[en] Due to a variety of reasons, the previous century is characterized by an extraordinary growth
in car use that has continued into the current century. This has resulted in serious
environmental repercussions. Despite technological advancements, the externalities remain an
ecological threat that can not be discarded by policy makers. Therefore, it is essential that
policy makers focus on reducing car use and on stimulating the shift towards more
environment-friendly transport modes. In this study, Q-methodology is adopted as the
technique to segment people, and to ascertain which approaches and determinants matter to
medium distance travel. Segmentation is important, as policy measures will be more efficient
and effective if they are fine-tuned on specific target groups. The analysis revealed that four
discourses preponderate the paradigm of environmentally sustainable transport: travelers who
use public transport as a dominant alternative, car-dependent travelers, travelers with a
positive perception of using public transport, and travelers with a preference for car use.
Concerning rational, economic motives, individuals evaluate travel time reliability as most
important. To increase the reliability policy makers should consider the use of separate bus
lanes and traffic light manipulation. In addition, public transport can be made even more
attractive, when costs of cars are made more variable by road or congestion charging. When
the subjective motives are discussed, the differences between the different groups of travelers
were more pronounced. Next to increasing the benefits of using public transport, policy
makers should also pay attention to removing psycho-social barriers.
Research center :
Lepur : Centre de Recherche sur la Ville, le Territoire et le Milieu rural - ULiège LEMA - Local Environment Management and Analysis
Disciplines :
Special economic topics (health, labor, transportation...) Civil engineering
