Rural mobility 1 - Monitoring transport behaviour in rural areas
Overview
Background & policy context:
Spatial structure in Switzerland changed extensively in the past decades. Population growth, increase of mobility behaviour as well as the structural transformation of the economy led to strong changes not only in urban but also in rural areas.
In order to illustrate this transformation and the correlations between the different areas, the Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE conducted two programmes: ‘Monitoring of urban areas‘ (since 2001) and ‘Monitoring of rural areas’ (since 2003).
About 15 research studies were worked out within the scope of the monitoring programme ‘Rural Areas’. These studies cover an analysis of rural areas as seen from two complementary perspectives:
- Comparisons with the urban area as well as between the different rural areas and
- Developments in the course of time.
One of these 15 research studies analysed mobility behaviour in rural areas. Rural areas differ significantly from urban regions with respect to transport issues. Job opportunities as well as accessibility of service facilities are better in cities and agglomerations than in less populated rural areas. This is affecting transport behaviour: Daily distances in rural areas are longer. The share of private transport on travelling distances is significantly higher than in urban areas. Rural areas are used for leisure and recreational activities. Workplaces and service facilities are easier to find in urban areas, which in turn affects transport and travelling behaviour and is also reflected in the high number of second homes in rural areas.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to show spatial structural parameters and transport behaviour in Swiss rural areas and also the differences between rural and urban areas in transport issues. Moreover, important factors influencing transport behaviour should be identified.
In the scope of this study the following topics are addressed:
- population and employment density in rural areas
- supply of services and accessibility
- accessibility by private transport and accessibility by public transport
- provision of "mobility tools" and transport behaviour
- provision with vehicles, driving licences and public transport passes
- transport behaviour of the rural population
- interaction between rural and urban areas
- leisure, work and shopping behaviour
- commuting between rural communities and agglomerations
- travelling behaviour and second homes.
Methodology:
The study was based on evaluations and data analysis with data from the Swiss Micro-census with regard to transport behaviour 2005 and the Swiss Commuter Statistics 2000. The analyses were mainly made according to the problem and potential-oriented typology of rural spaces developed by the Federation (Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE).
The analyses focused on the following three relevant rural area types: 1) periurban rural areas, 2) peripheral rural areas, 3) alpine centres of tourism. The remaining communities belong to the agglomerations and individual cities (= urban space).
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