Graeme Sherriff

We use the Capabilities Approach to understand the ways in which e-scooters, as transportation resources, provide qualities that contribute to the ability of the transport system to enable people to participate in society. Government-led trials have been taking place in the UK since autumn 2020, focused on the provision of sharing schemes and with the intention of creating an evidence base on usership and contextual issues. This paper draws from a mixed-methods study in Greater Manchester, combining online surveys, reference groups and qualitative interviews. The findings suggest that e-scooters have a potential role in expanding the reach and boosting the reliability and flexibility of the transport system. Their relationship with safety is complex. Road safety concerns and issues relating to sharing space present barriers. Conversely, in relation to personal safety, e-scooters provide an alternative to walking through areas in which people may otherwise feel unsafe. For some, e-scooters offer a more affordable alternative to public transport and ride-hailing, but the unpredictability of cost, stemming from the per-minute costing model, can pose challenges for others. The low level of exertion can distinguish e-scooters from other micromobility options and, whilst some might therefore question their value in health terms when compared with other active modes of transport, people with conditions that mean they need to carefully manage their energy expenditure can therefore find e-scooters useful. These potential benefits should however be considered in the context of challenges relating to shared space for walking, cycling and e-scooting.

People, Place and Policy, 16 (1), 116-135 First published: 28 April 2022; last updated: 06 October 2022 Article type: Research article DOI:

People, Place and Policy, 16 (1), 1-5 First published: 06 October 2022 Article type: Editorial DOI: 10.3351/ppp.2022.9957294856 Published under a Creative

Urban Agriculture (UA), i.e., the production of crops or rearing of livestock in cities, is growing in popularity. Upscaled UA is increasingly gaining support from policy makers, funders, local authorities and other key actors across the globe. Radical forms of the concept, in the form of edible rooftops, urban farms and high-tech growing projects, are becoming more commonplace in our cityscapes; enabling production on a level not witnessed previously. With the mainstreaming of large-scale UA comes the potential to further the social, environmental and economic value of the practice, through job creation, biodiversity enhancement, the creation of short food supply chains and other benefits. Yet, despite this growth, there are barriers to upscaling city farming. Evidence suggests that a core issue surrounds urban soil contamination and hesitation with regards to crops in the city. This paper uses a qualitative approach to explore the UK’s largest urban farm and a spectrum of other UA sites to illustrate such barriers. We reveal how public hesitation, financial barriers and soil quality prevent development. We reflect on the breadth of the issue and call for a more pragmatic approach to these barriers. In doing so, we propose a path forward for enabling UA at scale.

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the need for research that focuses on micromobilities at tourist destinations, charting their recent expansion and exploring development challenges. Design/methodology/approach: This discussion draws together recent evidence and studies that are directly and indirectly related to the rise of micromobilities. It identifies and critically analyses the trend going forward, its potential benefits and challenges, and offers several areas of future study. Findings: Micromobilities relates to a new umbrella term that includes, but is not limited to, walking, cycling (both existing modes), e-bikes and e-scooters (new modes). The proliferation of new micro-modes in urban zones at destinations can be viewed positively in terms of their potential to increase sustainable urban mobility and therefore destination attractiveness; but also negatively in terms of potential space issues, accessibility and sustainable implementation. Destination developers and stakeholders should therefore consider carefully how to successfully integrate micromobilities into sustainable transport systems. Originality/value: This paper addresses a trend that is extremely prominent at many destinations but largely absent from academic study and that is also being described by commentators as key to sustainable futures at destinations.