THE SOCIAL DISTRIBUTION OF MOBILITY AND TRAVEL PATTERNS

Abstract

This report reviews findings of recent British studies on the social distribution of personal mobility and travel patterns, and supplements them with data from 1975/76 national travel survey. The situation of four social groups with low mobility is analysed in detail; these are young people, housewives, the elderly and the poor. Lack of use of a car for some or all journeys is the main constraint, but problems with other modes are also experienced by some groups. The consequences of low personal mobility for fulfilment of activities is examined for each of the more common journey purposes. For essential journeys (such as work and shopping) distances travelled are shorter and hence choice of facility is less. For discretionary purposes (social and recreation) fewer journeys are usually made. The relationship between travel patterns and the location of home and facilities is also noted. The report also points to a number of considerations involved in identifying where problems result from low mobility; these concern the relationship between present behaviour and preferences, the need to identify problems on a disaggregate basis which relates them to particular activities, and the position of people with problems in the social structure. (Author/TRRL)

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