Anxiety, fear and stress feelings of road users during daily walking in COVID-19 pandemic: Sicilian cities

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced people’s lifestyles including their travel choices. The pandemic resulted in placing restrictions in travelling throughout Italy due to the obligatory need for social distancing and changes in public transport services. City residents changed their mobility patterns and started using their private vehicles more often instead of public transport, while choosing to walk or cycle for short distance trips. Governments and local authorities encouraged citizens to use sustainable travel modes, particularly walking, during the pandemic period. However, the high number of infections and deaths, especially in Italy, has strongly influenced the propensity of walking due to the emotional aspects of travelling. This paper presents a statistical analysis based on data gathered through a questionnaire in urban areas of Sicily focusing on travel by walking for either leisure or work. The evaluation of negative emotions that people who habitually walk for short distances in the study areas is the main focus of the present work.The data indicated a variation between three emotions: anxiety, stress, and fear. These emotions had a potential to influence people’s daily life and, as a result, their travel habits.