Mobility and Transport and its Influence on Urbanization

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Mobility and Transport and its Influence on Urbanization Introduction: (Background) Urbanization is a phenomenon that is not ending any time soon. Today, more than 54% of the world’s population lives in cities, and the United Nations estimates that this will increase to 68% by 2050 (United Nations, 2018). With the overall population growth, environmental, social, and economic sustainability is a must to keep pace with the rapid expansion taxing the cities resources. Smart and sustainable cities refer to innovative cities in which ICTs and other means are used to improve the quality of life, competitiveness, and efficiency of urban operation and services while ensuring that the needs of the present and future generations are met concerning economic, social, environmental, and cultural aspects.

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Transforming cities and urban centers require colossal investment, public engagement, political support, and new policy development. Williams (2021) noted that the ecological footprints of cities would diminish if they became regenerative and adaptive ecosystems. In such an ecosystem, waste is obsolete, and resource loops are closed. The key benefits of an adaptive ecosystem include increased resource security, improved urban population health, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions. The benefits comprise the underpinning goals of circular cities.

A circular economy emerges from the concept of circular development, whereby people utilize available resources to their maximum potential (Williams, 2021). The new system improves the city’s adaptation to shocks and long-term changes with minor ecological implications. As denoted by Cheng and Chen (2015), the concept of circular development changes the cities’ provision systems to allow inhabitants to develop circular practices. These practices range from construction, transportation, food, and nutrients to water recycling. Other circular practices include contaminated sites bioremediation and blue-green infrastructure integration. Leaders can integrate the circular system into all economic and social sectors.

A circular economy contributes to achieving Sustainable Development goals. The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action. They consist of 17 goals that address poverty, protection of the planet, and improving the quality of life for everyone, everywhere. All United Nations Members States embraced the goals as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the 15-year plan to attain the goals. Circular economy covers 10 out of the 17 goals, as shown in (Figure 1). These goals are affordable and green energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, and land.

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(Figure 1) A circular economy from a mobility perspective could bring significant economic, environmental, and social benefits. As part of the Circular Economy, the Mobility sector focuses on the transportation network, community facilities, economic activities, and fostering new growth to create a platform for the city to thrive. Circular mobility combines sustainable development and innovation (Jane, 2020). It is a low-cost, accessible, flexible, intelligent, and effective system that offers multiple mobility options to fit the needs of different cities and regions. Some of the factors that emphasize the need for a circular mobility system are air pollution and congestion in urban areas due to the excessive use of cars, the strain on mobility due to the increasing population growth in cities, and the need to limit road infrastructure works to introduce new opportunities for public spaces within cities.

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A circular mobility system is attainable, clean, flexible, and shared to facilitate the transportations of goods and people. The system should also be affordable and effective as well as efficient. It is multimodal structured to support mobility, incorporating public and private transportation. In the modern transport sector, circular mobility incorporates the use of electricpowered and automated transportation means such as trains, cars, and bicycles (Knowles & Ferbrache, 2019). The use of clean energy means of transport is increasingly becoming popular with circular mobility systems because of the environmental challenges society faces. Cities’ are working on how to cut down the use of fossil fuels in powering motor vehicles within their jurisdictions. The use of clean energy is also linked to the sustainability of the transport system cities are adopting.

Cities such as Singapore, Barcelona, and Oakland have embraced most of the smart mobility practices that are mostly aligned the circular mobility characteristics and components.

The success of these cities in offering sustainable and effective transport is anchored on the use of innovative means of transport. Singapore, Barcelona, and Oakland have incorporated the use of electricity-powered transports means bicycles to some degree (Knowles & Ferbrache, 2019).

Consequently, smart mobility practices in these cities are investigated to assess the situation in Riyadh City against smart mobility characteristics and circular mobility.

Multimodal Transportation Circular mobility is made effective through a multimodal transport system. Singapore enjoys a network of air, rail, road, and sea transport networks that make goods movement easier and faster. Depending on the origin of goods or people and their destination, various transport systems can be networked to ensure a quick flow. Airports are connected with road networks and rail systems to guarantee efficiency and effectiveness in the transport sector. Multimodal

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transport has many advantages rooted in a combination of various means of transport while augmenting deadlines and reducing inventory costs, thus keeping the cost of goods within manageable limits. Multimodal transport cuts down the environmental footprint of transportation by reducing the time taken to transport cargo. It also reduces air pollution by opting for the use of clean energy in powering automobiles. The use of electric cars and bicycles in the multimodal transport system is a new frontier in combating pollutions from motor vehicles.

In Barcelona, this includes using electric cars for transport within the city, which helps protect the environment from pollution. Electric cars are hybrid, self-driven, and human-driven.

Self-driven cars use AI technology to operate, saving travelers and operators the trouble of hiring drivers (Macioszek & Sierpinski, 2021). In the long run, this ensures the maximum use of cars to facilitate transportation of people and goods within the city.

Barcelona Barcelona has an effective system of transport that is largely operated by private firms.

Among the key networks for transport in the city are the Trambaix and Trambesòs (TRAM), Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona), Transports de Barcelona (Urban bus in Barcelona), and NitBus (Macioszek & Sierpinski, 2021). Each system operates on a particular transport line to ensure a free and effective movement of people across the city. The Ferrocarril Metropolità de Barcelona operates in the Metro of Barcelona, covering 85.8 million veh/km. The system consists of 8 lines within the metro region. It serves about 381 million users annually. The public and private sectors collaborate to provide transport services in Barcelona.

The Active Transportation Barcelona leverages active transport systems to promote the sustainability of its transit network. The system includes traveling on foot and the use of the bicycle (Macioszek &

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Sierpinski, 2021). The city has developed a network of footpaths and cyclists lanes that travelers can use to guarantee effectiveness. Parking for bicycles is also available to make the means attractive to residents. In the city of Barcelona, about 200,000 residents use bicycles as a means of transport per day (Marques, 2020). Bicycles are the city's most sustainable means of transport, underpinning its value in circular mobility.

Bicing The city of Barcelona runs a bicing system, which allows residents to share bicycles. The city has made about 6300 bicycles available for public sharing (Berney, 2018). Under the scheme, for journeys around the city, citizens can pick a bicycle from one point to another, hand it over to someone else to return to the direction the first traveler came from. The logic behind it is to allow people to effectively use the same bicycle for transport without letting it idle for long.

Also, if one went for a journey but is not returning faster, someone else would use the bicycle as the initial user transacts the business of the day or rest at the end destination (Berney, 2018). A single bicycle can serve many people per day than when it would only serve one in the long run.

The city administration has built lanes for bicycle riders to ensure that this means of transport is well integrated into the Barcelona transport system. The successful use of bicycles in Barcelona has had an immense influence on the city's transport system's sustainability and public health (Berney, 2018). Bicycles are free from pollution and also help riders to keep fit. It is imperative to note that motor vehicle-related pollution is a problem many cities are fighting worldwide, underlining the need to implement sustainable transport means such as electric cars and bicycles (Marques, 2020). In Barcelona, electric and manual bicycles are widely used, giving riders a wide range of options.

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Economic activities have also been boosted by circular mobility in Barcelona, including carsharing and hiring, bicycle-sharing, and rental employee operators. At the same time, individuals are able to travel faster within the city, making it possible to save time and resources needed to transact economic activities. Traffic jams in major cities affect the economy, hence the value of circular mobility in supporting the economy (Berney, 2018). The city's dense population requires an effective system of transport, which is made available through the integration of road, rail, and air transport systems.

Oakland The city of Oakland has one of the world's successful circular mobility systems. As a result, residents and visitors are able to move from one place to another with ease, quickly, and at an affordable price (The Oakland Department of Transportation, 2020). The city also has a TOD to support the speedy movement of people and also save the time needed to access public amenities and services (Bart.gov, 2021). Consequently, the city has leveraged TOD to make the life of the citizens easier and enjoyable with regard to transportation and communication.

Shared mobility In Oakland City, shared transport systems are explored to reduce the cost of transport and cut down on traffic congestion. Travelers can rent bicycles, cars, and motorcycles. A shared mobility system helps individuals cut reliance on personal means of transport (Marques, 2020).

To make this system effective, bike share allows travelers to pay a small amount of money when they need to use bicycles (The Oakland Department of Transportation, 2020). In addition, the city has established special picking points and drop-off points to allow users to access and use bicycles at their convenience.

Scootershare

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The city also has a scooter-share that allows travelers access to a fleet of scooters, mainly electrical, for transport within the U.S. Riders can pay for a ride any time they wish to travel.

Scooter share programs in Oakland include Bird, Lime, Gruv, and Lyf, all of which add value to the city's circular mobility program (The Oakland Department of Transportation, 2020). In addition, the sharing of scooters has helped travelers who do not own monocycles access and use them to their benefit and reduce the burden that comes with purchase, maintenance, and storage that an individual owner has to should.

Carshare Oakland enjoys the carsharing program, in which people join an organization that runs a fleet of cars, mopeds, and or trucks. The organization offers and maintains the transport means for its members. Registered members pay an affordable fee every time they use the car for transport. The system saves travelers the trouble of owning their cars or trucks. It also guarantees maximum use of cars for mobility within the city, saving it from the problem of avoidable traffic congestion that comes with private ownership of cars. Getaround, Turo, Gig, and Zipcar are some of the carsharing programs available in Oakland (The Oakland Department Of Transportation, 2020).

Singapore Singapore has successfully harnessed transit-oriented developments (TOD) to improve circular mobility within the city. The city has an expanded transit network that ensures that travelers and goods reach their destinations within the shortest period of time. According to Renne (2016), Singapore's TOD mainly focuses on the renewal of the city via the expansion of transport and communication networks. The renewal has led to the development of satellite towns around the city's center. Rail transport connects satellite towns to the city center, making

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transport efficient and effective. The satellite towns are self-sustaining to reduce the need to travel outside, making transport for works the only major issue of residents (Renne, 2016). In addition, affordable houses are built in areas connected well to the rail and road networks with mass transit stations. In this respect, TOD has helped Singapore to address congestion challenges while at the same time ensuring that the transport system is sustainable.

Singapore also enjoys the services of electric cars, electric trains, and bicycles to support sustainable transport. Electric trains are the inter-city's fastest means of transport (Renne, 2016).

People living in satellite towns are able to connect with the city with ease through the rail system, which is supported by feeder roads, bicycles tracks, and footpaths. The interconnection of all these systems creates a multimodal transit infrastructure that serves the diverse needs of residents.

Singapore’s economy is supported by an effective transport system that guarantees effectiveness and efficiency in the movement of goods and people. Economic activities are

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dependent on people and goods, underscoring the value of a working transport system in boosting the economy (Curtis & Scheurer, 2016). Circular mobility is also an economic activity per se for firms that run the system, ranging from bicycles, trucks, cars to train transportation.

In conclusion, from the studies, it is clear that smart mobility is critical to attain circular mobility. The cities of Barcelona, Singapore, and Oakland have implemented multimodal transport system, TOD, and build road network that supports the use of bicycles to achieve sustainability of their transit system. Car sharing, cycling, bicycle sharing, use of electric cars and bicycles, and electric train are important elements of these cities smart mobility that can be adopted in Riyadh to promote circular mobility.

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References Bart.gov. (2021). Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) - West Oakland. bart.gov. https://www.bart.gov/about/business/tod/westoakland.

Berney, R. (2018). Bicycle urbanism: Reimagining bicycle-friendly cities. Routledge.

Curtis, C., & Scheurer, J. (2016). Planning for public transport accessibility: An International Sourcebook.

Knowles, R.D., & Ferbrache, F. (2019). Transit-oriented development and sustainable cities: Economics, community, and methods. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Macioszek, E., & In Sierpinski, G. (2021). Research methods in modern urban transportation systems and networks. Springer.

Marques, R. (2020). An analysis of the role of cycling in sustainable urban mobility: The importance of the bicycle. Cambridge Scholars Publisher.

Renne, J.L (2016). Transit-oriented development: Making it happen. Routledge.

The Oakland Department of Transportation (2020). Shared mobility accessibility study. City of Oakland Department of Transportation.