The rapid rise of micro-mobility deliveries is reshaping urban public space faster than policy and infrastructure can respond, exposing gaps in planning, regulation and worker support.

Pilot projects like micro-mobility hubs suggest that practical, collaborative interventions can improve safety, dignity and efficiency, but scaling solutions will require systemic coordination and a rethinking of how cities allocate and manage shared space.

The city of the future is already here, and its challenges are always evolving.

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One issue that remains largely unaddressed in cities around the world is that of micro-mobility deliveries - app-based deliveries by two wheelers such as motorcycles, bicycles or scooters. They are everywhere, and they are increasingly part of daily life. Some people feel strongly that they are a problem. Others love the convenience they provide. Be that as it may, they are now part of how the city works.

The question then is whether we are willing to design for them in a way that is both safer and sustainable for everyone using public space, as well as more dignified for drivers.

Public space is where these pressures become visible first. How we respond to them matters: not only because it can ease the problems we face today, but because it can help us protect and adapt our public spaces for the future.

Because this is still an emerging issue, research is limited and policy is developing slowly. In that context, learning by doing can be a powerful way to understand what is happening on the ground and begin testing practical responses. Non-action is also a response,...