City centres: understanding the travel behaviour of residents and the implications for sustainable travel

The study aims to understand the city centre living characteristics from a sustainable travel behaviour perspective. An array of univariate and multivariate statistical techniques have been utilised to conduct the required travel analysis and modelling. An exploratory analysis has shown a significant variation in the urban form characteristics between residential neighbourhoods located in central locations and those located in other areas. Households in the central locations generally travel less than others; in particular, town centre households walk more and drive less than others in out-of centre areas. In contrast, the inferential analysis showed evidence of a mediation effect whereby neighbourhood features such as the ratio of flats, parking density and transit provisions explain some of the differences in trip frequency. The mediation analysis also revealed that built environment features only partially account for these differences. Whereas the review process disclosed the notable increase in the residents of the UK city centre and a revival of its housing sector over the past decade, the descriptive analysis revealed some distinct characteristics of those residents such as they are typically young adults, modern and well-qualified and living in single person households or as couples. Walking is their common mode for commuting, shopping and leisure. In Manchester city centre, 42 per cent of the residents’ journeys were found to be within the city centre catchment area. In contrast, the travel behaviour models indicated the potential impacts of socio-spatial attributes such as car ownership, income and parking on mobility measures such as car ownership, mode choice and vehicular mileage. Finally, some attitudinal factors were found to be influential even after controlling for the socio-spatial effects.

• Record URL:
  http://usir.salford.ac.uk/29343/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • PhD thesis
• Authors:
  • Asad, F H
• Publication Date: 2013-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 1 file

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile ownership; Mobility; Mode choice; Sustainable transportation; Towns; Travel behavior
• Geographic Terms: Manchester, United Kingdom
• ATRI Terms: Mobility; Modal choice; Sustainable transport; Town centre; Travel behaviour; Vehicle ownership
• Subject Areas: Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01499875
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Nov 22 2013 9:29AM