Factors Influencing Walking Distance to the Preferred Public Transport Stop in selected urban centres of Czechia

Abstract

One of the ways of improving the attractiveness of public transport is to bring it closer to its potential users. A long walking distance from a stop is often one of the critical factors limiting its more frequent and extensive use. Studies dealing with the accessibility of transport networks usually work only with the closest stop. This article analyses the actual walking distance from the place of residence to the preferred stop. The survey used a questionnaire method and was conducted in two cities in the Czech Republic—Ostrava and Olomouc. Based on the results of the study, the average walking distance was assessed and the impact of demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, number of members in the household, economic activity, the presence of a child in the household, and car ownership), transport behavior (preferred mode of transportation, car convenience and opinions on public transport), and urban characteristics (prevailing housing type) on the walking distance were analyzed. The main findings prove a significant impact on walking distance by a number of these factors, but the preferred use of a car for commuting or unemployment does not significantly affect walking distance.

Spatial Patterns of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Cities of Various Sizes, Morphologies and Economies

“…The first two are radial-concentric cities with historic cores that have been surrounded by compact and dense residential areas and industrial zones [78][79][80]. Ostrava, on the other hand, is a classic example of a city with a polycentric structure formed by the rapid growth of the mining and heavy manufacturing industries [81,82], and later boosted by a construction boom in the period of the centrally planned economy [83]. Due to economic, social and political changes in the context of the so-called "multiple transformations" [84], Brno and especially Prague have moved towards more polycentric urban regions [78].…”

Two-Stage Substantiation of Placement of Public Transport Stops

“…Access to public transport stops [11] is examined on the basis of evaluation of the distances passed by a pedestrian and influencing factors on the basis of socio-demographic and urban conditions (Ostrava and Ologoum).…”

“…(22) The obtained dependence (11,21,22) can be used in the development and substantiation of locations of stops of public transport.…”

“…The measures can result to a crisis in the functioning of an urban environment. Reduction in congestion can be achieved by the improvement of public transport systems [8][9][10], for which the main factor is the availability of the route network, namely, stops for public transport [11]. The aim of this article is to study the locations of bus stops, i.e., finding intersection points of pedestrian movements and the factors influencing them.…”

Modelling Public Transport Accessibility with Monte Carlo Stochastic Simulations: A Case Study of Ostrava

“…The total number of questionnaires completed was 534 (0.2% of the population, which is not high, and makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions). The Pencil And Paper Interview (PAPI) method was applied, and the sampling quota of respondents was stratified according to gender, age and education level [69]. The city was divided into 13 zones to ensure an even territorial distribution of respondents.…”