence to the public discussion around road safety – a critical priority for all MMfE members. In the newly released incident data from 2022, MMfE is including data on shared e-bikes in addition to e-scooters.

“We hope these insights will help inform conversations and road safety policies in the EU that reduce incident risks for vulnerable road users, such as shared micro-mobility riders, and we are committed to continue working closely with authorities to do so,” said Sebastian Schlebusch, Initiative Lead at MMfE.


(1) BMVI: Mobilität in Deutschland MiD (2017), online under https://bmdv.bund.de/SharedDocs/DE/Anlage/G/mid-ergebnisbericht.pdf
(2) STATISTA: https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1041872/umfrage/getoetete-fahrradfahrer-im-strassenverkehr-in-deutschland/