MaaS can work – but must be consistent with ‘decarbonised future’, says UK expert

Innovations such as Mobility as a Service (MaaS) will help to make transport more free-flowing for individuals – but that must not be done at the cost of society or the environment. That was the message from Paul Campion, CEO of the UK Transport Systems Catapult, speaking at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum’s seminar on intelligent mobility this week. He told delegates at the London conference that innovations in the 20th century had put travel within reach of most people, and tha
January 23, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
Innovations such as Mobility as a Service (8356 MaaS) will help to make transport more free-flowing for individuals – but that must not be done at the cost of society or the environment.


That was the message from Paul Campion, CEO of the UK 7800 Transport Systems Catapult, speaking at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum’s seminar on intelligent mobility this week.

He told delegates at the London conference that innovations in the 20th century had put travel within reach of most people, and that the 21st century will see even greater convenience becoming commonplace.

“The next few decades will see the democratisation of seamless travel,” he went on. “I want the complexity to go away – but it must be consistent with a democratic, decarbonised future.”

The new mobility options on the table – such as ride-sharing and connected vehicles – have the potential to make life better for everyone. But he warned that there was also a risk that some of their impact could be negative.

“We have to think very hard about what we want. We have to find ways to ‘sell’ the things that lead to utopia and try to resist the things that lead to dystopia,” he said.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Singapore aims to set MaaS benchmark
    September 26, 2019
    Delegates at this year’s ITS World Congress in Singapore will be able to experience Mobility as a Service for themselves in the form of MobilityX’s Zipster app
    Read More
  • New services and equipment helps cities tackle air quality issues
    September 19, 2017
    With poor urban air quality shortening lives and fines being imposed for breaching pollution limits, authorities are seeking ways to clean up their cities. Poor air quality is topping the agenda for city authorities across the globe. In the UK, for example, a report from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health, concluded that poor outdoor air quality shortens the lives of around 40,000 people a year – principally by undermining the health of people with heart and/or lung prob
    Read More
  • Grey areas: who's legally responsible for C/AVs?
    October 22, 2018
    Connected and autonomous vehicles are an exciting development in the ITS sector – but amid the hype some big questions about their deployment remain unanswered, finds Ben Spencer Connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs) have the potential to change the way we travel - and to eliminate road fatalities. But policy makers and regulators will need to ensure user and public safety is included in future planning. The legal and insurance industries will have to catch up, too. For example, questions over who is
    Read More
  • Rochester solves $8.5m transit question
    October 22, 2018
    RTS in Rochester, New York, saves by working with Conduent to upgrade its CAD/AVL systems rather than ripping them up and replacing them. Andrew Bardin Williams hops on for a ride. What to do, what to do?” It’s a question every transportation official must ask when faced with legacy assets, equipment and software that are nearing the end of their useful life. Nothing lasts forever, right? Freeways need to be repaired, bridges replaced, traffic management software updated and railway cars turned into
    Read More

Highlighted Content