CBiS Seminar Series: No back to normal? COVID-19 and the future of transport

Event details

Speaker

Dr Andrew Jones

Dr Andrew Jones is a Research Assistant in the Centre for Business in Society. His research interests include: understanding the forces influencing electric vehicle adoption from a consumer and policy perspective, considering transport and accessibility in rural regions, and assessing the influence of new ownership models on transportation. He has published in journals such as the Journal for Rural Studies, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice and Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.

Overview

Before the COVID-19 pandemic the future of transport and mobility was already highly uncertain given the rapid rate of technological innovation taking place in this sector. The pandemic has added a further layer of complexity as the behavioural habits and choices made by transport users have dramatically changed due to the presence of measures designed to control the rate of infection and protect healthcare systems. Public transport systems, previously seen as a key mechanism in supporting economic growth and the vibrancy of urban environments, have seen significant reductions in the level of demand, with only a gradual recovery in usage when lockdown measures were eased during the summer months. Whilst potential users of these services cite concerns surrounding ‘safety’ and ‘hygiene’ as reasons why they are avoiding these modes, the extent to which these issues will endure is uncertain. An effective vaccine or treatment could lead to a ‘back to normal’ scenario, but in the absence of these interventions there could be a sustained desire to protect personal safety. Equally, the temporary environmental improvements during lockdown could push individuals to adopt behaviours that are seen as being more sustainable. Each of these scenarios has implications for the future of travel and this session will assess how the pandemic could influence mobility and transport systems moving forward.

CBiS Seminars are open to everyone, but prior booking is mandatory.

For queries about this event please email: cbis.info@coventry.ac.uk

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