Modeling bicycle choice behavior and its potential health impact: Case of first/last mile access to suburban rail
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2026
Subject Area
place - asia, place - urban, mode - bike, mode - rail, policy - sustainable, planning - safety/accidents, planning - surveys, land use - impacts, ridership - attitudes, ridership - behaviour, ridership - perceptions, ridership - commuting
Keywords
Bicycle infrastructure, first/last-mile connectivity, discrete choice, ICLV model, health benefits
Abstract
Cycling offers a sustainable solution to urban mobility challenges, particularly in rapidly growing cities like Mumbai, where it remains an underutilized access mode to suburban rail due to infrastructure gaps and safety concerns. This study explores factors affecting suburban rail commuters’ willingness to cycle for first-mile connectivity, using Ordered Logit and Integrated Choice Latent Variable models on survey data collected from 480 commuters across 20 stations along the central line in Mumbai, India. The survey examines socio-economic traits, travel habits, and attitudes toward cycling, with a focus on four infrastructural aspects: dedicated bike lanes, intersection treatments, bike-sharing services, and secure parking, alongside three latent factors—perceived benefits, physical barriers, and safety/security barriers. Findings reveal that only 8% of suburban rail users currently cycle to stations. Younger, lower-income individuals without motorized vehicles show a greater inclination to adopt cycling. However, broader uptake is hindered by safety issues, poor infrastructure, and insufficient secure parking. Health assessments using WHO’s Health Economic Assessment Tool estimate that the best scenario, with 54% of users cycling 4 km daily, could prevent around 5483 premature deaths annually. The study recommends implementing protected bike lanes, improved intersection designs, secure bike parking, and affordable bike-sharing at select stations to promote cycling as a viable access mode. Addressing these infrastructure needs can create a sustainable, health-promoting urban transport system in cities like Mumbai.
Rights
Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Taylor&Francis, copyright remains with them.
Recommended Citation
Manoj, B. S., Meena, K. K., Panchal, H., Sharma, G., & Goswami, A. K. (2026). Modeling bicycle choice behavior and its potential health impact: Case of first/last mile access to suburban rail. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 20(1), 108-128.
