Dr Khashayar Kazemzadeh

Research Interests

Dr Khashayar Kazemzadeh's research focuses on facilitating the transition to more sustainable urban environments by enhancing the quality of service for cyclists and promoting inclusivity within cycling infrastructure. His work involves analysing cyclist behaviour and investigating the factors influencing their comfort while cycling in urban settings. Using a variety of stated- and revealed-preference research methodologies, Khashayar employs controlled experiments, video analyses, naturalistic observations, and surveys to collect data. He utilises a range of statistical methods to interpret cyclist behaviour and assess the quality of cycling service. In addition to his focus on conventional cycling, Khashayar is interested in understanding road users' perceptions of comfort when utilising emerging transportation modes such as electric scooters (e-scooters) and electric bikes (e-bikes).

Strategic Themes

Sustainability

Research Project

Enhancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in active mobility: a study on underrepresented groups' perspectives in road infrastructure planning in Cambridge

Theme: Sustainability

Abstract: Underrepresented groups, including women, older adults, and underrepresented males, face challenges that hinder their participation and impact equity, diversity, and inclusion EDI in urban road infrastructure. This research project aims to address these barriers, focusing on road infrastructure planning and design to improve the role of underrepresented groups in active mobility and promote greater EDI in ridership. The project consists of four work packages (WPs). WP1 involves conducting a comprehensive analysis of the state-of-the-art literature using bibliometric and systematic literature review techniques to identify key research themes. WP2 utilises stated preference experiments to investigate how specific infrastructure factors, such as different types of pavement distress (e.g., potholes and cracks), contribute to user discomfort. WP3 assesses factors within each infrastructure, such as the types of road users and speed differences, that contribute to concerns related to EDI in active mobility. Building on the findings from the previous work packages, WP4 employs a dedicated stated preference experiment to develop a letter-based index that captures EDI concerns among transport users in active mobility. This research project aims to inform road infrastructure design and promote EDI in active mobility. The insights gained will be invaluable for planners, policymakers, and partners, enabling them to prioritise inclusive improvements. By addressing the specific concerns and needs of underrepresented groups, this study will contribute to the creation of more equitable and inclusive urban environments. Findings facilitate evidence-based decision-making, allowing policymakers to implement targeted interventions and policies that effectively address EDI challenges in road infrastructure planning and design.

Biography

Dr Khashayar Kazemzadeh is a MSCA Future Roads Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Development within the Division of Civil Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He earned his Ph.D. in transportation engineering from Lund University, Sweden. During his doctoral studies, Khashayar focused on evaluating the level of service for e-bike rides, particularly concerning interactions between e-bike riders and pedestrians. Following the completion of his Ph.D., he pursued a two-year postdoctoral research tenure at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. His postdoctoral research encompassed two main areas: firstly, employing choice experiments to investigate the impact of electric scooter shared systems on modal shift, and secondly, conducting video experiments to analyse the interaction of e-scooters with pedestrians in shared spaces in Sweden.

In July 2023, Khashayar joined the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds as a visiting research fellow for a six-month period. During this time, his research efforts were concentrated on quantifying barriers to the adoption of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in the UK. Khashayar has established a robust collaborative network with several universities worldwide, including UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Imperial College London, The University of New South Wales, Delft University of Technology, National University of Singapore, University of Sydney, and University of Tennessee. Furthermore, he actively contributes to the advancement of the transportation field by serving as a reviewer for over 20 peer-reviewed journals.