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Why people use their cars while the built environment imposes cycling

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Residing in a high-density, diverse, and accessible neighborhood tends to be associated with less car use, more public transport, and more cycling and walking. However, this does not hold for all people because of differences in personal perceptions and preferences. This paper, therefore, analyzes spatial (mis)match, or the correspondence between perceptions of someone’s residence and the objectively measured spatial characteristics of that residence. Based on a sample for Flanders, Belgium, we found that people tend to overrate the urbanized character of their residence. Among urbanites, (mis)matched spatial perceptions do not influence mode choice. Mode choices remain mainly influenced by urban characteristics and not by personal perceptions as such. However, the influence of spatial (mis)match becomes more important among rural dwellers and, especially, suburbanites. The travel consequences of (mis)matched spatial perceptions thus clearly depend on the residential neighborhood type.

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  • Van Acker, Veronique & Derudder, Ben & Witlox, Frank, 2013. "Why people use their cars while the built environment imposes cycling," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 6(1), pages 53-62.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:jtralu:0099
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    7. Xiang Li & Qipeng Yan & Yafeng Ma & Chen Luo, 2023. "Spatially Varying Impacts of Built Environment on Transfer Ridership of Metro and Bus Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-24, May.
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    14. Dimitris Milakis & Dimitrios Efthymiou & Constantinos Antoniou, 2017. "Built Environment, Travel Attitudes and Travel Behaviour: Quasi-Longitudinal Analysis of Links in the Case of Greeks Relocating from US to Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, September.
    15. Marquet, Oriol & Miralles-Guasch, Carme, 2016. "City of Motorcycles. On how objective and subjective factors are behind the rise of two-wheeled mobility in Barcelona," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 37-45.
    16. Yan Wang & Yibin Ao & Yuting Zhang & Yan Liu & Lei Zhao & Yunfeng Chen, 2019. "Impact of the Built Environment and Bicycling Psychological Factors on the Acceptable Bicycling Distance of Rural Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-19, August.
    17. Zhang, Ying & Thomas, Tom & Brussel, Mark & van Maarseveen, Martin, 2017. "Exploring the impact of built environment factors on the use of public bikes at bike stations: Case study in Zhongshan, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 59-70.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    perceptions; (mis)match; built environment; mode choice; Belgium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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