Shared micromobility services can improve lives of disabled people

Motability Foundation backed research explores potential benefits of e-scooters and e-bikes

More than half of disabled people believe shared micromobility services such as e-scooters and e-bikes could improve their lives, however more work is needed to improve their accessibility and safety, new research has found.

The Motability Foundation commissioned research to better understand the benefits and challenges faced by disabled people using shared micromobility services, and to identify ways to make these services more inclusive.

Delivered by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) and Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the findings are summarised in a report titled Raising the Bar – Boosting the Accessibility of Shared Micromobility Services.

Only 10% of disabled people who took part in the research had used shared micromobility services. When asked why they had not used one of these services, the most common response from disabled was that the vehicles were inaccessible to them, and that they did not know how to access them.

Those who had tried a shared micromobility service are significantly more likely to view them positively, with 70% feeling confident in their use compared to 32% of non-users. 53% believed they had the potential to improve their lives. The benefits that respondents believed these services could provide to them include access to outdoor activities, a sustainable travel option, and the ability to travel spontaneously.

This exploratory research, which included a survey of over 780 disabled people, focus groups, interviews with industry stakeholders, and co-design workshops, identified significant barriers to access for disabled people. These include inaccessible vehicle designs, low confidence in using the services, and a real lack of awareness about how to access them. For example, some disabled people reported difficulty mounting or operating vehicles like e-scooters, while others highlighted that booking apps were incompatible with other assistive technology.

The report outlines three priority areas for improvement:

• Accessible vehicle design: Developing vehicles that safely meet the needs of disabled users and pedestrians.
• Accessible digital platforms: Ensuring booking apps and service platforms are user-friendly and inclusive.
• Awareness and education: Empowering disabled people with the knowledge and confidence to both understand what shared micromobility services are and how to access them.

A key finding from the interviews with industry is the lack of clear legislation governing shared micromobility services, which the research found limits innovation and the development of more accessible services.

To address these challenges, the report calls for the government to create comprehensive legislation to regulate shared micromobility services, encouraging innovation, safety and inclusivity. It also highlights the importance of providers regularly reviewing their vehicle designs and digital platforms to avoid excluding disabled people.

The Motability Foundation agrees that clearer regulations are necessary and will work with other stakeholders to take this recommendation forward. It is also planning to initially act on the recommendations around awareness and education by funding a pilot project aimed at raising awareness of shared micromobility services amongst disabled people. The initiative will also give disabled people the chance to test the vehicles themselves, helping to build their confidence and allowing them to access the benefits these services offer.

Harry Fisher, innovation manager at the Motability Foundation, said: “This exploratory research has given us valuable insight into disabled people’s views on shared micromobility. We can see there is great potential for these services to provide a sustainable way of travelling for disabled people, but more work is needed to make them truly accessible and safe.

“The Motability Foundation is committed to supporting accessibility, inclusivity and safety in this sector as it grows, working alongside disabled people, transport providers, government, and local and regional authorities.”

Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “This is an important and ground-breaking piece of research, which clearly shows that disabled people are aware of the benefits of shared transport and would like to use it more often. It also shows that there is much work to be done to make the existing offering more accessible and inclusive, and the findings contain a number of key lessons for operators and government in particular.

“We know from our previous work that micromobility schemes such as e-scooters and bike sharing have the potential to be transformative, improving people’s health at the same time as cutting road congestion and air pollution and freeing up space in cities. It is crucial that nobody is left behind as we embrace these sustainable forms of transport, which must be made as accessible as possible at the design stage.”

Gordon McCullough, CEO at RiDC said: “Not being able to go where you need to has a huge impact on all aspects of life – securing paid work, connecting with friends and family and accessing vital services, such as healthcare. Shared micromobility services have the potential to change that, so it was encouraging to see that many disabled people who have previous experience with them are confident about their use.

“The work now needs to be done to ensure that these potentially life changing transport services are accessible and available to all. Listening to disabled people from the outset and building their feedback and suggestions into the final design are crucial. When you design inclusively it benefits the whole population.”

The full report can be viewed here