Mobility – both access and ability – is integral in enabling people to move around their communities and cities and the different places and activities that are part of their daily lives. It is a crucial factor for personal and professional development, economic participation, and social integration. Mobility allows people to participate in social activities including employment, education, health care, and leisure. I am starting by providing this thorough definition because |I believe it emphasizes the importance of the field of work that Mobycon operates in.
When we think about mobility, long-distance travel is the first thing that comes to mind – extensive commutes mainly with one destination in mind. But nothing could be further from the truth.
For most people, many of our daily trips are less than 10 kms in distance. In fact, a number of global studies have found that the shorter distance trips account for about 70% of all trips taken. The choice of which mode to use to make those trips is often very limited, consisting mainly of the private car, public transport, or walking. Currently, private cars and public transport often have an enormous claim on public space; a claim that impacts the life of a village or city. Activities on and around the street get squeezed, air quality is poor, and the traffic noise is so disruptive that encounters on the street become increasingly difficult. Therefore, it is not surprising that in many places around the world, both political leaders and residents alike are looking for an alternative and a different strategy for their communities: A strategy that enables greater cycling, makes walking more attractive, and returns human scale life and activities to our streets.
I am proud that the our Mobycon team is supporting this search for a different strategy, developing concrete measures and building best practice knowledge in many places around the world. Our mission, “To make the world less dependent on the car,” can only succeed if people dare to choose an alternative.
Within this Annual Report is a snapshot of our projects from 2022: mobility strategies, research, design solutions, communications, process development, and capacity building. I hope it provides you inspiration of what can be achieved, and of course we hope to continue our support with your plans and ambitions for 2023!
Johan Diepens
CEO Mobycon
