An analysis of the emerging “Shared Mobility Hub” concept in European Cities: definition and a proposed typology

Abstract

Seamless, efficient transport intermodality is a key aspect of the transition of cities toward sustainable mobility. The new “shared mobility hub” concept is increasingly gaining attention as a potential way to make this urgently needed transition happen. The present paper aims to provide an insightful view of the promising concept of shared mobility hub, initially by looking into the existing literature on its definitions and how they are classified to form different typologies. Following that, a new, flexible typology framework for shared mobility hubs is proposed. This is then applied to several existing hubs in five different cities in The Netherlands (Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Helmond), Spain (Sant Cugat de Vallès, Metropolitan Area of Barcelona), and Portugal (Lisbon). As these countries have different shared mobility policies in place and their citizens have very different mobility habits, we were able to reflect on how the proposed typology functions in varied contexts. This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion of a very timely topic in Europe and worldwide, which is the need for the deployment of a new generation of mobility hubs, with an emphasis on shared mobility. We trust that the suggested typology can be useful to policy-makers, local authorities, and transport and urban planners, as it can help with the conducting of a first effective screening with regard to which type of hub is needed for each specific case.