City of Edinburgh Council has published its City Mobility Plan with a commitment to develop mobility-as-a-service and harness new technologies.
The plan was placed before the council’s transport and environment committee on Friday as a replacement for its Local Transport Strategy.
It is aimed at encouraging a change in public behaviour towards the use of sustainable transport, the expansion the tram and mass rapid transport network, improving bus services, creating mobility hubs in communities and introducing a city operations centre to monitor traffic.
Among its policy measures are a commitment to develop a MaaS system that uses a digital platform to provide people with travel information to help them plan journeys, reducing their reliance on their own vehicles and ultimately reducing car ownership.
It says the council will keep under review the ways of developing a MaaS system, as these are continually evolving along with the relevant technology innovations, and that this will be supported by partnerships with experts in data driven innovation.
Another policy measure is to review and harness future innovations and digital connectivity, including supporting the development of connected and autonomous vehicles.
Need for revolution
Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Edinburgh’s transport and environment convener, said: “The finalised City Mobility Plan recognises the need to revolutionise the way we move around the capital if we are to tackle the host of challenges we face, both locally and on a global scale.
“Transport is the biggest generator of carbon emissions in Edinburgh and our commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030 depends on a step change in the way we travel, a change which would also significantly impact on air quality, congestion and road safety.
“More than that, our approach to transport addresses poverty and the cost of travel, the barriers facing those with mobility difficulties and the economic benefits of a better connected, liveable environment.”
The plan complements the council’s digital strategy, which was adopted in October of last year emphasises its smart city ambitions. Shortly before that, two of its leading representatives told UKAuthority about its digital plans, including the ability to harness real time data flows on operations such as transport.
Image from iStock, Mario Guit
