ITS Australia's Mobility 2022 event kicks off next week with an emphasis on car-share, ride-hailing and bike-share.
Under the theme of Reimagining Shared Transport, the two-day conference in Sydney will cover a variety of transportation topics, including first-/last-mile, environmental impact, active mobility, app design and open-source platforms, ticketing/payment and parking.
Susan Harris, CEO of ITS Australia, said: “Nothing beats face-to-face interactions, and we are excited to welcome back international colleagues to Australia. This event is an opportunity to reconnect, build relationships and form new partnerships."
There will also be transport discussions at workshops for ITS Australia's Mobility Reference Group and Community Transport & Technology Group.
Around 180 transport, technology and data experts are expected to attend.
Active travel is set to be a hot topic at the event. Rob Stokes New South Wales minister for infrastructure, cities and active transport will address delegates and said: “Active transport is about giving people the freedom to decide how and when they want to move about, and with more people preferring to walk, cycle or use active mobility devices, we must explore how to better support them."
“As we strive to create 15-minute neighbourhoods, events like Mobility 2022 are important in discussing how we can use technology to help us get there.”
With the exception of Tasmania, there was a decline in public transport ridership in most Australian states and territories over the 12 months from January 2021.
Segolene Deeley, director future mobility and corporate affairs at Keolis Downer and Mobility 2022 National Community Transport Chair said: “While there’s a gradual increase in commuters returning to the office and day-trippers visiting shops and city sites, trains, buses, trams and ferries remain below pre-Covid patronage levels."
"Our local and international transport experts will consider how people can be enticed back to shared transport services."
“Public transport has a key role to play in the economic recovery, bringing people back to the city centres, activating precincts and providing vital links to main activity centres. While mobility behaviours have changed, technology has a key role to play to understand what the new mobility trends are, and provide innovative mobility solutions that are increasingly sustainable and inclusive," Deeley concluded.
State-based issues will also be on the agenda with dedicated streams for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria initiatives, framed around updates from each state’s road agency, exploring what mobility projects they are working on.
ITS Australia’s Mobility 2022 runs from 15-16 June at the Hilton Hotel, George Street, Sydney NSW
Register here
