The EU-Project METPEX aims the development of a tool that measures the quality of travel experience. The Work Package 6 of this project, leaded by INE, studies the link between land use and accessibility as a likely determinant of travel satisfaction. As a result of the literature review undertaken in the Deliverable 6.2 few publications were found investigating the connection between land use and accessibility. In order to increase understanding in this connection, the Deliverable 6.3 has carried out an international expert survey focused on public transport. Moreover, interviewees were asked about the impact of accessibility on the overall travel satisfaction of public transport passengers. 44 experts participated in the on-line survey. The participants assessed the impacts within a range from -3 to +3, where -3 means high reduction of a variable Y as result of an increase in a variable X, and +3 means high increase of Y as a result of an increase in X.
The figure below summarizes the main results. The average impacts of land use on accessibility are considerably lower than the impacts of accessibility on satisfaction due to a high divergence of answers reported in the first link. Furthermore, according to the average value of the expert assessments, land use density and street network connectivity (measured as 4-way intersection density) are the most relevant land use variables determining accessibility. The increase of both variables leads to longer travel times by public transport, i.e. to lower accessibility. Street network connectivity also increase travel costs but on the other hand reduces travel distances. Regarding the impact of accessibility on satisfaction, travel time and travel costs might have a larger impact on satisfaction than travel distances. Therefore, public transport travellers might be willing to travel longer distances if they can save money and time.
More details of the results of this expert survey can be found on here: http://www.metpex.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/D6.3_abstract1.pdf
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