More than half of disabled people believe shared micromobility services such as e-scooters and e-bikes could improve their lives – but more work is needed to improve accessibility and safety.
The new research called Raising the Bar – Boosting the Accessibility of Shared Micromobility Services was commissioned by The Motability Foundation to “better understand the benefits and challenges faced by disabled people using shared micromobility services, and to identify ways to make these services more inclusive”, it said.
Delivered by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) and Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the report outlined three priority areas for improvement:
- Accessible Vehicle Design: Developing vehicles that safely meet the needs of disabled users and pedestrians.
- Accessible Digital Platforms: Ensuring booking apps and service platforms are user-friendly and inclusive.
- Awareness and Education: Empowering disabled people with the knowledge and confidence to both understand what shared micromobility services are and how to access them.
Only 10% of disabled people who took part in the research had used shared micromobility services. The most common response from disabled was that the vehicles were inaccessible to them, and that they did not know how to access them.
Those who had tried a shared micromobility service were significantly more likely to view them positively, with 70% feeling confident in their use compared to 32% of non-users. 53% believed they had the potential to improve their lives, it reported.
The research identified significant barriers to access for disabled people. These include inaccessible vehicle designs, low confidence in using the services, and a real lack of awareness about how to access them.
A key finding was the lack of clear legislation governing shared micromobility services, which the research found limits innovation and the development of more accessible services.
To address these challenges, the report calls for the Government to create comprehensive legislation to regulate shared micromobility services.
Harry Fisher, Innovation Manager at the Motability Foundation, said:
“This exploratory research has given us valuable insight into disabled people’s views on shared micromobility. We can see there is great potential for these services to provide a sustainable way of travelling for disabled people, but more work is needed to make them truly accessible and safe.
“The Motability Foundation is committed to supporting accessibility, inclusivity and safety in this sector as it grows, working alongside disabled people, transport providers, government, and local and regional authorities.”
Richard Dilks, Chief Executive of CoMoUK, said:
“We know from our previous work that micromobility schemes such as e-scooters and bike sharing have the potential to be transformative, improving people’s health at the same time as cutting road congestion and air pollution and freeing up space in cities. It is crucial that nobody is left behind as we embrace these sustainable forms of transport, which must be made as accessible as possible at the design stage.”
Gordon McCullough, CEO at RiDC said:
“The work now needs to be done to ensure that these potentially life changing transport services are accessible and available to all. Listening to disabled people from the outset and building their feedback and suggestions into the final design are crucial. When you design inclusively it benefits the whole population.”
Image of report courtesy of The Motability Foundaiton
