Understanding high car use in relation to policy measures based on Swedish data

Abstract

Globally, transport increases its share of emissions and the transport sector desperately needs an efficient climate policy including efficient strategies to reduce unsustainable levels of car use. By providing insights into the profile of passenger mileage by car in relation to levels estimated to be sustainable in 2050, this work gives insight into who will, and who needs to, be affected by policies and measures to achieve climate goals. The study, using Swedish national travel behaviour data, in line with international research, shows that a minority produces the majority of all passenger mileage by car. Adding an analysis of the national attitudinal study to the national travel behavioural data reveals that the high mileage producers further belong to groups with a low inclination to adopt sustainable behaviour, i.e. men, the middle aged and frequent car users. Policies and measures proposed to reduce unsustainable levels of car use need to be tailored to those groups in order to be efficient.