From Friction to Flow
Why Mobility Needs a Platform Revolution
Mobility in the UK is at a crossroads. While electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating and cities are embracing low-emission zones and multimodal travel, the day-to-day experience for drivers remains fragmented and frustrating — from the stress of finding parking to navigating inconsistent EV charging infrastructure and disconnected last-mile options. We are witnessing one of the most profound shifts in transport in decades, but the transformation must go beyond vehicles. The real opportunity lies in reimagining mobility through connected, user-centred digital platforms that unify services, simplify journeys, and deliver on the promise of smarter, more sustainable cities.
The Challenge: Complexity in Every Journey
Urban mobility in the UK remains fragmented. Drivers spend on average 44 hours a year searching for parking, costing the economy over £8 billion in lost productivity and emissions. EV uptake is growing fast, yet 49% of drivers still rely on three or more apps to access chargers, and “charging anxiety” is overtaking range concerns. Meanwhile, onward travel options — buses, trains, micromobility — remain disconnected, limiting true multimodal adoption.
What’s missing is not more infrastructure alone, but a unified, intelligent platform that simplifies journeys and connects services.
- Parking: From Static Space to Smart Service
Parking inefficiency generates over 200,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually in the UK. The scramble for EV-enabled bays only worsens this. But integrated solutions — combining real-time availability, EV charging, and digital discoverability — are only now starting to emerge, and will transform how the British Parking Association and local councils manage traffic in and around cities. These platforms don’t just ease congestion — they unlock new revenue and sustainability tools for cities.
- EV Uptake Is increasing — But so are the frustrations
With over 1.7 million plug-in vehicles on UK roads, charging access should be seamless. Yet despite 60,000+ charge points, inconsistent interfaces frustrate users. 85% of EV drivers want a single platform for charging, parking, and routing. Countries like Norway and the Netherlands show how open, interoperable platforms can accelerate uptake. The UK must follow suit — aligning infrastructure with user-centric digital experiences.
- The Missing Link: Connecting the Last Mile
Even when parking or charging is solved, onward travel often isn't. Although 30% of charging happens near train stations or park-and-ride hubs, few services bridge these modes. Integrated hubs — like those in Seoul or Zurich — offer a blueprint for the UK: EV charging, public transport, and micromobility in one interface. By linking parking with last-mile mobility, we can reduce car dependency and support cleaner, more accessible cities.
Why Ecosystem Thinking is the Future of Mobility
Too many solutions are built in silos. One app for parking. Another for EV charging. A different one for trains and yet another for e-bikes or e-scooters. The result? Fragmentation that confuses users and undermines efficiency.
What’s needed is a connected ecosystem: open, interoperable, and built for scale. By using API-first platforms and open data standards, we can unify services and deliver seamless experiences. With 75% of mobility leaders citing interoperability as essential (McKinsey, 2023), and user demand shifting toward convenience over speed (Zapmap), the opportunity is clear: link every touchpoint — from chargers to trains — in one digital platform.
An Opportunity to Shape the Future, Together
The mobility revolution isn’t just electric — it’s intelligent, integrated and adaptive. As we look ahead to a future where 50% of all new UK vehicles will be electric by 2030, and hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) begin entering the mainstream, the need for flexible, integrated digital infrastructure is more urgent than ever.
Tomorrow’s transport systems will need to accommodate everything from dynamic, AI-powered route optimisation to vehicle-to-grid energy trading and dynamic, sustainable transport patterns. Digital platforms are uniquely positioned to deliver on this promise by being modular, adaptable, and open to innovation, while being designed to scale — across cities, across services, and across future innovations.
We are entering a decisive decade for mobility — one that will define the environmental, economic, and social fabric of our cities for generations. With legally binding Net Zero targets, accelerating EV adoption, and mounting public demand for cleaner, more accessible transport, the pressure on infrastructure is intensifying.
Mobility isn’t just evolving — it’s being rearchitected.
The future lies not in isolated services, but in intelligent, connected platforms that integrate charging, parking, public transport, and micromobility into a seamless experience.
It’s a future not defined by vehicles, drivers and services, but by the platforms that connect them.
Author:
Roger Williams
CEO and Founder,
Digital Ties Ltd.
References and Data Sources
* Zapmap (2024 Charging Survey)
* McKinsey Future of Mobility Report, 2023
* British Parking Association - Parking integration and smart city use cases
* RAC Foundation (UK Parking Statistics, 2023)
* Department for Transport (EV Infrastructure Strategy, UK Government)
* Norway and the Netherlands — leading with unified EV infrastructure
* Seoul and Zurich — integrated multimodal transport hubs
* International Energy Agency (IEA) Global EV Outlook 2024