Abstract
Due to the environmental and health impact of the private transport sector, social scientists have largely focused on psychosocial and contextual factors associated with people's choice over transport means. This study aims to contribute to this line of research by applying a user-centered approach, with the objective of taking into account the specific environmental and social context of the metropolitan area of Cagliari city (Sardinia, Italy). To accomplish this aim, four groups of people were matched according to their shared starting point: car users vs. public transport users (Study 1), and light-rail users vs. non-light-rail users (Study 2). Groups were interviewed using a focus group method. Participants were invited to discuss their everyday travel experiences and to exchange their ideas on different sustainable (e.g., bicycles and public transport) and less sustainable (i.e., private cars) means of transport. Both consolidated drivers/barriers in the field of environmental psychology (e.g., perceived behavioral control, social norms) and public transportation design features (e.g., lighting) have been investigated. Other than highlighting the importance of socio-psychological factors to promote more sustainable transport choices like in previous studies, the present research offers an insight into how these aspects and factors are shaped and experienced in the narratives of residents.
Highlights
Limiting the use of private cars in favor of more sustainable transport choices, such as public transport and bicycle use, is associated with a range of positive environmental impacts (e.g., Brand et al, 2021) and health benefits (e.g., Patterson et al, 2020)
Focus group material has allowed the emergence of both cognitive and emotional factors, as barriers or drivers of such choices, that should be considered in order to develop proper strategies for changing a kind of environment-related behavior, such as the use of the private car, that is typically based on habits (Bamberg et al, 2003)
The relevance of design features in the narratives of the respondents suggests that design issues should be considered in promoting public transport, which represents a more sustainable travel mode than the private car
Summary
Limiting the use of private cars in favor of more sustainable transport choices, such as public transport and bicycle use, is associated with a range of positive environmental impacts (e.g., Brand et al, 2021) and health benefits (e.g., Patterson et al, 2020). The promotion of public transport use should suggest a specific attention on the appearance of waiting areas, such as bus stops or train/bus stations, whose design features could affect the travel experience of transport users, especially in terms of perceived safety (Loukaitou-Sideris, 1999; Kooi, 2015) In this regard, Abenoza et al (2018b) have pointed out how particular sites, such as bus shelters and the surrounding environment of bus stops, may influence the perceived safety and crime perceptions of the travelers, which in turn affect the travel mode choice. A recent study pointed out the strong effect of security and economic arguments as significant predictors of positive attitude toward sustainable transport (Manca and Fornara, 2019)
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