TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - A data-driven analysis of the potential of public transport for German commuters using accessibility indicators JO - European transport research review A1 - Mocanu, Tudor A1 - Joshi, Jigeeshu A1 - Winkler, Christian SP - e54 EP - e54 VL - 13 IS - 1 N2 - BACKGROUND: A significant mode shift will be required in order to meet the ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in Germany and elsewhere. Such a mode shift can only be achieved by a combination of drastic push and pull measures. Getting commuters to switch modes might be particularly difficult and have a negative impact on their access to employment and welfare.

METHODOLOGY: We investigate the potential for a mode shift from car to public transport for German commuters using a data-driven approach based mainly on open data sources that avoids complex transport model runs. Different datasets on the home and workplace location of all employees in Germany are consolidated to create an origin-destination commuter matrix at traffic analysis zone level. The commuter matrix is merged with travel time data for car and public transport to calculate a spatially disaggregated and mode-specific measure of accessibility. The comparison of accessibility by car and public transport is used to derive the potential for a mode shift and identify potential challenges and barriers.

RESULTS: Public transport accessibility to workplaces is poorer across the country compared to access by car. On average, public transport travel times are almost three times higher than the corresponding car travel times. The differences in accessibility are largely independent of the region type.

RESULTS are validated by an independent dataset from a household travel survey. Based on these results, the potential for a mode shift appears to be very low.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1867-0717 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12544-021-00507-0 ID - ref1 ER -