What Explains Active Travel Behaviour? Evidence from Case Studies in the UK

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4775009
AutoresYena Song (0000-0002-0861-1397, University of Southampton, autor de correspondencia), John Preston (0000-0003-1219-4108, University of Southampton, autor de correspondencia), John M Preston (University of Southampton), Christian Brand (0000-0002-1535-5328, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford 0X1 3QY England, autor de correspondencia)
Año2013
Volumen45
Número12
Páginas2980-2998
Fecha de publicación2013-12-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEnvironment and Planning A Economy and Space (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0308-518X • E-ISSN: 1472-3409
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1068/a4669
OpenAlexW2160978830
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas43

Walking and cycling are considered to be healthy and environmentally friendly modes of travel that can mitigate the harmful effects of motorised journeys. This study aims to reveal the individual and built environmental characteristics that are associated with these behaviours by examining the current level of walking and cycling for transport in three UK case-study areas. Obligatory and discretionary journeys were separately modelled under the assumption that different factors would affect mode choice. Over 70% of respondents incorporated walking and/or cycling into their weekly travel and about 15% had ridden bicycles at least once for nonrecreational purposes during the last seven days. We also found that more walking journeys were made for discretionary purposes compared with obligatory journeys whilst cycling was more common for obligatory journeys. Using the concept of the active travel share, we developed models analysing active travel behaviour. The results confirmed that both personal and household characteristics had clear associations with the tendency for nonmotorised travel. In particular, age, physical fitness, and vehicle ownership were significantly associated with active travel in all models. The built environment, on the other hand, had significant associations with active travel only for obligatory journeys with the exception of distance to the main activity site, which was found to be significant for both journey types

Built environment · Civil engineering · Cycling · Demographic economics · Economics · Geography · Mode of transport · Physical activity · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Public transport · Transport engineering · Travel behavior · Communication · Engineering · Medicine · Psychology · Traffic and Road Safety · Transportation Planning and Optimization · Urban Transport and Accessibility