Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INCLUSION (Towards more accessIble and iNCLUSIve mObility solutions for EuropeaN prioritised areas)
Période du rapport: 2019-04-01 au 2020-09-30
Personal mobility allows to access everyday functions such as education, healthcare, employment, and social activities. However, for many people the current mobility system may considerably affect the possibilities to engage in society.
INCLUSION addressed the challenges related to the accessibility of public transport in prioritised areas: peripheral, urban and rural areas where accessibility, inclusive mobility and equity challenges can be relevant.
People can be vulnerable to exclusion for different reasons: age, location, income, gender, ethnicity, physical or cognitive impairments, or combinations of these. As a result, there are many different mobility needs and varied solutions for addressing these needs.
The primary objective of the INCLUSION project was to understand, assess and evaluate the accessibility and inclusiveness of transport solutions in European prioritised areas, to identify gaps and unmet needs, propose and experiment with a range of innovative and transferable solutions, including ICT-enabled elements, ensuring accessible, inclusive and equitable conditions for all and especially vulnerable user categories.
INCLUSION addressed the challenges related to the accessibility of public transport in prioritised areas: peripheral, urban and rural areas where accessibility, inclusive mobility and equity challenges can be relevant.
People can be vulnerable to exclusion for different reasons: age, location, income, gender, ethnicity, physical or cognitive impairments, or combinations of these. As a result, there are many different mobility needs and varied solutions for addressing these needs.
The primary objective of the INCLUSION project was to understand, assess and evaluate the accessibility and inclusiveness of transport solutions in European prioritised areas, to identify gaps and unmet needs, propose and experiment with a range of innovative and transferable solutions, including ICT-enabled elements, ensuring accessible, inclusive and equitable conditions for all and especially vulnerable user categories.
The project conducted an initial detailed analysis of prioritized areas, user groups, accessibility gaps with the identification of the main user groups who are vulnerable to exclusion from the transport system.
Based on the identified priorities, the project explored the opportunities of ICT-Enabled Social innovation with the definition of new concepts and solutions applicable to inclusive mobility. An extensive analysis of leading edge experiences was carried out with the conduction of 51 Case Studies leading to the identification of cross-case patterns, underlying principles and generalizable lessons and to develop recommendations for regulators, policy makers, stakeholder associations etc. at various levels
Real life experiments have been conducted in six Pilot Sites. A total of 15 innovative measures have been developed and implemented from the identified innovations addressing different transport environments, socio-economic contexts, and cultural and geographical conditions. The following are examples of the main pilot results:
• In the Cairngorms National Park in remote rural Scotland, a public-private partnership with local bike shops provided a successful and cost-effective mechanism for delivering an e-bike hire scheme helping young locals access employment and aiding older residents to keep active and healthy
• Flanders region in Belgium explored the potential of new app-based technologies for vulnerable user groups, including an app for elderly and disabled users to book a volunteer ridesharing scheme and enable access to local services.
• In Florence, local bus lines were redesigned to improve connections with tram and train services for rural commuters and migrants in deprived peripheral areas.
• In the Rhein-Sieg district in Germany, the increase in afternoon bus frequencies and the reduction of single bus fares resulted in 5 times more trips of parents accompanying their children to primary school.
• In Budapest, the transport staff was trained to increase their competency in recognising and assisting vulnerable users. A crowdsourcing platform was designed to collect feedback and opinions by the users on transport services.
• The Barcelona pilot improved access to social and cultural events for young people thanks to the provision of 11 new commercially viable collective bus routes from peri-urban and rural areas. This improved access to around 450 young adults and teenagers.
The results have been evaluated through a process evaluation (analysis of the mechanisms, barriers, drivers, actors and context conditions surrounding the design and implementation of each intervention) and an impact evaluation (analysis of the results comparing changes in directly observed data relating to a set of identified KPIs).
INCLUSION defined a number of business models to support the efficient delivery and transferability of the proposed solutions. These are based on a set of business scenarios and concepts identified from the priorities set by the SUMP 2.0 guidelines.
Dissemination, promotion and exploitation were planned and conducted with an accurate identification of stakeholders, the design of packages targeting the identified actors and specific strategies to reach new users. The project was disseminated in more than 60 physical or virtual events and through periodic events organized by the consortium.
A proficient cooperation with the Stakeholders’ Forum (the project advisory board) paved the way for increased quality of the results, a more extended and ‘holistic’ views on the mobility challenges and enlargement of the dissemination network.
The project was committed to integrating the results with the analysis of related COVID-19 impacts. This applied particularly the transferability of the solutions, the business models and scenarios, the exploitation of the results.
Based on the identified priorities, the project explored the opportunities of ICT-Enabled Social innovation with the definition of new concepts and solutions applicable to inclusive mobility. An extensive analysis of leading edge experiences was carried out with the conduction of 51 Case Studies leading to the identification of cross-case patterns, underlying principles and generalizable lessons and to develop recommendations for regulators, policy makers, stakeholder associations etc. at various levels
Real life experiments have been conducted in six Pilot Sites. A total of 15 innovative measures have been developed and implemented from the identified innovations addressing different transport environments, socio-economic contexts, and cultural and geographical conditions. The following are examples of the main pilot results:
• In the Cairngorms National Park in remote rural Scotland, a public-private partnership with local bike shops provided a successful and cost-effective mechanism for delivering an e-bike hire scheme helping young locals access employment and aiding older residents to keep active and healthy
• Flanders region in Belgium explored the potential of new app-based technologies for vulnerable user groups, including an app for elderly and disabled users to book a volunteer ridesharing scheme and enable access to local services.
• In Florence, local bus lines were redesigned to improve connections with tram and train services for rural commuters and migrants in deprived peripheral areas.
• In the Rhein-Sieg district in Germany, the increase in afternoon bus frequencies and the reduction of single bus fares resulted in 5 times more trips of parents accompanying their children to primary school.
• In Budapest, the transport staff was trained to increase their competency in recognising and assisting vulnerable users. A crowdsourcing platform was designed to collect feedback and opinions by the users on transport services.
• The Barcelona pilot improved access to social and cultural events for young people thanks to the provision of 11 new commercially viable collective bus routes from peri-urban and rural areas. This improved access to around 450 young adults and teenagers.
The results have been evaluated through a process evaluation (analysis of the mechanisms, barriers, drivers, actors and context conditions surrounding the design and implementation of each intervention) and an impact evaluation (analysis of the results comparing changes in directly observed data relating to a set of identified KPIs).
INCLUSION defined a number of business models to support the efficient delivery and transferability of the proposed solutions. These are based on a set of business scenarios and concepts identified from the priorities set by the SUMP 2.0 guidelines.
Dissemination, promotion and exploitation were planned and conducted with an accurate identification of stakeholders, the design of packages targeting the identified actors and specific strategies to reach new users. The project was disseminated in more than 60 physical or virtual events and through periodic events organized by the consortium.
A proficient cooperation with the Stakeholders’ Forum (the project advisory board) paved the way for increased quality of the results, a more extended and ‘holistic’ views on the mobility challenges and enlargement of the dissemination network.
The project was committed to integrating the results with the analysis of related COVID-19 impacts. This applied particularly the transferability of the solutions, the business models and scenarios, the exploitation of the results.
INCLUSION contributed to improve accessibility offered by public transport systems in terms of trips involving transport connections to the PT network, type of transport services feeding the PT network, number of travel options to get to key services / opportunities (within acceptable time and cost) for vulnerable users and increase in number of trips made using PT by vulnerable users.
The proposed solutions can then support making the best choice in terms of mode of transport, enlarge the number and improving the quality of transport choices and improve the integration and promotion (through information) of transport options.
The most successful solutions were found to be those where extensive demand analysis or user requirements work was undertaken and where co-design formed a key element of the process.
Building partnerships and providing one-to-one support are essential for increasing user awareness, confidence and capability, leading to greater uptake. Local businesses and community organisations have a key role here.
ICT solutions can play an important role if the needs and skills of vulnerable people are fully comprehended. It is important to involve vulnerable users in co-designing the tools from the start. The human element of delivering mobility solutions is especially important for socially isolated vulnerable user groups.
The public sector has a role to play through financing, monitoring, assuring quality and safety. Public-Private Partnerships (or Public Community Partnerships) often provide the best means of delivering solutions. These partnerships also add value by increasing promotion and engagement within the local community.
The alternative funding possibilities offered by the INCLUSION Business models includes interdisciplinary cross-sector funding, public-private partnership (and other), funding schemes for social enterprise organisation (i.e. providing travel assistance, non-profit collective transport providers or peer-to-peer volunteer services) and ‘person centred’ funding approach through MaaS and others.
In conclusion, the INCLUSION ‘holistic package’ for accessible, inclusive and equitable mobility in prioritised areas can be seen as the main contribution to the state of the art ‘as a whole’. This can provide significant support to policy makers and stakeholders for a successful implementation of inclusive mobility policies and services.
The proposed solutions can then support making the best choice in terms of mode of transport, enlarge the number and improving the quality of transport choices and improve the integration and promotion (through information) of transport options.
The most successful solutions were found to be those where extensive demand analysis or user requirements work was undertaken and where co-design formed a key element of the process.
Building partnerships and providing one-to-one support are essential for increasing user awareness, confidence and capability, leading to greater uptake. Local businesses and community organisations have a key role here.
ICT solutions can play an important role if the needs and skills of vulnerable people are fully comprehended. It is important to involve vulnerable users in co-designing the tools from the start. The human element of delivering mobility solutions is especially important for socially isolated vulnerable user groups.
The public sector has a role to play through financing, monitoring, assuring quality and safety. Public-Private Partnerships (or Public Community Partnerships) often provide the best means of delivering solutions. These partnerships also add value by increasing promotion and engagement within the local community.
The alternative funding possibilities offered by the INCLUSION Business models includes interdisciplinary cross-sector funding, public-private partnership (and other), funding schemes for social enterprise organisation (i.e. providing travel assistance, non-profit collective transport providers or peer-to-peer volunteer services) and ‘person centred’ funding approach through MaaS and others.
In conclusion, the INCLUSION ‘holistic package’ for accessible, inclusive and equitable mobility in prioritised areas can be seen as the main contribution to the state of the art ‘as a whole’. This can provide significant support to policy makers and stakeholders for a successful implementation of inclusive mobility policies and services.