Abstract
The identification of transport policy measures able to reduce the use of private cars for home-to-school travel is very relevant to reduce congestion during peak hours and to ensure that the areas around schools have livable environments. An action that policymakers could apply is promoting cycling to school through the introduction of bikesharing programs and creating safe routes to school through the construction of new cycle infrastructure. The aim of the paper has been, therefore, to assess if these policies could lead the high-school students to cycle to school, considering the city of Palermo as a case study. The goal is reached through the calibration of a modal choice model based on Stated Preference interviews. The costs that the local authority have to support have been compared with the benefits that the realization of new cycle paths entails in terms of the modal shift, reduction of car mileage and reduction of the externalities. According to the model, the construction of the new cycle paths will lead to an impressive increase in the use of the bicycle for home-to-school travel and also to greater use of public transport, due to the multimodality guaranteed by the bikesharing stations near the railway stations and tram stops.
Highlights
In an urban context, schools are certainly among the most important traffic attractors at rush hour
Proposing bikesharing as a possible solution for home-to-school travel, in order to reduce the car-dependency, the present study investigates the mode choice behaviors of high school students
The paper describes a feasibility study trying to give an answer to a real issue: the possible changes in the mobility habits of high-school students have been investigated following the possible introduction of a bikesharing service dedicated to them and the realization of cycle paths in the areas around the schools
Summary
Schools are certainly among the most important traffic attractors at rush hour. The actions that policymakers could put in place are certainly multiple: firstly, to allow students living near the school to reach it by walking, the local authority could improve the pedestrian accessibility of the school through the creation of safe pedestrian routes to school and the realization of walkable urban areas (D'Orso and Migliore, 2020) This can be put into practice by controlling the quality of pedestrian walkways, investments in existing pedestrian infrastructure and the establishment of “Pedibus”, i.e. a caravan of students walking to school chaperoned by adults that could promote the sustainable mobility and the importance of making exercise among children; further action may consist in encouraging public transport, through discounted season tickets for students, a timetable and a set of runs that meet the needs of the students, the placement of stops near the schools. As investigated by Texeira et al (2019), soft mobility management measures such as park and stride (parking the car 1 km away from school and walking the remaining distance), the dissemination of a school route map containing the most accessible and convenient routes, the introduction of safe parking banners that alert parents about parking illegally near the school perimeter, and contests among students about the sustainability of their school trips are important tools in order to change the students’ mobility habits
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
