Mobility perceptions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic from around the world

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has entailed profound societal changes at many levels and, in particular, the mobility patterns of communities worldwide. There has been a profound modification in collective travel behaviour, mainly because of the restrictions enforced by governing authorities to reduce the likelihood of infection transmission. Perceptions regarding the severity of the disease and mitigation measures to restrict its spread may have an effect on travel behaviour. This research explores the impact of these perceptions on individuals' travel behaviour by utilising a structural equation modelling approach for different travel modes regarding free-time and leisure mobility. The investigation considers data derived from a global survey performed in nine countries during May 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. The countries included were Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Italy, Norway, South Africa, and the United States of America. Results indicate that inhabitants of these countries have various perceptions regarding the effectiveness of travel restrictions for different transport modes. The disease contraction probability is perceived as higher for public transport modes; accordingly, people tend to travel significantly less by train and bus. For some countries, even if the disease restriction policies are considered effective for both private and public transport, survey participants travel less frequently across all travel modes. Active travel or travelling alone is not influenced significantly by an individual’s perceptions of the disease. This study examines the correlations between disease perception and travel behaviour for policymaking to revive sustainable travel transports and active travel, which is essential for improving physical and mental health during the pandemic.