What Makes a Commuter Cyclist? A Mixed Methods Study of Behavioural Antecedents and Perceptions of Commuter Cycling in the Wellington Region

Abstract

Encouraging active transport contributes to both environmental sustainability and public health objectives. However, due to a myriad of physical, societal and personal factors, shifting car trips to the bicycle is notoriously difficult especially in societies where car use is deeply engrained in both the social and urban fabric. It is therefore important to explore novel approaches to promote utilitarian cycling. Past studies have suggested there may be a link between cycling for recreation and cycling for transport. If this is the case, one could hypothesise that policies that promote recreational cycling may also indirectly promote utilitarian cycling. This study begins to explore this important research question by investigating whether recreational cyclists are more amenable to utilitarian cycling than non-cyclists, using a case study of commuting in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Behaviour theory, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, provided the conceptual framework for a mixed methods analysis of Wellington Region commuters. Empirical modelling of commuter cycling behaviour showed that almost all antecedents of the behaviours of recreational cyclists are closer to those of commuter cyclists than to non-cyclists. Qualitative analysis provided further evidence that recreational cyclists are more prepared and willing to cycle their commute than non-cyclists. It is concluded that, for the study sample, recreational cyclists are indeed more amenable to commuting by bicycle than non-cyclists in the Wellington region.

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