The combination of the COVID-19 lockdown and a focus on reducing carbon emissions is leading us to re-think our routines. We surveyed residents of Milan, Madrid and Dublin to determine how lockdown restrictions have altered public sentiment – not only about working from home, but also regarding how people intend to travel post-pandemic.
COVID-19 has temporarily disrupted systems and has introduced people to (or reacquainted them with) walking, cycling and the potential to work from home. It also poses challenges for transport authorities due to people’s concerns about public transport, with the private car or individual modes being preferred instead.
Could these trends completely reshape and optimise future urban mobility? Will the temporary behaviour changes we have seen during lockdown translate into permanent new ways of working and travelling? Have these the potential to flatten the (peak) demand curve and drive us towards a more sustainable new normal?
Our research highlights the willingness and possibilities inhabitants and city users have to change their habits in relation to mobility modes, while also referring to examples of solutions implemented globally.