The dynamic land use-transport connections and the impacts on travel behaviour: evidence from China

Abstract

There seems to be a consensus on the interdependence between the built environment and transport among academics and practitioners: the evolution of transport could lead to changes in urban form, and the changes in land use could also result in transport consequences. However, there is quite little empirical evidence to verify the hypothesis. In this paper, we aim to examine the dynamic relationship between built environment and transport system, using the case study of Nanjing metropolitan area in China where unprecedentedly fast pace of economic, social and spatial transitions have taken place. Through a comparative study based on the cross-section data of Nanjing Residents Travel Survey (NRTS), 2008 and 2011, it is found, on the one hand, fast motorization and huge investment in public transport have caused the urban form of Nanjing transforming toward low densities expansions with spreadout opportunities; on the other hand, the changing built environment has resulted in enlarged daily travel distance and considerably increase in the use of private cars and the ridership of public transport at the expense of non-motorized transport modes. The paper also finds that the impacts of the built environment are even pronounced in determining travel behaviour in 2011 while the ‘classic’ socio-demographics of individuals show attenuated impacts.