Trivector (Sweden)

ABSTRACT Transport planning has historically been dominated by masculinity norms with minimal attention to sustainability, but these norms are challenged. Our analytical framework explores municipal solutions to sustainable transport that go beyond traditional norms and advances knowledge on how gendered sustainability norms are articulated in municipal transport policies and planning documents. The article investigates whether masculine and feminine norms on sustainability affect transport planning and if they are concretely expressed in transport solutions in planning and policy documents in Swedish municipalities, considered high achievers in sustainable transport. The article also observes gender representation and political affiliation related to gender sustainability norms. Our results show that all municipal committees that handle transport planning adhere to masculine and feminine sustainability norms but that there are significant differences in the content of the policies. Our results do not verify a relation between norms and the representation of men and women in the transport committees, we find evidence of divergences between masculine and feminine norms in relation to political ideas.

This paper aims to analyse and further capture nuances of gender representation in local political decision-making bodies, focusing on implications for transport policy. Since gender is highly relevant for both attitudes towards transport policy as well as political votes, data on the gender and political colour of executives (members of presidiums) of transport-related committees, councils, and boards is analysed. The study is aimed at the local level, since municipal transport policy decisions include areas with clear differences between masculinity and femininity norms. The mapping of representation reveals, in line with other studies, that women are underrepresented in the most leading position (as chairperson of the City Board 31–37%), and that presidiums of transport-related committees, especially, are highly dominated by men (72–74%) with no clear positive trend in female representation identified over the studied years. The result suggests that transport-related decisions are disproportionally shaped by men as well as masculine norms, with implications for the transition towards transport sustainability.

The market share of e-bikes has increased extensively in Europe over the last decade. How this trend will affect the transport system depends to a large extent on the substitution effect which needs to be determined in detail to allow projections on the potential of e-cycling as a means to promote sustainable transport systems. Further, little is known about what psychological determinants influence e-bike use, an important topic for policy makers that wish to promote e-cycling. This study aggregates GPS data from two randomised controlled trials in Sweden to determine the effect of e-bike use on travel behaviour. Motives behind e-bike use are investigated within a pathanalytic structural model, based on an expanded theory of planned behaviour. The results reveal that, on average, total cycling increased by 4.5 kilometres per person and day during the trials and its modal share measured in distance increased by 19%. E-bike use was predicted by the intention to bike to work, which in turn mediated the effects of attitudes and self-efficacy on e-cycling. Attitude mediated the indirect effect of personal norm on intention and collective efficacy amplified the effect of self-efficacy on intention. The results show that e-cycling has a large potential to contribute to a sustainable transport system. Policy makers could increase the use of e-bikes by strengthening individuals' attitudes toward cycling and perceived self-efficacy to e-cycle, by making environmental personal norms more salient and by highlighting collective action in the effort to limit environmental degradation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rapid change in travel behavior for different types of trips, including everyday social and recreational leisure trips. People have used adaptive travel behaviors to cope with the new circumstances for activities and transport. Due to the Swedish strategy focusing on more voluntary restrictions, people have had reason to consider which trips and activities to skip and which to keep. The overall aim of the study is to explore and deepen the knowledge about adaptive behaviors used and seek to understand its possible implications for future travel behavior change towards sustainable mobility through the use of qualitative interviews focusing on everyday leisure trips. The results illustrate how people have used a range of adaptive behaviors to cope with the implications of the pandemic, with cancellation and change of transport mode being the ones most reflected upon by the interviewees. Further, the results reveal how the overall label “everyday leisure trips” in fact includes a variety of trip purposes that differ in terms of flexibility and importance and must thus be approached in different ways in transport policy measures.

Abstract Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of personal transport. Yet its net effects on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived life cycle CO2 emissions across modes and purposes. Daily mobility-related life cycle CO2 emissions were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%. Cyclists had 84% lower life cycle CO2 emissions than non-cyclists. Life cycle CO2 emissions decreased by -14% per additional cycling trip and decreased by -62% for each avoided car trip. An average person who ‘shifted travel modes’ from car to bike decreased life cycle CO2 emissions by 3.2 kgCO2/day. Promoting active travel should be a cornerstone of strategies to meet net zero carbon targets, particularly in urban areas, while also improving public health and quality of urban life.

Abstract Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of getting from A to B. Yet the net effects of active travel on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived lifecycle CO2 emissions from daily travel activity. Daily mobility-related lifecycle CO2 emissions were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%. Cyclists had 84% lower lifecycle CO2 emissions from all daily travel than non-cyclists. Lifecycle CO2 emissions decreased by -14% (95%CI -12% to -16%) per additional cycling trip and decreased by -62% (95%CI -61% to -63%) for each avoided car trip. An average person who ‘shifted travel modes’ from car to bike decreased lifecycle CO2 emissions by 3.2 (95%CI 2.0 to 5.2) kgCO2/day, and using a bike as the ‘main method of travel’ gave 7.1 (95%CI 4.8 to 10.4) kgCO2/day lower lifecycle CO2 emissions than mainly using a car or van. Investing in and promoting active travel should be a cornerstone of strategies to meet net zero carbon targets, particularly in urban areas, while also improving public health and quality of urban life.

BACKGROUND Sufficient sample size and minimal sample bias are core requirements in empirical data analyses. Combining opportunistic recruitment with an online survey and data collection platform yields new benefits compared to traditional recruitment approaches. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to report on the success of different recruitment methods to obtain participants’ characteristics, participation behavior, recruitment rates, and representativeness of the sample. METHODS A longitudinal online survey was implemented as part of the European PASTA project, which was online between November 2014 and December 2016. During this period participants in seven European cities were recruited on a rolling basis. For all cities to reach a sufficient number of adult participants a standardized guide on recruitment strategy was developed. In order to make use of the strengths and to minimize weakness a combination of different opportunistic recruitment methods was applied. In addition, the city of Oerebro applied random sampling approach. In order to reduce attrition rate and improve real-time monitoring the online platform featured a participant and a researchers` user interface and dashboard. RESULTS A total of 10,691 participants were recruited. Most people found out about the survey through their workplace or employer (21.5 %), outreach promotion (20.8 %), and social media (17.4 %). The average number of questionnaires filled-in per participant varied between the cities, with the highest number in Zurich (11.0 ± 0.33) and the lowest in Oerebro (4.8 ± 0.17). Collaboration with local organizations, the use of Facebook and mailing lists, and direct street recruitment were the most effective approaches in reaching a high share of participants (p = <.001). Under consideration of invested working hours Facebook (p = <.001) was one of the most time-efficient methods. Compared to the cities census data, the composition of study participants was broadly representative in terms of gender distribution, however included younger and better educated participants. CONCLUSIONS We observed that offering a mixed recruitment approach was very effective in achieving a high participation rate. The highest attrition rate and the lowest average number of questionnaires filled-in per participant were observed in Oerebro, who also recruited participants through random sampling. The findings suggest that people that are more interested in the topic are more willing to participate and to stay in a survey than those who are selected randomly and may not have a strong connection to the research topic. Whereas direct face-to-face contacts were very effective with respect to the number of recruited participants; recruiting people through social media was not only effective, but also very time-efficient. The collected data is based on one of the largest recruited longitudinal samples with a common recruitment strategy in different European cities.

PurposeThe Swedish government is likely to implement longer and heavier road freight vehicles, so-called high-capacity vehicles (HCVs), in the near future. The purpose of this paper is to analysis the expected effects on the whole transport system regarding tonne-kilometres, vehicle-kilometres on road, CO2 and socio-economics with three possible implementation strategies (HCVs on all roads, a designated road network and a designated road network with a kilometre-based truck charge) and two vehicle types (74 t/25.25 m and 74 t/34 m).Design/methodology/approachCalculations are based on two well-established scenarios for transport development in Sweden. Changes per tonne-kilometre are modelled for ten product groups with considerations taken to their transport networks. Socio-economic effects are analysed using the net present value rating method over a 40-year period.FindingsThe study shows the increase in demand for transport and the modal shift, from rail and sea to road, in terms of tonne-kilometres, vehicle-kilometres and CO2 emissions for three implementation strategies of HCVs in two scenarios. All implementation strategies show a positive social net-benefit with the introduction of HCVs.Research limitations/implicationsThe results reveal potential benefits to the implementation of HCVs. The results are limited by possible over/under-estimations of effects considered in the calculations, due to uncertainties and assumptions.Practical implicationsThe results highlight expected levels of modal shift and induced transport for different HCV implementation strategies and how they depend on transport and climate policies and the expected growth of tonne-kilometres.Originality/valueThe calculations consider socio-economic effects, particularly from increased CO2 emissions due to modal shift and induced traffic, which is lacking in previous studies. To balance conflicting economic and environmental goals, the findings indicate that the implementation of HCVs could be accompanied by other policy measures. The findings are based on the Swedish context, but the model can be adapted to other countries or regions and to study other freight transport reforms.