Opportunities for Transport Mode Change: An Exploration of a Disaggregated Approach

Abstract

Research into the effects of spatial configuration on the use of transport modes has to date dominantly been based on analyses of actual travel behaviour or prediction of future transport mode choices. However, in this research it is not made clear what choice opportunities were available for travel behaviour of the various population categories, given their desired activities and time–space opportunities. The authors describe a time–space theoretical and methodological framework based on the concept of action spaces, within which the choice opportunities of different types of households of various areas can be analysed. On the basis of a pilot study among the residents of a suburban neighbourhood in a Netherlands new town, the time–space opportunities they have to use alternative transport modes other than the car are brought into the frame. It is shown that residents have more time–space opportunities to make use of existing environmentally friendly, transport modes than had been expected. The possibilities differ between types of action spaces and types of households. Some implications for policymaking are discussed. The authors state that policymakers should be more sensitive to interpersonal differences in accessibility.

Analysis of travel time and mode choice shift for non-work stops in commuting: case study of Beijing, China

“…A possible explanation is that commuters relocate activities when they get access to a car. As a larger travel speeds increases commuters' space-time prisms (Chen and Kwan 2012;Dijst et al 2002;Nishii and Kondo 1992;Walle and Steenberghen 2006) individuals may locate their non-work stops farther from the bases.…”

Modelling potential movement in constrained travel environments using rough space–time prisms

“…Since the concept of a space-time prism has now gained an acceptable degree of realism in order to analyse common tracking data in obstacle-constrained environments, we are planning to validate our methodology by means of extensive data sets. Particular emphasis will be placed on how to employ the proposed concepts to infer additional knowledge about trajectories and to measure the accessibility in space and time (Dijst et al 2002, Shoval et al 2007, Neutens et al 2008, Berger et al 2009). Further, we could consider alternatives to modelling uncertainty.…”

Measuring the Quality of Urban Environments: A Need-Based Micro-Simulation Approach

“…Individuals have limited time budgets and activities are often constrained in terms of start time and duration and moreover require travel time. To take into account such temporal factors, the concept of accessibility has been extended in a more recently introduced activity-based approach which has its roots in Hagerstrand's time geography (e.g., Miller 1999;Kwan 1998Kwan , 1999Dijst et al 2002;Kim and Kwan 2003;Weber 2003). In this so-called constraints-based approach, the space-time opportunities an environment offers is measured as the extent to which it allows individuals to implement complete activity patterns on a daily and individual basis (Lenntorp 1978;Jones at al.…”