The impact of residence location and the accessibility of alternative electric micro-mobility vehicles on electric scooter usage patterns in Hungary.

The congestion, air pollution, noise and injuries caused by excessive traffic are just some of the transport-related issues that cities throughout the world are working to address. Urban transport planners consider electric scooters (e-scooters) to be a viable alternative to other forms of motorised individual transportation, most notably automobiles. While e-mobility alternatives can reduce negative environmental impact, some studies have shown that this depends on the new mode of transport that users adopt. Although sustainable transport options clearly have advantages, most European countries still struggle to integrate e-scooters into the transport ecosystem. Our exploratory research, based on the scientific literature, examines whether a significant correlation exists between place of residence and the use of e-scooters, and if so, how significant it is. For this purpose, we conducted a survey that was completed by 292 people living in Hungary. The data are analysed using cross-tabulation analysis, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and K-means cluster analysis to determine whether a correlation is evident between e-scooter usage and respondents' place of residence. We also examined whether the availability of alternative micro-mobility facilities in a neighbourhood influences the use of escooters. Based on previous studies and our novel research, the results reveal that neither the place of residence nor the availability of other means of micro-mobility significantly influences users' decision to use e-scooters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]