Motability Foundation and CoMoUK project invite bids from shared micromobility operators
A new project led by shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), and grant-funded by the Motability Foundation will explore innovative ways in which people with a range of disabilities can be supported to access shared micromobility services such as e-scooters and e-bikes, with the aim of boosting participation.
The year-long project will be led by the UK’s shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), and grant-funded by the Motability Foundation.
The project’s aim is to support disabled people to access flexible, sustainable modes of transport without making any changes to current vehicles.
The project will build on recent research conducted by CoMoUK and the Research Institute of Disabled Consumers and grant-funded by the Motability Foundation, which found that disabled people face significant barriers to using shared micromobility services, over and above the design of the vehicles themselves.
These include low confidence in using the services, a lack of awareness about how to find and book them, and the incompatibility of apps with other assistive technology.
It also found that only 10 per cent of disabled people have used shared micromobility services, despite over half believing they could improve their lives.
For the new project, CoMoUK will be inviting bids from shared micromobility operators, local authorities, and community groups specialising in active travel engagement to partner with.
Disabled people will be invited to take part in engagement activities in different settings to identify and overcome barriers to the use of such schemes.
This is likely to include group ‘try out’ sessions, social activities, road confidence training sessions, support with first bookings, and buddy rides.
The results will then be analysed, allowing the initiatives that are most effective at improving access to shared micromobility services to be identified and potentially scaled up.
Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “This is a really important project, which will directly address some of the barriers facing disabled people who want to use shared micromobility services in their area.
“Our research shows that inaccessible vehicle designs are not the only issue, but a lack of awareness and confidence when it comes to using shared e-scooters and e-bikes too.
“These are things we can start to tackle right away through practical actions, and we hope that the project will ultimately help to increase shared micromobility use by disabled people.
“We know that such schemes have the potential to be transformative, improving people’s health, cutting road congestion and air pollution, and freeing up space in cities.
“It is crucial that nobody is left behind as the UK embraces these sustainable forms of transport.”
Last year, CoMoUK was commissioned by the Motability Foundation to take part in two projects on disabled people and their use of shared transport.
One investigated how shared micromobility schemes such as e-scooters and e-bikes could be made more inclusive.
The resulting report, Raising the Bar, found that more than half of disabled people believe such services could improve their lives, but that more work is needed to improve accessibility and safety.
Those who had tried a shared micromobility scheme were significantly more likely to view them positively, with 70 per cent feeling confident in their use.
Potential benefits identified by those surveyed included greater access to outdoor activities, the fact that it was a sustainable travel option, and the ability to travel spontaneously.
The other project, which CoMoUK is delivering in partnership with transport research consultancy TRL, is examining the barriers facing disabled people in accessing car clubs.
Harry Fisher, innovation manager at the Motability Foundation, said: “We’re really excited to have awarded grant funding to CoMoUK to deliver this important project.
“The recent research that we commissioned on accessible micromobility found that over half of disabled people think these services have the potential to improve their lives, but very few have used them or are aware of how to access them.
“We hope that through this project we can support disabled people to access this fast-growing transport mode.”
