How a few lines of paint could ease pressure on train station parking

A few lines of paint on concrete to create dedicated e-scooter parking bays could push more people to use public transport in Brisbane and slash congestion, according to a new study.

But first, people would need to get over their reluctance to use e-scooters.

University of Queensland researchers wanted to know if micromobility – e-scooters and e-bikes from Lime and Neuron – could bridge the gap between home or work and public transport.

UQ’s Dr Richard Buning said many commuters relied on cars because their nearest train station, bus or ferry stop was just a bit too far away.

“It’s often this ‘first or last mile’ of a journey that stops commuters from using public transport,” he said.

A reliance on commuter car parks brings its own frustrations, as it is often difficult to find a spot at or near a Brisbane train station.

One Queensland Rail train can carry up to 964 passengers, who tend to park in the morning and not return until the late afternoon.

The eight-month research project, in partnership with Brisbane City Council and iMOVE, focused on Albion train station, on Brisbane’s northside.

In one stage of the trial, dedicated e-mobility parking hubs were introduced near the station’s park ‘n’ ride, which also had 280 free car parking spaces.

In the next stage, a $1 flat rate was introduced for e-scooter or e-bike fares that started or ended at Albion station.

Public transport fares cost a flat 50¢ now, and researchers wondered if making e-scooters and e-bikes cheaper would make a difference.

It normally costs $1 to unlock the devices and 60¢ per minute to ride, which means a 15-minute trip costs $10.

“We found e-scooter use rose from around 15 trips a day at the start of the trial up to 26, with most trips in peak weekday periods from 4-8pm,” Buning said.

The biggest spike happened after the parking hubs were introduced, due to an increase in visibility and reliability for people looking for an e-scooter or e-bike. Subsidising fares had only a modest impact.

Commuter surveys showed that while public awareness of the option increased, willingness to use the e-scooters or bikes remained low. More than half said they would be “extremely unlikely” to use them.

Car-dependent commuters were the least willing to try an e-scooter or e-bike as part of their travel, while walkers and public transport users were more open.

Buning said negative public perceptions around e-scooters and e-bikes might have hindered people’s willingness.

“We found the strongest predictor of willingness to use the devices was prior experience,” he said.

Co-investigator Associate Professor Dorina Pojani said surveys found the barriers were individual preferences, perceptions and attitudes.

“The most common reason people gave for not hiring e-scooters or e-bikes was a preference for their existing mode of transport, followed by just not ‘seeing themselves’ as users,” she said.

“This highlights how cultural norms, comfort and self-identification can shape the adoption of micromobility.”

Concerns about safety and perceptions of public nuisance were other deterrents.

However, among people who were likely or extremely likely to use the devices, cost was the biggest constraint, showing more willing users might respond to targeted changes addressing price, access and convenience.

Buning said investment in infrastructure, policies that addressed perceived safety risks about road sharing, and making the option “more personally relevant” were important.

The Queensland government last week passed new e-mobility laws, including a minimum rider age of 16, requirements for a driver’s licence, and a 12km/h speed limit when passing pedestrians on shared paths.

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