Reducing car-use for leisure: Can organised walking groups switch from car travel to bus and train walks?

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2015

Subject Area

place - europe, mode - car, mode - bus, mode - rail, mode - pedestrian, ridership - attitudes, ridership - behaviour, ridership - mode choice, planning - marketing/promotion

Keywords

Behavioural change, Rural tourism, Recreational walking, Leisure travel, Modal shift

Abstract

This paper deals with the significant leisure travel sector, focusing on the attitudes of organised walking groups towards public transport use. A series of interviews with walking group leaders explored the design of organised walks, and factors affecting journeys to and from start points. The themes presented suggest an overlying group culture involving mainly circular walks, reached by car. The research indicates an underlying engrained dependency on cars to reach walks and a degree of opposition to using public transport, which generally contradicts widely-held attitudes towards protecting the environment. Future research should focus more in depth on the long-term removal of psychological barriers to using public transport for leisure, and persuasive measures aimed at groups.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

Comments

Journal of Transport Geography home Page:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09666923

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