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Walking as a service – Does it have legs?

Lyons, Glenn

Authors

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Glenn Lyons Glenn.Lyons@uwe.ac.uk
Professor of Future Mobility



Abstract

Amidst the hype and prospects offered by technological innovation for shaping the future of mobility, it can be easy to overlook the humble and enduring place and potential of walking as a means of movement in our mobility system. Yet walking may already be part of the change taking place, as technological innovation and behaviour come together. This paper considers the potential significance of pedestrian navigation that has been placed in the hands of smartphone users, referring to it as ‘Walking as a Service’ (WaaS). For individuals physically able to, walking can provide a number of positive attributes including independence, reliability, flexibility, exercise and affordability. Such attributes may compare favourably with other means of transport for shorter journeys. Yet in spite of this it is often not the mode of choice. One of its limitations can be the cognitive challenge – when faced with the unfamiliar - of judging how long a journey could take on foot and determining how to navigate to the destination. Google Maps Navigation now addresses this with what appears to be ever improving attention to usability. Audio-visual assistance ‘holds your hand’ on your journey and keeps track of how far you have left to go and the estimated time needed. With a focus on the UK, the paper explores the prospects for, and place of, WaaS in the future of mobility, also highlighting an apparent sharp increase in average walking trip rate from 2015 to 2018. It draws out a distinction between the business model of Mobility as a Service (MaaS - which sells access to mobility) and that of WaaS (which sells access to geography and consumers) and puts forward the WaaS Circle of Virtue wherein WaaS is able to support sustainability and profitability.

Citation

Lyons, G. (2020). Walking as a service – Does it have legs?. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 137, 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2020.05.015

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 14, 2020
Online Publication Date May 30, 2020
Publication Date Jul 1, 2020
Deposit Date May 31, 2020
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
Print ISSN 0965-8564
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 137
Pages 271-284
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2020.05.015
Keywords walking; WaaS; MaaS; pedestrian navigation; wayfinding; TDM
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6003448
Publisher URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856420305978?via%3Dihub
Additional Information This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Walking as a service – Does it have legs?; Journal Title: Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2020.05.015; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2020 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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