Article

COVID-19 and the Rise of Micro-mobility

The world has experienced novel challenges and trends in mobility amid COVID-19. Dubai has experienced changes to its mobility landscape too – not only in its airline industry and role as an international hub, but also on the ground.

June 9, 2020

Middle East Insights

Explore More

The world has experienced novel challenges and trends in mobility amid COVID-19. Dubai has experienced changes to its mobility landscape too – not only in its airline industry and role as an international hub, but also on the ground

During the month of March, Dubai launched a movement permit system to combat the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, decreasing mobility to public transport hubs by 70% whilst movement to parks and retail / recreation destinations decreased by 75% and 62% respectively. Whilst traditional modes of mobility have been restricted, there has been an increasing focus on alternative methods of moving around the city, with micro-mobility being at the forefront of this movement.

Micro-mobility refers to a variety of small, lightweight devices operating at low speeds including e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards and bicycles

mobility-icons-x-900

Opportunities arising from COVID-19

COVID-19 has provided a platform for new micro-mobility opportunities to open across various cities around the world due to their safety, wellness benefits and low-carbon nature. These include temporary or permanent bicycle and pedestrian lanes being established throughout new areas of cities, as well as bicycle highways, low speed zones and other micro-mobility corridors being planned. In Italy, the city of Milan has announced The Stade Aperte plan which aims to reposition 35 km of streets and roads originally dedicated for car use into cycling and walking lanes in response to COVID-19.

STATIC-x900

Dubai is already ahead of the curve, with existing neighbourhoods, such as Sustainable City, Downtown Dubai and Dubai Marina, being geared for micro-mobility. These neighbourhoods allow residents to be self-sufficient and mobile through the use of alternative transportation modes, coupled with proximity and ease-of-access to a variety of required convenience and lifestyle amenities, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, recreation areas and open spaces.

DUBAI AIMS TO BECOME THE MOST WALKABLE CITY IN THE WORLD BY 2030.

Careem, a car hailing company, entered the micro-mobility space this year in partnership with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), launching Careem Bike, the first bicycle pool sharing project in Dubai. The project aims to rollout and operate 3,500 bikes from 350 designated stations, with a multitude of pricing options facilitating daily to yearly subscriptions.

Upcoming master plan communities, such as Dubai Hills Estate, also showcase the forward-thinking urban design possibilities needed to support these up-and-coming modes of transport. Once complete, the pedestrian-friendly master plan will including a 54-km cycle lane, jogging tacks and landscaped walkways. The RTA is also planning to expand Dubai’s cycling lanes to 850 km from the current 316 km, and with more cycling lanes and walking paths, Dubai aims to become the most walkable city in the world by 2030.

Micro-mobility is anticipated to become increasingly popular during COVID-19 and beyond, helping to support the resilience of our cities to future shocks, while at the same time promoting sustainability and wellness. As adoption continues to evolve and grow, cities will need to facilitate these modes of transport with open-minded planning and forward-thinking policies, reimagining spaces to facilitate the movement and health of their citizens.