Piloting an integrated system for e-bikes + car sharing to increase mobility in Setesdal.
This pilot/study case will take place in the Setesdal Region (Southern Norway).
Description of the area:
Setesdal is a valley in the south part of Norway. 210 km long with a scenic and wild nature formed by the river Otra. Despite the proximity to the sea-shore and larger hubs like the cities Arendal and Kristiansand, the region faces challenges with de-population and demographic changes. Tourism is a growing business in the valley, in particular cultural – and nature based tourism.
Challenges the region is facing in regards to mobility are:
- Inhabitants and tourists are depending on their use of private cars
- The road system are generally poor
- Transportation within the destination is not supporting a sustainable development of the destination.
Through the MARA project, The Setesdal Regional Council is aiming to introduce new innovative mobility solutions for its mountainous area with two cases, one for e-bikes and another forcar sharing.
Current mobility situation in the area:
In this project we are looking into the current situation on mobility and transportation in the Setesdal region by reviewing existing offers, normal transportation used by inhabitants and tourists and evaluating regional and local plans concerning mobility and accessibility. We will use tools available from the MARA project to do this. Stakeholders in this report are local inhabitants, local councils, regional councils, local and regional transport companies, destination management and of course other MARA partners.
Pilot cases to tackle the mobility challenges
E-bike pilot
Our case is to establish a pilot case testing out a solution for the use of e-bikes in our region. Our long term goal is to plan and design an integrated system for use of e-bikes for inhabitants and tourists in the entire valley. This system is planned to be a cooperation with local councils, inhabitants and partners from the tourist businesses.
Benefits we will see come out of this projects are:
- Social, by increasing mobility for inhabitants and tourist
- Environmental, by more climate friendly use of transportation
- Improved health and fitness, by increasing the use of e-bikes
- New offers for travel and tourism businesses
To test the viability in this plan we will first do a pilot. The pilot will take place in one of the centres in the valley and will consist of bikes, charging stations, logistic plans and intelligent digital solutions to manage the whereabouts and technical conditions of the bikes. We will also monitor the user’s behaviour and movement patterns in order to create an efficient and user oriented product.
Possibility for car sharing
In this case we will use the result of the report to establish the possibility for a system of car sharing to increase mobility in the region. We`re aiming to find a solution that will address challenges like:
- The need for children to be able to take part in social events and recreational activities.
- The need for elderly people to play an active role in the community
- The possibility to reduce social isolation for other inhabitants without access to cars
Even though Norwegian legislation today reduces the possibilities for such solutions, we will plan for future scenarios, both regarding practical as well as technical opportunities. As a partner in the MARA project we will have the opportunity to learn from other partners also in this case.
Partners developing this case:
