Leuven and Rotterdam are aiming to go beyond the classic shared mobility user profile by including vulnerable-to-exclusion groups while also engaging business owners who could benefit from shared mobility.
In Leuven, community hubs were installed in three socially diverse neighbourhoods, offering a package of shared cars, e-bikes, regular bikes and cargo bikes. The initiative explicitly targeted vulnerable populations such as low-income households, newcomers to the city, elderly residents, and people with limited digital skills. These actions were based on proximity, simplicity, and support to citizens: hubs were placed near neighbourhood centres, users were guided through registration and use, and the offer was kept flexible on and approachable. For their second pilot, Leuven also investigated to what extent there is still room for shared mobility for business trips within the city. The pilot focused on encouraging local employers and employees to consider alternatives to private or company cars for work-related travel. Special attention was given to the renewed offer of electric shared bikes in Leuven, which proved to be a practical and sustainable option for shorter business journeys.
You can learn how Leuven their actions in their different reports.
In Rotterdam, the city set out to better understand how shared mobility could be made visible and relevant to residents in suburban areas, particularly those not yet reached by existing shared services. Through a neighbourhood-based approach, the pilot explored the practical, behavioural and spatial challenges of expanding access to shared bikes, scooters, and other services. The pilot also addressed concerns about nuisance, accessibility, and usability, working closely with local residents and municipal departments to ensure hubs were integrated into the social and physical fabric of each area.
You can learn more about Rotterdam in their different deliverables.
In this webinar, we will share insights into the implementation process and preliminary results of these two pilots. Additionally, we will reflect on the role of shared multimodal mobility and mobility hubs as key solutions for addressing transport poverty, as highlighted in the latest POLIS policy paper, which provides recommendations to member states on effectively utilising the Social Climate Fund.
This webinar will also reflect on the key lessons from these pilots and discuss how shared mobility can play a meaningful role in addressing mobility vulnerability across European cities.
Agenda:
14:00 - 14:05 – Introduction by POLIS
14:05 - 14:25 – Rotterdam pilot by Stefan Schimmel and Robin Kleine
14 :25 -14:40 – Leuven pilot 1 by Hilke Evenepoel and Sam Delespaul (Mobiel 21)
14 :40 -14:55 – Leuven pilot 2 by Hilke Evenepoel and Stefaan Butaye (Blue-bike)
14:55 – 15:05 – Importance of Mobility Hubs to overcoming Transport poverty by POLIS
15:05 – 15:25 – Q&A
15:25 – 15:30 – Closing remarks