COVID-19 impact on daily mobility in Slovenia

Abstract

The Slovenian subsample (n=415) of an international online survey about changes in daily mobility during the COVID-19 outbreak in the spring of 2020 was analysed from a geographical perspective. The dataset was split into three spatial classes (urban, transitional and rural) according to the respondents’ place of residence. People’s behaviour before and during the COVID-19 lockdown was compared and analysed in terms of commuting frequency, changes in mode choice for commuting and style of grocery shopping. The results show that commuting was reduced drastically during the lockdown while the car remained the main transport mode both for commuting and shopping, especially in rural areas. The study provides an unprecedented insight in travel behaviour changes due to the pandemic and congruously argues for improved transport policies to meet climate change and public health challenges.

A study on the factors that influenced the choice of transport mode before, during, and after the first lockdown in Milan, Italy

“…Similar values show that residency played the same role for people who were not living in Milan, and they chose public transport over active transport mode even during the lockdown. Similarly, previous findings have also highlighted that the use of a private car has remained the same, especially in rural areas during the pandemic ( Brezina et al, 2021 ).…”

The Influence of Changing Socioeconomic Conditions in Europe on the Prioritisation of Risks in Travel Behaviour: A Case Study

“…The analysis revealed that the pandemic increased demand for private transport. Similar observations were made in surveys conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected cities in Canada [129] and Colombia [130]; in urban and rural areas of Slovenia, where the share of private transport (private cars) increased during the pandemic, in particular in rural areas [131]; and in the Netherlands, where more than 90% respondents avoided public transport [132].…”