De aandacht voor en het aanbod van mobiliteitshubs en deelvervoer groeit wereldwijd. Maar in welke mate profiteren ook bevolkingsgroepen die kwetsbaar zijn voor sociale uitsluiting hiervan? De onderzoekers van het SmartHubs-project deden onderzoek hiernaar in de regio Rotterdam-Den Haag.
Link naar het artikel:
29.12.2023
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Verkeerskunde (Dutch magazine):
Mobiliteitshubs niet zomaar inclusief
11.08.2023
SmartHubs in the Belgian News!
In multiple different news articles, our colleague Lluis Martinez tells how our partners from VUB, Mpact and the municipality of Anderlecht developed different prototypes of mobility hubs in Brussels. These prototypes were part of their co-design and appraisal process.
Links to the articles:
The living lab reports discuss the local context of the living lab, and the implementation of the SmartHubs tools.
Austria
The SmartHubs Eastern Austria Living Lab focused on non-mobility services located at mobility hubs (such as placemaking elements and services) using Design Game approaches during Co-Creation workshops. Check the Deliverable D.4.2 - Living Lab implementation report Eastern Austria for a small insight into the “ecosystem” of mobility hub networks in the region.
Brussels
During a participatory process conducted in 2022, more than 100 citizens gave input about their needs and preferences, making suggestions and discussing design elements. Simultaneously, a digital information kiosk was also tested, to study its implementation in the mobility hubs. In February 2023, the resulting four options of a mobility hub were co-evaluated and a preferred option was chosen by each participant.
Rotterdam - The Hague
The living lab focuses on two mobility hubs in the metropolitan area Rotterdam-The Hague. In Rotterdam, a digital information kiosk was tested, focusing on physical and digital integration at the hub. In The Hague, the team is involved in co-creation of the hub together with its citizens, using the SmartHubs design game and co-evaluation tools.
Munich
The Munich living lab aims to promote the use of active and shared transportation modes, foster a sense of community, and create a more livable urban environment. The living lab included the transformation of a parklet into a mobility hub, a survey, and the use of an appraisal tool to assess impacts on #stakeholders. Despite some challenges presented by the hub’s location, it was generally well-received.
07.07.2023
The four living lab reports are published
Deliverable D4.2 - Austria
Christoph Kirchberger, Linda Dörrzapf, Martin Berger, Roxani Gkavra, Roman Klementschitz, Oliver Roider, Yusak Susilo, Yannick Eckerl
Deliverable D4.3 - Brussels
Lluis Martinez Ramirez, Jelten Baguet, Imre Keserü
Deliverable D4.4 - Rotterdam - The Hague
Kelt Garritsen, Anna Grigolon, Karst Geurs
Deliverable D4.5 - Munich
David Duran-Rodas, Fernanda Navarro Avalos, Aaron Nichols, Benjamin Büttner
27.01.2022
The first deliverable of the Project is READY
12.12.2022
SmartHubs Survey
If you live in Austria, Belgium, Germany, or The Netherlands and are over 16 years old, you can contribute with us by filling out this survey.
The survey will take around 20 minutes and is available in 5 languages.
Access the survey here.
27.10.2022
VNG Magazine article
(in Dutch):
SmartHubs ontlasten de stad
Gemeenten zetten in op duurzame mobiliteit. Multimodaal deelvervoer geldt als ideale oplossing voor dichtbebouwde steden. Het antwoord is aan de mobiliteithubs, die moet dan wel slim zijn, zegt hoogleraar Karst Geurs. Technische innovatie gestoeld op brede welvaart.
05.10.2022
International Symposium
on Governance of multi-modality in public space
On Friday, 16 September 2022, the SmartHubs International Symposium took place at Lakefirst in aspern Seestadt (Vienna). The event was organised by the SmartHubs research team, with support from aspern.mobil LAB. From dusk til dawn, discussions were held on the topic of " Governance of multi-modality in public space – what options do we have?”.
After a coffee or tea to wake up, the event started with introductory welcoming words by Walter Wasner (BMK), Alexander Kopecek (Wien 3420 aspern development AG) and SmartHubs project coordinator Karst Geurs. The whole symposium was moderated by Oliver Roider.
The event kick-off was followed by various presentations with subsequent opportunities for professional discourse. Firstly, Alexander Scholz from the Vienna Municipal Department MA18, Urban Development and Planning) gave an insight into the Vienna Shared Mobility Concept as well as the formulated guidelines for mobility stations in Vienna. Leonie Schöch (Wiener Linien) followed up on this and explained how the hub concept is implemented in Vienna by Wiener Linien. Christian Kainz (zukunftswege.at / Salzburger Verkehrsverbund) explained how multimodal hubs are planned and designed in the Salzburg region with the help of the action plan for multimodal hubs in rural and urban contexts. The design processes of mobility stations in Lower Austria, more specifically in the Weinviertel region and the city of Tulln, respectively, were also presented by Christoph Weber (NÖ Regional), embedded in the LISA project.
The following block consisted of short inputs on the SmartHubs project. The SmartHubs integration ladder for the design of mobility hubs developed within the project was vividly presented by Karst Geurs (University of Twente (Netherlands), Centre for Transport Studies). Furthermore, Linda Dörrzapf (TU Wien, Research Department Transportation System Planning - MOVE) showed the functionality of the open data platform on mobility hubs. From the Institute of Political Science at the University of Münster (Germany), Antonia Graf and Julia Hansel explained which political framework conditions as well as governance framework conditions should be fulfilled for a successful implementation of SmartHubs. The focus in this case was on the establishment of stations in Austria.
After another short break, the participants split up. Intensive discussions took place in five rooms in workshop format on various focus topics:
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Participants interested in assessment tools/methods for sustainability and stakeholder assessment were able to attend a workshop by colleagues from the Research Centre for Mobility, Logistics and Automotive Engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). After an introduction to the SmartHubs appraisal tool using fictitious examples, the session participants were able to ask questions about the tool and the underlying criteria and express their opinions.
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Another workshop was held on the topic of accessibility of mobility hubs with different means of transport in urban areas including a compatible, "automatic" accessibility tool (TU Munich, Germany). In the form of isochrones, walking distance and the facilities located in the vicinity are displayed. The session participants found the tool helpful. They saw potential for improvement in the graphical interface as well as in the extension of the input data to include travel costs (as well as budget constraints) and the possibility of a user-based selection of different facilities and intermodal options.
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The colleagues from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Bologna (Italy), on the other hand, focused on resilience in the context of accessibility and network. The resilience tool presented was developed with the aim of analysing the resilience of urban areas and public transport networks according to hypothetical disruption scenarios. The resulting evidence can be particularly useful in assessing the choice of the most appropriate locations for mobility hubs. The development of the tool is proceeding in phases. The tests with simulated and real data so far have been promising and showed that the current version works flawlessly.
Two additional workshops were prepared by colleagues from the Institute of Political Science at the University of Münster (Germany): One session addressed political guidelines and their impact on governance aspects. The second group focused on public debate and citizen participation. In the session on policy guidelines, a checklist of potential impacts in terms of priorities was discussed. It became clear that a comprehensible strategy with clear (political) objectives is elementary. In addition, a common understanding and a clear distribution of tasks and resources among all stakeholders are necessary for a successful implementation of SmartHubs. Among other things, it remained open which institution is best suited for the organisation of mobility hubs.
The first part of the symposium ended with a short summary by the workshop leaders on the content discussed in the different breakout sessions.
Well revitalised after lunch, the final task was to actively explore aspern Seestadt itself. Under the guidance of Christoph Kirchberger (TU Wien) and Lukas Lang (Wien 3420 aspern Development AG), the interested visitors were able to get an idea of the large development area for themselves on a guided walk. A truly crowning finale!
Deliverable D 2.3
Governance Frameworks for Mobility Hubs in the SmartHubs Living Lab Areas
Authors: Antonia Graf (WWU), Julia Hansel (WWU)
SmartHubs Deliverable D 2.3
Deliverable D 2.3 - Summary
Governance Arrangements for Smart Mobility Hubs
Authors: Antonia Graf (WWU), Julia Hansel (WWU)
SmartHubs Deliverable D 2.3 - Summary
This first scientific publication is based on the MSc. thesis project conducted by Johan Horjus, a student from the University of Twente. Focusing on the digital skills scale, a survey was conducted at a public transport stop in one of our case study areas, Leyenburg, The Hague. The purpose was to investigate the intention to use shared modes and public transport in a multimodal transport network.
According to the findings, the conclusion is that the intention to use shared transport is higher for people who are younger, have a high level of education, and a high level of digital skills.
24.06.2022
First published paper
Scientific Paper:
Integration of shared transport at a public transport stop: mode choice intentions of different user segments at a mobility hub.
MSc. thesis:
Integration of shared transport at a public transport stop: the intention to use means of transport in a multimodal transport system
Appendices
The SmartHubs OpenData Platform (ODP) is live and we're open to welcome new co-editors!
The ODP is an online platform to get all the information about the data collected in the living labs and existing mobility hubs.
22.06.2022
Open Data Platform is welcoming new editors
Contribute Mobility Hubs to the platforms which can be learning cases for other practitioners, compare your mobility hub on the SmartHubs Ladder and download the data for further analyses.
To access the Open Data Platform please visit: https://data.smartmobilityhubs.eu
On May 19th the International Symposium on Inclusive Mobility Hubs, organized by the SmartHubs and CROW, took place in The Hague. We were hosted by the Municipality of The Hague with a great view over the Grote Markt in The Hague and had many fruitful discussions on the topic of inclusive, integrated mobility and the potential role of mobility hubs.
08.06.2022
International Symposium
on Inclusive Mobility Hubs
Slides here
Our moderator of the day, Edwin van Uum (UUM), led us through a morning packed with information about tools developed in the SmartHubs project, international hub examples, and panel discussions on the challenges of developing inclusive hubs.
Professor Karst Geurs of the University of Twente and project leader of the European Smarthubs project kicked off the morning with an introduction to the SmartHubs project and its five living labs in the Netherlands, Munich, Vienna, Brussels, and Istanbul. He presented the SmartHubs integration ladder which categorizes hubs on their physical, digital, and democratic integration and includes inclusive design principles.
Christoph Kirchberger of the Technical University Vienna introduced the mobility hub ecosystem of Vienna and Eastern Austria to us which includes a whole network of mobility hubs facilitated by a wide range of actors. Examples of measures that support inclusion in these hubs include co-creation methods involving different actors during the design phase of hubs or digital skills training courses and test events during the operation phase.
Christoph also proudly launched the SmartHubs Open Data Platform (data.smartmobilityhubs.eu) which is the first cross-project open data platform for mobility hubs learning cases and allows to collect data on mobility hubs, compare hubs, and to analyze integration levels. We are happy to welcome new contributors on the ODP: Register
The participants then split up into three groups for breakout sessions:
1) One group was introduced to the SmartHubs design game, a participatory co-creation tool developed in the SmartHubs project with augmented reality features. Four players took up new characters and discussed and negotiated which mobility and non-mobility elements should be placed at a square (Hobbemaplein) in The Hague. Karla Münzel (University of Twente) led through the game and Hilda Tellioglu (TU Vienna) explained the game features. Participants recognized the value of visualizing designs and the playful way of taking into account different perspectives and needs.
2) A second group discussed which governance factors influence the successful implementation of mobility hubs. Julia Hansel (WWU Münster) presented a framework for the governance of mobility hubs and led through a discussion on the influence of multiple governance aspects like the choice of locations for hubs, unclear responsibilities, and multi-level networks, stakeholder cooperation or the integration of hubs into policies.
3) The third group discussed the inclusion of vulnerable-to-exclusion citizens at mobility hubs. A relevant topic when you consider that current users of new mobility services like shared bikes or scooters are predominantly young, higher educated males. Jesse Pappers (VU Brussel) led through a discussion on barriers experienced by different groups, the reduction of barriers, and the question if hubs should be accessible to diverse groups from a cost-effectiveness perspective.
After the breakout sessions, Diederik Basta of the municipality of Amsterdam and Martin Courtz of the province of Drenthe shared their insights from mobility hub projects in Amsterdam and Groningen-Drenthe with us. They explained their efforts for making hubs inclusive and using them as tools for a wider area of aspects next to transport and shared the struggles around inclusivity. Séverine Kas (KennisOverZien) then introduced us to the challenges faced by travelers with visual impairments and reflected on the opportunities and risks of inclusive mobility hubs. An interactive panel discussion evolved around the challenges of inclusive hub design which was then continued by representatives of the cities of The Hague and Rotterdam (Charles Huijts and Mariet de Haas) and the local public transit providers HTM and RET (Sandra Nijënstein and Halmar Kranenburg). Closing the symposium the audience and the panel agreed that hubs could act as game changers for transport and as a tool for increasing accessibility but that implementation knows many challenges.
The SmartHubs Integration Ladder is based on three dimensions: the physical, digital and democratic integration dimensions, each dimension having 5 levels.
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Physical integration describes how well the physical connection of multiple mobility modes and other functions are physically integrated.
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Digital integration describes how well information from various mobility offerings are integrated into a single digital platform.
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Democratic integration is based on principles of participatory governance, encompassing integration of citizens in the development of hubs to create more inclusive hubs catering for the needs of a wide variety of different users.
18.02.2022
SmartHubs in VerkeersNet TV
What is a mobility hub? What are expected impacts? Professor Karst Geurs, SmartHubs project leader, talked about the SmartHubs project in an online Dutch TV programme (Verkeersnet TV) Monday Feb 14 2022.
27.01.2022
The first deliverable of the Project is READY
How are mobility hubs defined and categorized in academic literature and planning practice? What is a smart mobility hub? Where are mobility hubs located in Europe?
If you want to set up smart mobility hubs in your city or you are researching about them, we summarized different definitions, categorisations and typologies for you in the first deliverable of the SmartHubs project: "A multi-dimensional typology and inventory of mobility hubs".
As one of the main outcomes, we developed a SmartHubs integration ladder, distinguishing different integration aspects that influence the use and societal impact of mobility hubs: the Physical, Digital and Democratic integration.
Finally, we developed the first open data platform with an inventory of mobility hubs in Europe.
We had our first physical meeting in Brussels.
In this meeting, we discussed which tools should be used at each one of our living labs in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Turkey. After defining what makes a mobility hub SMART, we developed an integration ladder for categorizing mobility hubs.
Find out more in our open data platform: https://lnkd.in/dn4Nzp3m
We are looking forward to our upcoming physical meetings in The Hague/Rotterdam and Vienna in spring and autumn 2022.
02.11.2021
First Live SmartHubs Meeting
15.07.2021
We officially started
-Press release-
Mobility Hub in Vienna (WienMobil station Simminger Platz).
Photo by: Yusak Susilo
Project: SmartHubs - Smart Mobility Hubs as Game Changers in Transport
Duration: 5/2021-4/2024
Smart Mobility Hubs as Game Changers in Transport
Can mobility hubs, on-street locations offering a variety of shared mobility options such as electric bicycles and cars, contribute to inclusive and sustainable urban mobility? This is examined in the 3-year project SmartHubs which started in May 2021 and will run until April 2024.
The project is one of 15 international projects from the JPI ERA-NET Cofund Urban Accessibility and Connectivity call funded by 23 national funding agencies from 16 countries in Europe. The SmartHubs project is coordinated by Prof. Karst Geurs from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, at the University of Twente, with a budget of 2 million Euros.
SmartHubs will examine if mobility hubs can be a game changer towards inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. Will mobility hubs improve cycling and public transport and reduce car use? Will they promote better access to shared mobility like e-scooters, car-sharing and bike-sharing? SmartHubs will take a people-first approach and test novel participatory and impact assessment tools including technologies such as augmented reality combining the real and online world as well as participatory planning and evaluation approaches involving all stakeholders and especially vulnerable-to-exclusion persons.
The research will be conducted in Living Labs in the Rotterdam-the Hague metropolitan region, Brussels, Munich, Vienna and Istanbul.
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The focus of the living lab in Vienna is on designing a citywide mobility hub network through co-creation processes. This Living Lab provides a unique flexibility in (re-)designing user-centric mobility hubs and provides room to experiment on the design level of SmartHubs.
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The focus of the living lab in Brussels is on the co-creation of the first neighbourhood-level prototype mobility hub with key stakeholders (citizens, businesses, transport operators, municipalities, etc.) in Anderlecht.
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The focus of the living lab in Rotterdam-The Hague is on the digital and physical integration with public transport.
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The focus of the living lab in Munich is on integrated passenger and freight transport (city logistics) mobility hubs.
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The focus of the living lab in Istanbul is on mobility hubs in unplanned and growing urban developments in an emerging economy.
Mobility Hub in Vienna (WienMobil station Simminger Platz).
Photo by: Yusak Susilo
Role
The MOBI Mobility, Logistics and Automotive Technology Research Centre at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is looking for a doctoral researcher who will contribute to interdisciplinary research in the domains of transport, sustainability and socio-economic assessment. The goal is to complete a PhD based on the different research projects in which the researcher will have been involved. The candidate will contribute to the ongoing JPI Urban Europe research project Smart Mobility Hubs as Game Changers in Transport (Smarthubs) that examines mobility hubs, dedicated on-street locations where citizens can choose from different shared and sustainable mobility options. The main objective is to assess if a co-designed, usercentric development can enable mobility hubs to act as a game changer towards inclusive sustainable urban mobility and accessibility. In the living lab in Anderlecht (Brussels Region), the project will demonstrate the Smarthubs cocreation process for mobility hubs and appraise the feasibility and potential impact of such mobility hubs and co-create the first neighbourhood-level prototype mobility hub with key stakeholders (citizens, businesses, transport operators, municipalities, etc.) with specific focus on vulnerable-to-exclusion persons (ethnic minorities, low-income, low-educated) as well as digital inclusion.
Tasks
• The candidate will carry out academic research in the domains of mobility and socio-economic assessment.
• She/he will contribute to the implementation of the Smarthubs living lab in Anderlecht by organising and implementing the co-creation process, liaising with local stakeholders and citizens through interviews and workshops.
• She/he will contribute to other Smarthubs tasks such as the development of key performance indicators, a co-creation approach and policy recommendations.
• She/he will assist the project manager (senior researcher and the team leader) in project management activities such as project reporting, organisation of workshops and conferences.
• She/he will write research reports and valorise research results in popular and academic publications.
• She/he will present research results at workshops and conferences.
• She/he will contribute to public dissemination activities.
• She/he will supervise master thesis students.
10.07.2021
Vacancy for a PhD researcher (100%)
Research Centre at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels, Belgium
Profile
Essential:
• A Master’s Degree in Transportation, Transport Planning, Urban planning, Urban studies, Economics, Geography, Management, Commercial engineer (Handelsingenieur), Political science, Sustainable Development, Sociology or related discipline.
• Interest in mobility and socio-economic assessments
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English and French.
• The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of partners.
• Good time management and planning skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines and work effectively under pressure.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other Office applications
Additionally valued:
• Good qualitative research skills
• Knowledge of SPSS and GIS software
• Good knowledge of Dutch is an advantage.
Starting date: 1 September 2021
How to apply?
Please submit
• a CV with contact details of two references;
• a short cover letter (max 500 words) expressing your specific interest in working at MOBI and pursuing a PhD;
• a sample of a publication or report in English that you had substantial contribution to (e.g. Master’s thesis).
Deadline for applications: 28/07/2021
Candidates that have not yet acquired their Master’s degree can apply and participate in the selection procedure, but need to offer proof of registration in their Masters programme and need to have complied with all diploma requirements before starting their position at VUB-MOBI.
For more information please contact:
Prof. Dr. Imre Keseru, deputy co-director
email: Imre.Keseru@vub.be