The Ministry of Transport has conducted a large-scale field survey as part of Stage 2 of the project of updating the Qatar Bicycle Master Plan (QBMP).
The MOT takes into consideration that the Third Qatar National Development Strategy (NDS3) prioritizes a high quality of life by benefiting from Qatars advanced transportation infrastructure by increasing utilization and efficiency and accelerating the transition to more sustainable mobility options. This effort is also aligned with the pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the initiatives outlined in the Transportation Master Plan for Qatar (TMPQ 2050).
To ensure inclusivity, a diverse range of male and female participants, both Qataris and residents, from all age groups, from all areas across Qatar, were surveyed with a particular focus on the most densely populated areas. Interviews were held at 147 diverse locations, including parks, residential and commercial areas, beaches, sports facilities, shopping and entertainment areas, transportation hubs, cultural and tourist sites, and universities. This ensured a well-rounded understanding of user perspectives, nationwide.
The purpose of the survey is gathering information and feedback on peoples current and future needs, as well as challenges and preferences related to micromobility options like bicycles and e-scooters.
The survey also tried to understand what affects using these micromobility devices the most, and how often people use them to get to work or to access public transit facilities, or just for sport and leisure, in addition to the average travel time and distance cut. One more purpose was to diagnose the key barriers and motivators.
Understanding micromobility users sentiments will help identify the best ways to encourage usage and enhance traffic safety.
The survey revealed key factors influencing people's decisions, and significant trends in bicycle/micromobility preferences, trip purposes, average travel time, barriers, and motivators among respondents.
The survey showed that the bicycle is the preferred mode of transportation for 89% of all respondents and trip purposes were primarily functional (33.4%) to get to work or for delivery purposes, versus 66.6% non-functional aspects such as exercise and leisure.
Average travel time varied according to the purpose, with work/school trips averaging 13 minutes, exercise/leisure trips averaging 30 minutes, service/delivery trips averaging 8 minutes, and accessing metro/bus trips averaging 10 minutes.
Barriers cited the most by micromobility vehicle users surveyed included lack of tracks/separation from traffic on intersections, and insufficient services needed near such tracks such as charging stations, parking spaces, drinking water, and restrooms.
Other concerns related to using micromobility vehicles, according to survey respondents, included traffic safety, and weather conditions, particularly the heat and humidity in summertime.
Some respondents also cited the society culture toward using bikes or micromobility vehicles. Some other respondents said making such devices available for sharing for free or at low-cost rental can help encourage the use of bikes and micromobility devices.
The findings of this survey are crucial to the ongoing updating of the QBMP, particularly with finalizing the remaining phases of the plan to move forward with putting the initiatives, developing future infrastructure projects, and setting that policies and systems to promote and improve the use of micromobility devices, bringing us closer to a future where sustainable transportation options are accessible and convenient for all with seamless integration into Qatar's transportation network.
