Heat, Hills and the High Season: A Model-Based Comparative Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Factors Affecting Shared Bicycle Use in Three Southern European Islands

Bicycle sharing systems (BSSs) in Southern European island cities, including Valletta, show nuanced patterns of use influenced by land use, socio-economic factors, and temporal conditions. Key findings reveal that BSS usage is positively associated with the presence of cafes, restaurants, beaches, promenades, and a higher percentage of foreign populations, while elevation negatively impacts usage across all three cities studied—Limassol (Cyprus), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), and Valletta (Malta). Seasonal weather patterns, particularly rainfall and temperature, also play significant roles in BSS use, with stronger effects observed in Limassol and Malta. Notably, while tourism is linked to increased BSS usage, this relationship is largely driven by multi-collinearity with weather factors rather than direct tourist behavior. The study employed bivariate correlation analysis and linear mixed models to dissect these spatio-temporal influences, providing actionable insights for policymakers aiming to promote sustainable mobility in similar urban environments.

Maas, S., Nikolaou, P., Attard, M., & Dimitriou, L. (2021). Heat, Hills and the High Season: A Model-Based Comparative Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Factors Affecting Shared Bicycle Use in Three Southern European Islands. Sustainability, 13(6), 3274. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063274