Många kommuner upplever problem i samband med att barnen skjutsas till skolan med bil av föräldrarna i stället för att gå, cykla eller åka buss eller skolskjuts. Detta leder i sin tur till minskad trafiksäkerhet i området kring skolorna. Den här skriften förklarar varför föräldrar skjutsar barnen till skolan genom att redovisa forskningsrapporter och redogöra för en studie som författarna gjort på några utvalda skolor. Sveriges Kommuner och Landsting har tagit fram skriften för att inspirera och stödja kommunerna i arbetet med att hitta lösningar som kan minska skjutsandet.
The purpose was to investigate car use among newly retired people, to explore to what extent car transport is used for everyday mobility and how it is valued in comparison to other transport modes.
The data consists of travel diaries and qualitative interviews with 24 individuals, aged between 61 and 67, living in a middle-sized Swedish city. The informants filled in a travel diary during 1 week that were analysed by VISUAL-TimePAcTS, an application for visualising and exploring activity diary data. The semi-structured qualitative interviews were analysed using a qualitative content analysis.
The car was used for several trips daily and often for short trips. The informants had a lot of everyday projects that they would not be able to perform if they did not have access to a car. The informant’s social context implies new space-time constraints. Commitments to family members, engagement in associations and spouses’ occupations affect how much and when they use the car, and their overall mobility.
In contrast to much research on older people’s mobility that has studied slightly older people, this study have focused on a specific group that are relatively healthy, well-off, and have the possibility to choose between different modes of transport. By combining travel diaries and qualitative interviews, we have explored how newly retired people reason as regard their travel behaviour but also how they actually travel.
This article highlights how environmental issues influence transport planning, and how they make transport planners rethink previous categorizations of user groups. The introduction of an environmental discourse leads to a questioning of men’s travel activities, i.e. car driving. However, the critique against men’s travelling does not address all men. Instead, two types of masculinities are constructed in the local planning discourse: the first one is a ‘problematic’ obsolete old driver. The second one is a young ‘quality conscious’ man who opts for new technological solutions. The relationship between these two constructions of masculinities is hierarchical.
The transport planners interpret it as their responsibility to make sure that public transport is regarded as attractive to younger men and their imagined ‘needs’. The elderly men however, are made scapegoats and are blamed for their unsustainable travelling. These rather stereotypical constructions of men also include a negative perception of elderly men. The analysis is based on discussions in eight focus groups, accomplished in 2009 with 36 transport planners and politicians (24 men and 12 women) working with the planning of the future public transport system in Malmö city in the south of Sweden.
To further understand the needs of the growing population of elderly drivers and create solutions for safe mobility it is important to understand the driving scenarios and aspects in day to day traffic that may be of challenge for this group. More so, individual differences in how drivers perceive their own driving ability may have an effect on how individuals limit their mobility and/or increase their exposure to risk situations, with a potential negative effect on safety.
In this study two sets of assessments have been used in order to identify scenarios and aspects needing consideration in creating safe mobility for elderly drivers; an expert assessment using on-road driving together with assessments through semi structured in-depth interviews. This combination also enables categorisation of the drivers, comparing their own perception of their driving performance with the expert assessment based on actual on-road driving.
Four different categories of drivers were identified: adequate (positive), over, under and adequate (negative) estimators. A number of important aspects were identified in the study. Adapting speed to the situation and driving too fast, especially on straight roads in the city, is one aspect. Seeking the attention of other road users at intersections and roundabouts is another important consideration identified. Awareness of difficulties related to speed adaptation and attention was low amongst all the driver categories. However, a difference in attitude was seen in the categories with a more humble and acceptant attitude amongst the adequate and under estimator groups, as compared to the over estimators suggesting that the aspect of attitudes is another important factor for consideration.
The purpose with this project has been to determine immigrant attitudes towards traffic safety, as well as to explain to what extent these groups differ from the Swedes. The results showed that immigrants were less likely to use seat belts when driving in built-up areas, than Swedes. On the other hand, there was no difference between groups when it came to using seat belts outside populated areas. Immigrants were also less likely to use of safety equipment for children in cars. The general opinion was that children are safer travelling in the rear seat or sitting on the lap of an adult holding them. The study also included a number of questions about speed and compared with Swedes the immigrants were less inclined to exceed speed limits and had a more negative attitude to this fact. However, the longer respondents had lived in Sweden, the more usual it was to exceed speed limits. In general, immigrants were extremely satisfied with the situation for vulnerable road-users in Sweden. The same applied to the traffic conditions, an opinion that was strengthened the longer one had lived in Sweden. The results also showed that the term immigrant is ambiguous in itself since relatively large differences between groups depend on other factors such as nationality, age, gender, education and attitudes. Finally, the study recommends traffic safety information campaigns targeted at immigrant groups. This is not motivated solely because they are less safety-conscious than Swedes. It is often the case that Swedes and immigrants need the same message. But the information that goes out to the general public through the normal channels does not reach immigrants to the same extent as it does to Swedes. Another advantage with targeted information is that the information can be formulated with consideration to the target group's background knowledge and language capability.
Even though traffic safety is very high in the Nordic countries, there are still too many people who die or are severely injured. The Nordic Road Safety Council conducted a questionnaire survey with the purpose to find differences between member countries in inhabitants’ behavior and attitudes in relevant traffic safety fields.
The survey focused on speed, driving under the influence of alcohol, use of safety belt, mobile phone use, fatigue, use of bicycle helmets and child restraint systems. Around 5000 people aged 18-74 years old answered the questionnaire. Some of the similarities and differences that were found between the countries are presented. This paper focuses on behavior and attitudes towards speed, drunk driving, and safety belt use.
The purpose of this report is to understand what social sustainability means in relation to travel, transport and everyday mobility. Of particular interest is the travel that characterizes everyday life for families in socially disadvantaged areas. The report is based on a research and knowledge overview that concerns existing research on the role of travel and transport in people's lives, and how it can be linked to power, justice and urban planning. The previous research on transport, travel and travel habits thus does not shed sufficient light on how urban areas with a high proportion of low-income earners with weak labor market connections organize and manage their everyday mobility. However, research on “transport poverty” highlights how access to and the opportunity to use existing transport leads to inequality for people with low incomes. The organization of everyday life where work, family life, travel time, and interaction with institutions requires that families with one or more working adults can control their time. The studies that are specifically interested in the travel practices of families, children and young people and what it means to be able to achieve social sustainability emphasize proximity, security and independence as important factors for urban planning. The concept mobility justice is presented as a fruitfully cohesive framework for working with in future studies on families' everyday mobility in socially vulnerable areas.
Anna recently ceased driving and sold her car. She is 91 years old and says that “everybody” teased her for her driving: “Are you driving at your age? I get tired of the comments. But in addition, I also found how my eye sight diminished. Well, I could still see the road but not all the road signs.” She continues telling about her mobility options, before and after the day she sold the car. Going by bus is not a completely convenient option for her, given where she lives, in the outskirts of a middle-sized Swedish town. “Of course I miss my car. Now, I prefer walking to the shops and to the library, instead of going by bus. It is about five kilometres and I can manage it with my walker. I also feel good when I am out and about”—she says.1 At the same time, as she complains about the loss of freedom that automobility gave her, she explains how she draws freedom from her newly found ways of movement. Although she walks a few kilometres to the shops and services, she does not have to travel far from home every day. She always could, given her age, choose immobility instead of mobility, if she wanted.
Genom denna antologi vill vi sprida kunskap om pågående arbete med socialt hållbar transportplanering. Vi riktar oss till planerare som söker kunskap och inspiration kring metoder för att ta fram kunskapsunderlag och planeringsprocesser för att lyfta fram de sociala frågorna inom transportplaneringen. Vi riktar oss också till studenter inom ämnen såsom kulturgeografi, samhällsplanering, trafikplanering, urbana studier, och hållbar utveckling.
Bakgrunden till antologin är ett transdisciplinärt forskningsprojekt med syftet att utveckla metoder för social konsekvensbedömning inom svensk transportinfrastrukturplanering. Antologins kapitel skrivs av några av de engagerade planerare, utredare, konsulter och forskare som vi mött under arbetets gång och som utvecklat metoder för arbete med socialt hållbar planering eller som analyserar planeringens förutsättningar. Vi vill rikta ett varmt tack till dem för att de tagit sig tid att dela med sig av många värdefulla erfarenheter. Författarna svarar själva för innehållet i sina respektive kapitel.
The aim of this study was to increase knowledge concerning the situation of foreign-born in the Swedish transportation system and analyze their mobility and travel patterns. Foreign-born are defined as people born in another country than Sweden, but who have received residence permit and are registered in a Swedish municipality. The results are based on a literature review, register data, group interviews as well as a comprehensive survey. Approximately 12% of Sweden's inhabitants were born in another country. Register data show that the proportion of foreign-born that possess driver's licences and vehicles is lower than among Swedish-born, which limits the ability to travel among this group. The target group for the survey was foreign-born men and women who had relatively recently arrived in Sweden. The survey studied such factors as how they travel on short and longer trips in Sweden, their possession of vehicles and driver's licences and their feeling of safety when using different travel modes. The survey was answered by 3,215 students at special courses in Swedish for immigrants (svenska för invandrare, sfi) from 34 municipalities in different parts of Sweden. Half of the respondents came to Sweden less than two years prior to answering the survey in 2005. The respondents represented 136 different countries of origin. Comparisons have been made both between men and women, and between eight different zones with regards to where the respondents were born. Of the respondents, approximately 60% were women and almost half were 25-34 years old. Results show that approximately 45% of the men surveyed had a driver's licence that was permitted to be used in Sweden, compared to one in five women. The survey showed that the largest obstacles to getting a Swedish driver's licence was that it was expensive and that the language is difficult. Whereas 35% of the women answered that they did not know how to ride a bicycle, only 5% of the men provided this answer. Nearly eight of ten respondents claimed they need to learn more about traffic rules and behaviour. They would like information about this in Swedish. The respondents also stated that they prefer written information on signs at bus stops and train stations, as well as on busses and trains instead of only receiving information by loudspeaker. Many of the respondents feel unsafe in various traffic environments; as pedestrians, bicyclists, car drivers, and as passengers on public transportation.
The project reported here has studied the role of the car for mobility and welfare among people with physical disabilities and barriers for car use in this group. A questionnaire study shows that there is a linkage between driving a car on a regular basis and degree of disability. Car drivers participate more often in out-of-home activities, and they have a higher fulfillment of travel needs, especially in regard to leisure travels, than people that do not drive. Our focus groups interviews show that the fulfillment of travel needs is essential to the quality of life. Furthermore, the same study shows that the private car has qualities beyond the fulfillment of travel needs, like control over one's own life, self-confidence and joy. The project has also revealed weaknesses in the regulations for assigning support for car purchase, for car adjustment, and for public car transport trips.
The overarching ambition of this book is to generate dialogue between research and practice around the phenomenon of experimentation, its prospects, and limitations in terms of sustainable transport transformations. It seeks to communicate key insights, themes, and questions from current research for public actors with key roles in governing the transport system to reach goals of sustainable transport and mobility.
The book seeks to highlight and discuss the following questions:
To realise this aim we include chapters from researchers from Sweden and the UK researching various aspects of experimentation as well as key take aways from current research to practitioners.
The report is written on behalf of the Swedish Transport Administration and aims to increase the knowledge base about young people’s mobility in the Nordic countries, with a focus on public transportation. The assignment has been carried out through two sub-studies: a literature review of young people’s mobility in the Nordic countries, and a focus group study with young people combined with interviews with professionals working with mobility development in the Nordic countries. The study shows that young people is a heterogeneous group of individuals with different mobility needs and interests. They are largely dependent on public transport, and their experiences and views are closely related to geographical and socio-economic factors. Furthermore, the report describes strategies used by young people to deal with shortcomings in public transport. The study shows that there is a lack of Nordic research on young people’s experiences of and perspectives on mobility. If the transport system is to become more equitable, fair and sustainable, then more knowledge about young people’s mobility is needed, and this knowledge should influence the design of the future transport system.
Using a series of conventional large-scale household travel surveys conducted in the Osaka metropolitan area of Japan in 1980, 1990 and 2000 this study examines the mechanisms underlying childrens activity and travel engagements and how these mechanisms have changed over time. The results from a structural equation model show that, in the last two decades, childrens trip patterns in the Osaka metropolitan area have become more efficient through greater trip chaining. At the same time, the results also show that boys have become less mobile and their non-school activities tend to be in fewer locations than those of girls. Further, Japanese boys are the ones who travelled by car more frequently than girls. Denser built environments, accessibility by rail transport, and a higher number of school trips have constantly reduced the amount of childrens private car trips in the last three decades. Moreover, private car availability did not significantly increase the amount of children trip chaining in any observed year. This finding goes against the commonly held belief that public transport is less suitable for trip chaining. This is presumably due to the travel environment created by the well developed transit networks and dense land use in the study area.
This paper attempts to examine the reasons behind the behaviour on the roadsof South Africa today which has led us to a death rate of some 15 x that ofdeveloped countries such as Australia, the United States and Europe. I amfully aware that we have a lower rate of crashes than many developingcountries in the world, which account for 70% of global deaths, although theyonly carry 30% of the traffic. South Africa is a society in transition, witha history markedly different from most developing countries, with its ownspecial circumstances and conditions. The paper is a reflection on thepolitical and social history of my country, and an entirely personal view ofthe factors, which I perceive to be contributory to the carnage on our roads,and the attitudes, and behaviour that contributes to that carnage. I am awarethat I am speaking to engineers, scientists and other people who base theirwork on logical and scientific principles, and my presentation willconcentrate on behaviour, emotion, personal perception and some socialanalysis. Please bear with me on our journey.
Commercial vehicle fleets are in many ways an attractive entry for electric vehicles into the transport system. In total, 174 electric vehicles have operated in commercial vehicle fleets and gathered socio-technical data over a period of 18. months, resulting in 302,000 all electric kilometres. This paper presents two perspectives regarding electric vehicle operations in commercial vehicle fleets - the functionality perspective, illustrated by the vehicle actions, and the user perspective that addresses the implementation of the task. The socio-technical analysis has resulted in four major findings. With time, the overall usage and the driving distance between charging occasions increase. It is not the passage of time that has influenced this behaviour but it may be explained as the result of accumulated experience. Swedish winter conditions show regression in usage, foremost due to users not familiar with the range reduction caused by the heating system. The need for public charging has been shown to be modest, which in an introductory phase with limited development of charging infrastructure, makes commercial vehicle fleets favourable to electrify over private vehicle fleets. According to deployment strategy, the different user groups' ability to incorporate the electric vehicles in their daily activities has been explored and this paper shows large potential for substituting traditional internal combustion engine vehicles within commercial vehicle fleets. Electric vehicles have been made available through a technology procurement scheme and have generated both kilometres and experience, which has come to increase the understanding of the usage of electric vehicles in commercial vehicle fleets.