The Finnish Transport Agency has explored the potential of cycling in the new transport system emphasising Mobility as a Service. Cycling as transport mode is a growing trend in Finland. The popularity of the bicycle could reach new heights, if cycling was integrated with public transport and other services. The Finnish Transport Agency’s study, published during the the National Bike Week, highlights the guidelines for promoting cycling.
Incorporation of cycling into the transport services would enable seamless intermodal transport. This study shows how cycling in urban regions can be integrated into the mobility services, by listing examples from abroad. This could be achieved by providing city bicycles integrated with public transport, good bicycle parking facilities, easy carriage of bicycles on buses and trains, a journey planner including all transport modes as well as bicycle rental services. Employers could also be offered tailored mobility packages for the employees, including bicycle rental and service.
To enable these cycling services, the conditions for cycling, such as bicycle lanes, must be improved. Business prospects in this field also depend on the cycling conditions. Moreover, the integration of cycling with public transport will also boost the use of public transport.
”The city bicycles that are now being introduced in the cities of Finland, are a good example of cycling as a service. The city bike system was recently adopted in Helsinki. The cities of Oulu, Tampere, Jyväskylä and Lahti are already exploring the preconditions for city bikes”, says Tytti Viinikainen, Sustainable Mobility Specialist at the Finnish Transport Agency.
Electric bicycles are also gaining ground in Finland. According to Tytti Viinikainen, shared electric bicycles would provide an excellent mode of transport to public transport stations or stops.
Door-to-door mobility services with one ticket and fare
The idea behind the now published study is that mobility is transforming into a service, where the whole transport system is based on user needs and services. In more sophisticated systems, the users obtain door-to-door services, for example a bicycle from a bicycle-sharing system, with only one ticket and fare. It is essential that the different transport modes are interoperable.
”Up till now mobility has mostly been based on self-service and independent efforts to combine the different services. In future, customers will be offered a greater variety of options. Digitalisation enables rapid creation of new types of services”, says Asta Tuominen, Development Manager at the Finnish Transport Agency.
The Finnish Transport Agency enables mobility services. Most of the actual mobility services will then be produced by different companies.
Original source: Finish Transport Agency
