Richard Buning and Wendy Pham write for The Conversation | Follow Richard on Twitter
Five years after being the first Australian city to introduce rideshare e-scooters, Brisbane is leading the way after many growing pains and a lot of learning.
Our latest research explored tourists’ and residents’ perceptions and experiences of the city. We surveyed both users and non-users of e-scooters and e-bikes in a first-of-its-kind study. We received nearly 1,000 responses, with 29 follow-up interviews.
Cities around the world are making micromobility, such as e-scooters and e-bikes, part of their transport plans. They hope to reap the widely proven benefits of encouraging active transport such as walking and cycling, reducing car trips and traffic congestion, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, improving access throughout cities and promoting residents’ overall wellbeing.
Still, micromobility is very much up for public debate. With more and more tourists using rideshare bikes and scooters and some cities banning them, important questions have been overlooked. How do these devices shape visitor experiences and a city’s image? How do residents view their use? And, what do non-users think?
