Bert van Wee

Commuting by Bicycle: An Overview of the Literature

Abstract Commuting by bicycle has advantages over other modes of transport, both for the commuter and for society. Although cycling is an option for many commuters, a considerable number of them choose to use other forms of transport. In order to underpin policies that promote commuting by bicycle, this paper investigates the determinants for commuting to work. As many bicycle commuters do not cycle every day, we also examine people’s daily choices, in terms of frequency. We conducted a survey of the current literature in order to identify the determinants for commuting by bicycle. We found many determinants, not all of which are addressed by conventional mode choice studies and models. This suggests that predicting and influencing bicycle use needs to be grounded in other kinds of knowledge than those currently available for motorized forms of transport.

When Transport Geography Meets Social Psychology: Toward a Conceptual Model of Travel Behaviour

Abstract Many studies model the effects of the built environment on travel behaviour. Usually, results are controlled for socio‐economic differences and sometimes socio‐psychological differences among respondents. However, these studies do not mention why after all a relationship should exist between travel behaviour and spatial, socio‐economic and personality characteristics. Answering this query involves combining and linking theories stemming from transport geography (e.g. time geography, activity‐based approach) and social psychology (e.g. Theory of Planned Behaviour, Theory of Repeated Behaviour). Using key‐variables from these theories, this paper aims to develop a conceptual model for travel behaviour. Comparable to customary theories in transport geography, this conceptual model considers travel behaviour as derived from locational behaviour and activity behaviour. But the conceptual model adds concepts such as ‘lifestyle’, ‘perceptions’, ‘attitudes’ and ‘preferences’ which indirectly influence travel behaviour.

Use and Effects of Advanced Traveller Information Services (ATIS): A Review of the Literature

Abstract Rapid technological developments in the field of personal communication services probe visions of a next generation in Advanced Traveller Information Services (ATIS). These technological developments provoke a renewed interest in the use and effect of such next‐generation ATIS among academia as well as practitioners. To understand better the potential use and effects of such next‐generation ATIS, a thorough review is warranted of contemporary conceptual ideas and empirical findings on the use of travel information (services) and their effects on travellers’ choices. This paper presents such a review and integrates behavioural determinants such as the role of decision strategies with manifest determinants such as trip contexts and socio‐economic variables into a coherent framework of information acquisition and its effect on travellers’ perceptions.

Self-Selection: A Key to a Better Understanding of Location Choices, Travel Behaviour and Transport Externalities?

In the last decade the importance of attitude-related residential self-selection has frequently been recognized. In addition people can theoretically self select them with respect to other location choices, such as job locations, with respect to travel behavior, or with respect to the exposure to transport externalities such as noise and congestion. In this paper we argue that insights into self-selection processes might significantly improve our knowledge on location choices, travel behavior, and transport externalities. We elaborate on options for self-selection and briefly formulate methodologies for research into self-selection. We think the most important categories that self-selection relates to (1) travel behavior preferences (mode choice, travel frequency, travel time, travel distances) and related location choices, (2) exposure to transport externalities (congestion, safety/risk, noise), and (3) vehicle choice and driving behavior.Abstract In the last decade the importance of attitude‐related residential self‐selection has frequently been recognized. In addition people can theoretically self‐select them with respect to other location choices, such as job locations, with respect to travel behaviour, or with respect to the exposure to transport externalities such as noise and congestion. In this paper, we argue that insights into self‐selection processes might significantly improve our knowledge on location choices, travel behaviour and transport externalities. We elaborate on options for self‐selection and briefly formulate methodologies for research into self‐selection.

Measuring Attitudes in Research on Residential Self‐Selection and Travel Behaviour: A Review of Theories and Empirical Research

Abstract Empirical studies that include travel‐related attitudes to identify the role of residential self‐selection in the relationship between the built environment and travel behaviour display a wide variety in the type of attitudes that they include, the relationships between the variables that they analyse and the ways they measure attitude. This paper discusses what theories on attitudes and behaviour can contribute to examining the role of self‐selection and reviews those studies on residential self‐selection and travel behaviour that explicitly include attitudes. Although several studies state that residential self‐selection is accounted for by the inclusion of attitudes, the complexity of the inclusion and the measurement of attitudes often leads to an underestimation of the role of residential self‐selection. Because of their relevance to the reliability of results, the options for measuring travel‐related attitudes are also discussed. When attitudes are included in questionnaires, it is essential to consider reliability, efficiency, response and the number of variables.

Land use and travel behaviour: expected effects from the perspective of utility theory and activity-based theories

Assumptions about the effects of various land-use characteristics on travel patterns have found their way into diverse concepts of planning and design, such as the compact city and neighbourhood-design principles. In general, these concepts aim at reducing travel distances and reducing car-travel speed, as it is assumed that as travel distances are shorter, individuals will travel less, and the relative competitive position of slower modes is increased. Although some literature supports the link between land use and travel behaviour, for the greater part limited effects have been concluded, whereas in others it has been concluded that there is virtually no effect. We argue that the effects fall short of the expectations advocated by the land-use concepts, because of shortcomings behind assumptions concerning the relationships between land use and travel behaviour. We argue that utility-based and activity-based theories add some extra insights. Various behavioural responses in terms of travel-time changes are possible, depending on whether travel time is minimised, benefits maximised, or activity patterns optimised. It is concluded that the contribution of compact urban designs to reduction on travel may not be as straightforward as is suggested by their advocates. In any case, a simplified distance-oriented and trip-oriented approach is unable to examine complex behaviour, and a broader framework of space and time is needed.

Promoting Cycling for Transport: Research Needs and Challenges

Abstract Cycling as a mode of transportation has many advantages for both cyclists and society: it is a low-cost, low-polluting, health-improving way to travel. In light of these benefits, a growing number of cities throughout the world are implementing policies to promote cycling, though they continue to struggle to identify the most effective ways to spend their limited resources. In response, transport researchers are also increasingly focusing their efforts on cycling, addressing a broader range of questions than in the past, including: how much cycling is there? What strategies will increase cycling? What are the benefits of increased cycling? This paper reviews the challenges that researchers face in providing answers to these questions by highlighting limitations of the existing research, identifying remaining research needs, and discussing methodological considerations for addressing those needs. Investments in cycling research can pay off by providing a basis for identifying the most effective strategies for increasing cycling and providing more accurate estimates of the benefits that would accrue.

Social Impacts of Transport: Literature Review and the State of the Practice of Transport Appraisal in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

Abstract Transport appraisals in European countries increasingly address three dimensions of sustainability—economic, ecological and social. However, social impacts of transport have been underexposed in (ex‐ante) transport project appraisal, at least in the Netherlands. Firstly, this article presents a theoretical framework describing the relationships between determinants of social impacts of transport; it also provides a definition and categorization of those impacts. Secondly, the article reviews the state of the practice of national transport project appraisal in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The article shows that social impacts of transport investments can take on many forms and their levels of importance may vary widely, in project appraisal. The UK transport appraisal guidance includes a spectrum of social impacts through quantitative and qualitative assessments that is broader than the Dutch appraisal guidance. However, it does not cover the full range as identified in the literature. This holds, in particular, for the temporary impacts of transport investments, health impacts, social cohesion, the distribution and accumulation of impacts across population groups and social justice. All in all, it can be concluded that there is a long way to go before social impacts of transport projects are completely included in appraisals, in a way that allows us to compare them to economic and ecological effects.

The Effects of the Land Use System on Travel Behavior: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Abstract Notwithstanding the extensive research that exists on the strength of the relationship between land use and travel behavior, a consensus has not yet been reached. One possible explanation may be the existence of a wide range of influencing variables. Previous research assumed that the explanatory variables were not influencing each other, thus ignoring the indirect effects on travel behavior. Clearly, handling a wide range of explanatory variables and multiple directions of influence requires more sophisticated research techniques. Structural equation modeling (SEM) seems to be useful here. Although SEM is a research technique dating from the 1970s, applications involving travel behavior from the perspective of land use remain scarce. Furthermore, evidence is mainly based on US data. Therefore, this paper adds some new evidence from a European perspective to the research debate. Our preliminary analysis indicates that socio-economic characteristics influence travel behavior to a greater extent than land use. Furthermore, indirect effects remain important to understand the complexity of travel behavior.

Ex Post Evaluation of Thirty Years of Compact Urban Development in the Netherlands

Despite the wide array of academic research, the impacts of compact urban development are not very well understood. What is lacking are, first, the insights into how a region or country would have appeared under policy regimes other than those realised and, secondly, a broad evaluation of relevant land use, transport, accessibility and related societal and ecological impacts. Here, we report on an initial attempt to establish a methodology and evaluation framework for analysing the effectiveness of Dutch compact urbanisation policies implemented between 1970 and 2000. Our conclusion is that, without compact urban development policies, urban sprawl in the Netherlands is likely to have been greater, car use would have been higher at the cost of alternative modes, emission and noise levels in residential and natural environments, and the fragmentation of wildlife habitats would have been higher.