All over the world human-induced climate change, rapid population growth, housing and cost of living pressures, as well as systemic inequity and poor health outcomes threaten both living standards and economic growth, with knock on effects for political stability and social cohesion.

Cities have always learned from each other in seeking to meet current and future community needs. They are responsible for 80% of global economic output and act as focal points for culture, commerce and employment, as well as transit hubs for labour and the global elite alike. As the number and variety of urban environments have grown, so too have the challenges they face.

For cities to become more equitable and resilient, there is an increasing reliance on applying insights from elsewhere at speed to reduce project risks, invest limited public funds well and avoid delaying community benefits due to less predictable trial-and-error approaches.

In the United States, Washington D.C. and San Fransisco have both implemented ‘first right of refusal’ laws to allow tenants to purchase apartment buildings prior to them hitting the market to combat gentrification. Spanish capital Madrid is undertaking a climate resilience effort of planting an urban forest of native trees, that will ring the city in a bid to improve air quality and mitigate the ‘heat island’ effect. Meanwhile in Buenos Aires bus time journeys were halved when car lanes on Avenida 9 de Julio, sometimes known as ‘the widest avenue in the world’ were reduced from 20 to 10.

In April I will present a paper titled ‘Critical Factors in Urban Translation: How cities can better understand and more efficiently translate lessons from foreign experience and projects’ at the International Conference on Urban Affairs in New York City. The paper will feature the findings of quantitative and qualitative surveys undertaken with selected urban and transport planning professionals who have worked in and applied their experience across multiple jurisdictions.

This is part of a longer term project exploring common factors found to limit effective local application of lessons learned from other cities, and what they have done to meaningfully adapt their assumptions, skills, knowledge and experience to benefit new contexts. The insights will be presented as a toolkit of strategies that professionals and communities alike can use to more effectively translate lessons from foreign experience and projects.

As cities draw in money, people and resources they also face huge challenges which if not tackled with well-developed policy could overwhelm what have become the vital arteries of human society’s survival.

We have been driving internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles for over one and a half centuries and diesel and petrol fuel pumps and forecourts are an embedded part of our motorways, country lanes and city streets. 

Soon to be widely adopted, Electric Vehicles (EVs) are bringing a myriad of infrastructure changes that consumers and governments need to prepare for. The diversity of charger power ratings, multitude of potential charging locations and ever evolving battery and charger technology is providing challenges we are not accustomed to after the relative consistency of the ICE era. 

I feel privileged to be able to work with and for a diverse set of clients, many of whom attained the remit for EV Infrastructure (EVI) development in their organisations alongside a mountain of other pre-existing responsibilities and duties. Even as an individual whose career is wholly devoted to EVI consulting, working in a team with others aligned on this mission to support a smooth transition to EVs, it is often hard to keep up with all the changes. 

Here are my reflections on the top five developments to rules, regulations and standards that are driving the EV and EVI industry in the UK. 

Smart Charging Regulation (2021/2022): In 2021 the UK Government brought in this regulation to address the issue of grid overloading. 

As far back as 2015 I was involved in work that examined this impact of road transport electrification and found that EVs could double the After Diversity Maximum Demand (a technical term related to the maximum load of a typical house when accounting for differences in the timing of peak electricity demand along a street). This could lead to the local electricity network overloading during the evening peak, despite there being plenty of time and capacity for those vehicles to charge overnight. Smart Charging Regulation mandates that all private charge points sold in Great Britain must have the functionality to enable smart charging. This includes the ability to respond to signals to change the rate or time at which electricity flows through the charge point, the ability to incorporate pre-set, off peak, default charging hours and allow the owner to accept, remove or change these.

Electric Vehicle Accessible Charging Specification,PAS 1899 BSI Standard (2022): In the early stages of EV charger rollout disabled drivers, passengers and pedestrians experienced accessibility issues when navigating public charging points. Difficulties included charging units at an unsuitable height for wheelchair users, charging cables that were too heavy to lift and connectors that require a high level of force to use, as well as features of the streetscape such as the size of the parking bay or the height of the kerb. 

The open-access PAS 1899:2022 Accessibility Standard aims to embed good practice and encourage providers to think about inclusive design from the start of the planning process. 

Today there are two Motability Foundation endorsed assessment schemes that exist to support this process - BSI Kite Mark and AccessAble - with the latter of these being launched in its fullness this year.

Ofgem Access and Forward-Looking Charges Significant Code Review (2023): A major barrier to rolling out charging infrastructure has been the significant cost of connecting chargers to the grid in certain locations where the network is more constrained, creating a ‘postcode lottery’ for public chargers. 

Through the aforementioned Significant Code Review Ofgem prohibited electricity network operators from passing on the reinforcement costs to the connecting demand customer (generation customers still have to pay for necessary reinforcements), thus levelling the upfront cost for new EV charging hubs across the country. Details on the caps and changes can be found here.

Today, connection requests to the electricity Distribution Network Operator before April 2023 can be resubmitted for a potentially significantly reduced quote.

The Public Charge Point Regulation (2023): The early public charge point network saw poor customer experience as a result of unreliable hardware, unclear pricing information and inconsistent payment methods among other factors. 

Following a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Market Study and government consultation The Public Charge Point Regulation sets out a number of rules including the requirement for all chargers rated >8 kW to be able to accept contactless payments, chargers rated 50 kW and above to be (on average) reliable for 99% of the calendar year and Charge Point Operators (CPOs) to provide a staffed, 24 hour, telephone helpline free of charge to consumers.

Key Performance Indicators and KPI management plans in Local Authority or Developer contracts with CPOs can further support a smooth customer experience.

ZEV Mandate (2023): Alongside all these positive changes the UK Government’s ZEV Mandate (as of the end of 2023) is also now law. Automotive manufacturers will now have to sell an increasing proportion of cars and vans each year that are fully electric or face hefty fines. In 2025 28% of cars and 16% of vans sold will have to be zero emission and by 2035 no new ICE or hybrid cars or vans will be allowed to be sold. There are derogations for manufacturers registering fewer than 2,500 cars of vans a year and various flexibilities, particularly in the early years, related to banking, borrowing and trading allowances. (Allowances are the unit in which compliance will be measured). This gives infrastructure investors confidence to rollout the public charge points required to meet demand. 

What aspects of the market and industry do you think need to change? And how? What regulations are needed now and how might innovations alter the requirements in the future?

Infralogic, the leading provider of infrastructure data and insights, recently published its Country Report for Italy, and we are delighted to announce that Steer Italy has ranked number one technical advisor by the number and size of transport infrastructure transactions. In 2023, Steer Italy served as technical advisor on six deals that successfully reached financial closure, with a total transaction value of more than EUR 1.3 billion.

Steer continued its close collaboration with infrastructure developers, sponsors, and financial institutions worldwide, engaging in diverse transport infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, airports and energy and renewables.

The report reveals several noteworthy transactions that highlight Steer’s market influence across various sectors:

Transport: Steer played a critical role in the refinancing of 2i Aeroporti (the Italian airport platform owned by F2i and Ardian), Naples Airport and Orio al Serio International Airport, showcasing its expertise in airport infrastructure and finance. Additionally, the advisory role in the Autovie Venete Privatisation and in the debt rise for SITAF, Società Italiana per il Traforo Autostradale del Fréjus, underscores Steer's strategic excellence in the motorway sector.

Energy: Steer's advisory services were instrumental in the Cogenest Biomethane Portfolio refinancing, a testament to its commitment to renewable energy and sustainable practices.

As Steer Italy continues to lead the way in technical advisory services, its impact extends beyond the immediate transactions. Through its strategic involvement in key sectors, Steer is not only facilitating significant infrastructure developments but also setting the standards for innovation, sustainability, and efficiency in the Italian market.

With a proven track record of success and a commitment to excellence, we are looking forward to further aiding our clients in 2024 as we continue to provide powerful answers to the transport sector's most complex questions.

North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association (NABSA) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing resources, education, and advocacy for the shared micromobility industry. By fostering collaboration among public, private, and nonprofit sectors within the industry, NABSA facilitates spaces for growth and aims to promote a more equitable and sustainable transportation ecosystem.

Micromobility refers to transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, typically referring to those that are rented through a bike share, stationless scooter share, or other self-service rental program.

Over the past few years, shared micromobility has undergone significant transformations and growth. A bike-share or e-scooter system now exists in more than 400 cities across North America.
 

Photo from Cincy Red Bike.

However, alongside these successes, there are areas for improvement. Although the representation of people of color among shared micromobility users has increased, data reveals that white male populations continue to be over-represented. User demographics also skew toward higher-income earners and those under the age of 44. This underscores the need for concerted efforts to ensure that shared micromobility users and operator workforces reflect the diverse communities they serve.

In September 2023, NABSA and the Better Bike Share Partnership published the second edition of their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging toolkit for improving workplace practices in the shared micromobility industry across North America and Mexico. NABSA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee presented the toolkit at the plenary session of their annual conference. After the presentation, Sally J. Guzik, Vice President at Fourth Economy, led a walkthrough of the toolkit and engagement session with 100+ participants. “The room was filled with enlightening conversations, insights, and shared visions for a more inclusive future,” Sally reflected.

Steer, in partnership with Fourth Economy, was commissioned by NABSA, to develop this toolkit. The toolkit covers the entire shared micromobility workforce development process, from recruitment and hiring through workplace culture, professional development, and tracking progress and measuring the impact of company policies. The toolkit focuses on seven key areas, from recruitment and hiring to workplace culture and leadership accountability.

This toolkit spotlights the challenges and opportunities concerning workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within shared micromobility. It celebrates the innovative work already being done by organizations within the industry and provides guidance to those on their journey toward building a better micromobility industry.
 

To develop the toolkit, the team paired research with targeted engagement and interviews with micromobility industry workers to identify best practices and case study examples highlighting workplaces that promoted diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the US bikeshare and scootershare workforce. NABSA’s DEI Committee supported outreach and provided key feedback throughout the process. The toolkit reflects the industry’s dynamic evolution and increased diversity since the last toolkit was released in 2019.

Our team developed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging principles that are now included in NABSA’s principles and guidance. Each toolkit section is enriched with action steps, case studies, resources, and a self-assessment to provide tangible strategies to build a more diverse team and promote a more equitable organization. English and Spanish versions of the toolkit are available, with a French version to be published soon. Access the toolkit here: Building a Better Shared Micromobility Industry: Best Practices for More Diverse and Inclusive Workplaces.

We enjoyed working on this project, which featured Steer’s expertise in new mobility and Fourth Economy’s experience in equity-centered initiatives. Whether you're just starting your DEIB journey or you're looking to enhance existing initiatives, this toolkit is a goldmine of actionable insights and strategies. Reach out to Alia Verloes or Chris Worley to continue the conversation. In the meantime, be sure to read our interview with Waffiyyah Murray, DEIB committee chair at NABSA.

Steer Director Liliana Pereira has been appointed to the Passenger Rail Advisory Committee (PRAC) of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The Surface Transportation Board is an independent federal agency that is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, in the United States.

In November 2023, the STB announced the formation of the committee, which it has now appointed.

Joining a team of 21 experts, Liliana, from our Oakland Office, will contribute her expertise to address issues affecting passenger rail service throughout the US. With over two decades of experience in transportation, specifically in rail projects worldwide and in the US, Liliana is well-equipped to serve the PRAC.

The PRAC will be responsible for providing information, advice, and recommendations to the STB on issues surrounding the development and operation of passenger rail services. The Committee will cover efficiency, regulatory processes for intercity passenger rail, and various consumer, social, and environmental concerns.

“I’m thankful for being selected for PRAC and eager to work with other members in advising the STB on regulation to creating reliable, inclusive, and sustainable intercity passenger rail services in the US. Through my work at Steer, I have developed a deep understanding of intercity rail services and how they can contribute to more equitable outcomes. I will share these perspectives during the PRAC discussions”.

Meet the speakers 

Join us in a conversation with leading experts on how we can accelerate the delivery of net zero policies and projects in local areas. This insightful discussion promises open dialogue among the panel and our live online audience.

Don’t miss this chance to be part of a transformative conversation driving sustainable change.

Leanne Wilson, Energy Accelerator Programme Manager at North of Tyne Combined Authority

Andrew Farrimond, Infrastructure Sector Lead, Aviva

Prof Jillian Anable, Chair in Transport and Energy, University of Leeds

Patrick Allcorn, Head of Local Energy, DESNZ

Colin Blackburn, Assistant Director for Housing, Infrastructure and Planning at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

In-person event, Leeds: 7.30am - 9.30am.