Tourism, Transport and Shared Mobility – by Jarlath Gantly

Tourism, Transport and Shared Mobility

According to Lonely Planet “history is everywhere” in Ireland so it’s no wonder that pre-pandemic, travel and tourism were estimated to have contributed €17.9 billion to the country’s GDP. A survey recently carried out on the “Intention to Use Shared Mobility Services”, discovered that leisure and tourism were the sectors that used shared mobility the most.

For countries like Ireland, access to tourist attractions can be difficult due to distance and lack of public transport, as a result mobility and tourism are strongly interlinked and massively impact one another.  

The Cliffs of Moher, for example, is one of Irelands most visited tourist attractions and is accessible by using almost any mode of transport. According to their website there are daily bus services to and from the Cliffs Moher however, this is the only mode of transport available to tourists. An electric bike share based in locations such as Doolin, Liscannor or Lahinch would significantly increase the accessibility to the Cliffs and reduce traffic congestion especially during the peak season.

One of the key aspects of a good tourist attraction is accessibility, how will your customers reach you? While public transport suits some people for others, it simply isn’t an option. This is where shared mobility will have the most impact on the Irish tourism sector, by providing another form of transportation for the masses to these harder to reach attractions and therefore increasing their accessibility and annual footfall.

We have discussed in previous blog posts the positive impact shared mobility has on carbon emissions and how transport choices harm the environment. This is now vitally important to the future of our wildlife, as a study recently produced by UCC states that “birds may fail to adapt fast enough to climate change thus increasing the odds of local extinction”. Sea birds are a key feature of the Cliffs of Moher, and their extinction could prove detrimental to the area.  

All in all, the implementation of shared mobility schemes throughout Ireland should be encouraged by the industry as it provides innovative and sustainable mobility solutions to the tourism industry and local community and helps protect our ecosystems and local heritage.

Sources

Cliffs of Moher. Cliffs of Moher. n.d. https://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/plan-your-visit/getting-here/.

Eunjeong Ko, Hyungjoo Kim, and Jinwoo Lee. “Survey Data Analysis on Intention to Use Shared Mobility Services.” (2021).

Lonely Planet. n.d. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/ireland.

Statista. Statista . n.d. https://www.statista.com/statistics/941487/travel-and-tourism-s-total-contribution-to-gdp-in-ireland/. August 2021.

 

ESG, CSR and Corporate Vehicle Share Schemes – by Jarlath Gantly

ESG, CSR and Corporate Vehicle Share Schemes

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are two major aspects of modern business providing a framework for better transparency and social accountability. ESG and CSR illustrate how a company manages the impact it has on the environment, people (employees, suppliers, etc) and the diversity and inclusiveness for its employees and the greater community. They encourage socially conscious business practices that do not negatively affect the wider community, employees, consumers, or the environment.

 

Corporate Vehicle Share Schemes are a positive  way for companies to increase their ESG and CSR ratings. Vehicle sharing or car/van pooling provide employees with needs-based mobility, which will reduce congestion levels and environmental impact.

Greenhouse gas emissions can be lowered infrastructurally; by developing extensive cycling routes and behaviourally by promoting vehicle and ridesharing. By encouraging the use of pool vehicles over personal vehicles the average person can reduce their annual mobility emissions by 33-67%.

CoMotion share schemes focus on moving people, not just vehicles. This helps combat social exclusion in companies and communities that may not have access to adequate public transport. As a result share schemes can broaden peoples access to new opportunities.

Investors are now looking for insights into a company’s sustainability credentials; employee transportation and costs are significant factors. One shared car can replace eight privately owned cars. By implementing a shared vehicle scheme a company can reduce the number of under-used vehicles in the company’s fleet and mileage expenses. As a result, this will increase the company’s profitability, improve resource management and ESG ratings and make the company more investor friendly.

 

By providing employees with access to shared vehicles, companies can ensure:

· Their fleet is being used to full capacity.

· Reduce the use of grey fleet (private cars for business use) and taxis and thus significantly reducing the mileage and operational costs.

· Utilise current mobility trends,

· Advertise the business by branding the pool vehicles.

· Decrease the impact the company is having on the environment.  

Climate, Health and Shared Mobility- by Jarlath Gantly

This week, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), on behalf of the United Nations released their sixth assessment report. The report’s findings are alarming and highlight the urgent need for action to slow down global warming. Nothing new there you might say, but this time the IPCC unequivocally point the finger at human activity as being the primary cause for the extreme weather events which have become regular features on our news bulletins.

 

With such a complex problem as climate change, there is no one solution. What is required is a paradigm shift, a societal change in the way we live, work and get around.

 

Shared mobility is one method by which the continuing issues of air pollution and climate change can be tackled. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), traffic emissions are the primary source of nitrogen oxides in Ireland. These gases are linked to respiratory issues in humans and contribute to greenhouse gases and acid rain. The World Health Organisation (WHO), describes air pollution as the “single biggest environmental health risk”. The EPA believes that unless we reduce the volume of cars on the road, we are at risk of failing to meet EU limits for Nitrogen Dioxide. Considering they attribute 1,300 deaths per annum to poor air quality, we need to change the way we get around, especially in urban areas.

 

Shared mobility will not solve all our climate & pollution problems, but it can be a significant part of the solution. The Transportation Research Journal cited research carried out in the US which suggests that carsharing organisations can reduce users individual transport energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by approx. 51%.

Sources:

Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland).

The International Panel on Climate Change.

The World Health Organisation.

Transportation Research Journal. Part D: Transport and Environment.

 By: Terry Gallagher, Operations Director

The Advantages of Shared Mobility – by Jarlath Gantly

The Advantages of Shared Mobility

Shared Mobility, vehicle sharing, and other diverse mobility solutions are changing how we travel as we now have numerous cost-effective and more sustainable alternatives to personal vehicle ownership.

Shared mobility provides passengers with access to a vehicle for a short-term basis, as and when they need it, which reduces their living costs.

1. Environmental Benefits

The use of shared mobility lowers the amount of personal vehicle ownership and as a result significantly reduces Co2 emissions. By using a shared vehicle each user can reduce congestion, pollution, and energy consumption making it an excellent and easy option for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Using shared mobility also supports the European Union’s goals of achieving a low-emission economy by reducing congestion.

2. Reduces Living Costs

Studies have shown that the average car owner uses their car for just 9 hours a week, meaning it spends the remaining 159 hours a week sitting idle on a driveway or car park. According to the AA the average cost of running a car is approximately €10,691.12 per annum. Using the €9 average of using a shared car for 9 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year costs the user €4,212 per annum! Meaning each car owner could potentially save almost €6,480 per year by switching to a shared vehicle!

 

3. Accessibility

According to the Oireachtas’ report on Regional and Rural Transport Policy, “the provision of a high quality, inter-connected system of transport in rural Ireland” is integral to the “realisation of the inherent social and economic potential which exists in rural areas”. 

Increasing the mobility options in these rural areas will help combat social exclusion, which many rural communities currently face due to the lack of transport available to them. One of the most impacted age groups is the older community, with 37% of these group saying that their transport needs are not currently being met by public or private means in rural areas.

Many rural towns in Ireland rely heavily on the tourism trade which once again can be hindered by the lack of public transport available. A shared mobility scheme can combat this by increasing accessibility to some of these harder to reach areas.

 

4. Land Use

Car parking in urban areas has been an issue for years, with the NTA expressing their concerns at the reduction in car parking spaces in new Dublin City development plan. An excellent solution to this issue is the transition to bikes from cars. Approximately 10 bikes can fit into 1 car space!!

 

All in all, the transition away from private vehicle ownership and towards shared mobility will reduce living costs and congestion in urban areas; increase transport opportunities in rural areas and combat social exclusion; and will positively impact the amount of carbon emissions being produced in an area!

 

 

Sources

CARDI. “Transport and rural ageing.” 

Cyclehoop. https://www.cyclehoop.com/product/racks/car-bike-port/.

Oireachtas. “Regional and Rural Transport Policy.”  https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/32/joint_committee_on_rural_and_community_development/reports/2019/2019-07-17_report-on-regional-and-rural-transport-policy_en.pdf.

The AA. The Cost of Motoring https://www.theaa.ie/aa/motoring-advice/cost-of-motoring.aspx.

 

What is Shared Mobility? – by Jarlath Gantly

Shared mobility refers to the shared use of a vehicle, bicycle, or other transportation modes.

It allows users to access transportation services on an as-needed basis.

Shared mobility is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of transportation modes including carsharing, bike-sharing, peer-to-peer ridesharing, on-demand ride services, micro transit, and other modes.

Contact emma@comotion.ie for more information

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