Roely Rijpkema,
Marti Valero Gispert
To have a self-sufficient on Texel by 2065 different concepts can be introduced. The focus of this rapport is on the mobility of Texel, so different objectives are made for the ways people move on Texel. The objectives we want to achieve are as follow:
• Objective 1: No polluting cars in 2065
This is the objective we want to have in 2065, but it would be better to achieve this objective much earlier, like in less than 20 years from now on. The disturbance on local environment from the mobility system should be gradually minimized in the coming years.
• Objective 2: Increasing the collective transport
The new system should fulfil the goal of complementing social presence. Not only moving individual, but more together. For this the well-being of different groups of people is notable. The transport has to be easily assessable so people will faster make use of it. Travelling on the island will change and people need to be open for this.
• Objective 3: Engagement of tourists and locals
Texel has a lot of tourist in the summer. Both locals and tourist will make us of the mobility system and to get them more engaged in the system is an objective. When they are more engaged, they will be more aware of the sustainable mobility. People have to trust the system and this will be more present when they are commit to it.
To achieve these objectives, we developed some concepts which contribute to a sustainable mobility on Texel. The YUTPA Analysis, of the former paragraph, resulted with the environmental impact of the mobility system on Texel island as a given fact that has to be improved. The main outcome of our brainstorming process is three different concepts that represent the three different focuses we picked from the YUTPA analysis, with the objective of making mobility in Texel sustainable. The concepts introduce new approaches for using the transportation system in Texel with the purpose of influencing, in depth, the way people think about sustainability. The desirable change will be to develop at the same time the society, together with the mobility, bringing both the locals and the tourists closer to each other and also to the beautiful Texel natural environment.
Three concepts for a self-sufficient on Texel by 2065.
• Concept 1: An application in which people can check the public transport availability, the points from where they can pick up a bike and the private cars availability, that potentially can bring them to the desirable destination within the context of “sharing a car concept”.
The creation of such an application would be effective not only for the synchronizing performance of the mobility system, in terms of its optimized use by the users, but also for the entrepreneurship in Texel and especially for young professionals in the field. Moreover, as it is well-known, applications can save time, material and make our life easier. Therefore, applications have their place in a sustainable future.
However, as this one will enhance the combination of all different kinds of transport, the actors involved will have conflicting interests. Therefore, the municipality appears to be the proper foundation to own the application and to put the effort for creating a balanced situation between all the actors.
Additional functions can be integrated in order to make people more active via the use of this application. For example, events that take place close to the “hot-spot” bus stops or bicycle storage spots can be published there, so that an extra reason in order to use public transport is created.
• Concept 2: Incentives and Taxes.
The municipality should integrate within the sociotechnical system the idea of rewarding the positive behaviour towards public mobility and making the private car usage less effective for the user. Are you driving your car alone for a distance longer than 10km? Then, your taxes will be proportionally increased. On the other hand, you can gain money if you provide your free sits to people that are willing to travel with you. This is the sharing a car concept and the arrangement can be done through the application.
Imagining how human social relationships will be developed the next decades, or how we would like them to be, communication and openness should be the direction to move to. As it is well known, depression and unsocial behaviour are only a part of the negative impact that modern life has on people. Additionally, the use of technology for communication has decreased the physical contact. Therefore, the municipality should call the people to become more open and to trust each other and at the same time control the factor of safety within all this. Such money incentives can be a solution. In combination with the taxes set, it is also economically feasible.
• Concept 3: A website to inform people about the environmental impact of mobility in nature and consequently in their life and health.
The need is for people to become more active and understand that the lifestyle is not just something that you do but it has impact on the earth in the long term. Mobility is a sector where for decades and decades a huge misuse of the available vehicles there has been done. A very good example is the statement that the brand of the car that someone drives shows the power, or the quality of the person. This is way so many people have bought expensive, unsustainable cars. If we start from the fact that so many cars have been designed and produced without any realistic need, then it is clear that at some point, even if it is profitable, it is not sustainable.
Therefore, it is really important to change the way people think and to increase their sense of engagement with the environment and with the Texel as a place in general. In addition to this, in the long term, all the environmental benefits achieved with the mobility system development will be being published there. As it is logical, through time, measurements will be being executed to check, for example, the carbon emission levels. These results will be uploaded, as a proof for the beneficial function of all the changes done.
As addition to these concepts, there are some other subjects we want to keep in mind. People move and think unconsciously . The different concepts have to be easily accessible, so people make faster us of it. Besides this, the concepts are not focused on all kinds of people, for example not the youth and the aged people. These group of people do maybe make use of mobility in a different way. They cannot use the devices used in the different concepts or need a special transport not included in the concepts.