Socio-economic factors such as income and age are influencing the travel behaviour and mobility patterns in Europe, which is also a central issue in the EU project METPEX. A case study from Switzerland was used in order to look at the influence of demographics on mobility patterns.
As seen in the following figure, the Swiss travel survey (Mikrozensus) provides empirical data on mobility patterns and shows the relationship between age, travelled distances and travel times. The number and distance of daily journeys is the highest in the age group 25-44 and starts decreasing after the retirement age, most likely because of the absence of work related travel (BFS & ARE 2010). The mobility demand in the age groups 65-79 and over 80 is however expected to grow in the near future due to more active, healthier seniors. The need for assisted mobility and support for elderly passengers and road users is at the same time predicted to increase. Therefore, the European transport systems should adapt to the changing demographic structures and requirements in order to provide suitable mobility services.
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