Changing Mobility Behavior in the Face of Climate Change Policies: What Are the Differences Between Those Who Live in Large Towns and Those Who Live in Cities?

The aim of establishing systems such as a carbon tax or marketable CO2 emission allowances is to encourage households to reduce their CO2 emissions generated by transport and thus combat climate change. Currently, there is little research into the impact of these systems on changing the mobility habits of households, in particular the variability of their effects according to the territories to which they apply. The aim of this article is to provide initial elements on this subject by comparing changes in mobility behaviour envisaged by households in large towns with those in cities. The study is based on a qualitative investigation carried out in France and involving a limited sample of households in order to perform a detailed analysis of changes in their mobility behaviour. The results show that households in large towns generally alter their mobility behaviour less than households in cities. Several variables explain this tendency: more limited access to local services, insufficient public transport poorly adapted to the needs of households, professions which encourage car usage and positive perceptions associated with cars. These factors highlight the variety of impacts that these national mobility regulation systems could have according to the territory, and also argue in favour of in-depth analysis of mobility behaviour which takes into account the diversity of different regional situations.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB10 Traveler Behavior and Values
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lejoux, Patricia
  • Raux, Charles
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
• Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Automobile travel; Cities; Climate change; Mobility; Socioeconomic factors; Towns
• Geographic Terms: France
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01368042
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 12-3736
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 19 2012 11:24AM