Most cities are looking for new ways to ease mobility and reduce congestion! Although there are many sustainable solutions, nothing seems to fit the bill like mobility scooters. These scooters ease movement for the elderly and people with mobility issues. They are easy to use, lightweight, and have convenient storage, thanks to their foldable nature.
Due to their popularity, the global mobility scooter industry has risen and may reach $3.21 billion by 2030, up from $1.72 billion in 2020. If more cities continue to embrace scooters, the industry will continue to thrive, cities will have less traffic, and users will have transport convenience.
In this guide, we discuss mobility scooters in our urban setups and why they have become popular. We will also discuss top practices that cities may embrace to encourage more mobility scooters as a sustainable method of transport.
Contents
The Rising Popularity of Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooters have become a reliable form of transport in many cities due to their benefits. One of the most notable benefits is their ease of use. Products from reputable brands like Pride mobility scooters come with a simple, intuitive design that anyone can operate, regardless of their physical ability.
Most are automatic and have maneuvering features, allowing one to increase or reduce speed, reverse, and do almost everything one would do when driving a vehicle. Such convenience makes mobility scooters an incredible option for short distances.
Here are other reasons why mobility scooters have become a popular and great method of transport in urban settings.
- Are Versatile
There’s a scooter for everyone’s unique needs. Whether you need a small one, a large one, or one with special advanced features, you will always get a suitable mobility scooter. Some are adjustable, while others are not. Besides, most are designed to move well in small and rough terrains. The mobility scooters’ versatility makes them a great option for people who need to enhance their mobility.
- Improve Safety
Falls are quite common to people with mobility issues, mainly if they don’t have a solid support system. Mobility scooters enhance safety by reducing the possibility of falls to users. The scooters are sturdy enough and come with weight limits, so there is no fear of falling, irrespective of weight. Also, some have adjustable straps to offer maximum body support and enhance safety.
- Improve Independence
Mobility scooters enhance independence for people with mobility issues. They allow one to easily move from one point to another, even without assistance. Such independence increases their confidence and enables them to accomplish most daily tasks without a helper. Some scooters even have compartments to store bags, meaning one can shop alone!
Why Cities Should Encourage Mobility Scooters
Here are the primary reasons why more cities should embrace mobility scooters in public places.
- To Reduce Road Congestion
Road traffic has been a big challenge to many cities across the globe. The congestion causes delays and affects the transport systems. Mobility scooters can help reduce the congestion because they don’t use the main roads. Instead, scooters can easily navigate people’s pathways, allowing vehicles to use the main roads.
- Mobility Scooters are Ecofriendly
Mobility scooters offer an environmentally friendly method of transport. They do not emit harmful carbon footprints, which could cause hazardous environmental effects. The scooters don’t use gasoline, which has less or no negative impacts on our environment.
Hence, they offer an eco-friendly method of movement. If more cities could allow more mobility scooters, carbon emissions to the environment would be reduced, and the world would be better for our health.
- They Offer Affordable Transport
Scooters are quite affordable compared to normal vehicles. Most scooters don’t use fuel and can work well only with electrical charging. If cities encourage mobility scooters, users will have an affordable mode of movement to work, shopping centers, and even recreational centers.
The Future of Urban Mobility: What Cities Can Do To Support Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooters are quite common in our cities, but something can be done to increase their usage. There are a few practices cities can adopt to encourage more people to use mobility scooters.
- Improve Infrastructure
One great way to support the use of mobility scooters is to improve the condition of infrastructure. Unlike vehicles, scooters come with smaller wheels, and navigation can be hard in areas with many potholes. As such, cities can improve infrastructure to allow smoother movement of the scooters.
- Improve Parking in Public Spaces
Cities can improve parking for mobility scooters in two main ways: by creating more space and lowering the parking fees. There should be designated areas for mobility scooters, just like spaces for vehicles.
Similarly, the parking fees should be low or free to encourage more people to use their mobility scooters in public areas in the city.
- Increase Availability
Some people don’t use mobility scooters because they don’t have them. Cities can encourage the use of scooters by making them available to anyone with mobility problems. They can achieve this by collecting data on people who need them and subsidizing their purchases to make them more affordable.
Conclusion
Mobility scooters are beneficial to users and to the public as well. To users, they encourage independence and offer an easy, affordable method of movement. To the public, cities enjoy an eco-friendly transport solution that makes people with mobility problems comfortable.
As the scooters continue to gain popularity, cities can support their use by improving infrastructure and encouraging lowering operations costs. By doing so, urban areas can enjoy less congestion and cleaner, less congested roads.
