Making micromobility part of the liveable city : analysing the impacts, and integration of electric scooters

This thesis and its research have aimed to better understand and insight the highly relevant topic of urban planning of public spaces and infrastructure concerning micromobility. E-scooters is a new element in the urban context that so far has not been deeply implemented in urban planning theories, and existing scholarly works and research are limited or relatively recent. Some of the challenges with today’s use have been related to parking and how e-scooters visually spoil the cityscape and represent a threat to the pedestrian right-of-way on the pavement. The presence of e-scooters in the urban context has become a prominent issue for the common user of public space, especially for those with disabilities. Therefore, this research has aimed to develop a new framework, based on urban planning theory and principles, for how e-scooters can be better planned for as part of the liveable city. The two Norwegian cities of Oslo and Fredrikstad were chosen as part of a multiple-case study for data collection to give an insight on some of the impacts e-scooters have had in Norway. Aspects from urban planning theories have been applied to define principles for planning a liveable city with e-scooters in mind. An online survey and field observations were done to investigate people's perceptions of e-scooters, the relationship between the built environment, how e-scooters are parked, and what effect this might have on other users' right-of-way in the public space. The results from the field observations and the online survey partly validated each other when it comes to overall issues indicated by respondents and the ways improper parking was observed. The online survey generally corresponded with expectations and former research on the perceptions between users and non-users, young and senior citizens. In general, respondents indicated measures for better regulations and more designated parking. The research of this thesis concludes that there is a need for targeted regulations and physical measures in the built environment, that can better integrate e-scooters as part of the city's infrastructure and public spaces, without limiting nor reducing other users' right-of-way. The accessibility for pedestrians and people with disabilities should always be prioritised, while other modes of transportation should be adapted. These are some of the main measures towards a new framework for how e-scooters can be better integrated as part of the public space. A framework where other’s accessibility is preserved, while maintaining the concept of the liberal use that e-scooters represent