Forandringspotentialet i Århus: En mobilitetssociologisk analyse af den kommende letbane i Århus-området

Abstract

Dette projekt omhandler den kommende letbane i Århus-området og dens betydning for pendleres transportmiddelvalg. Formålet med letbanen er at styrke den kollektive trafik i Århus-området for derved at tiltrække flere passagerer. Projektet søger at finde svar på, hvorvidt dette er muligt ud fra en undersøgelse af pendleres nuværende transportvaner. I rapporten redegøres for to forskellige tilgange til undersøgelse af transportvaner og transportmiddelvalg. På baggrund af dette defineres projektets analytiske forståelsesramme, som tager afsæt i en mobilitetssociologisk tilgang. Metodisk er undersøgelsen bygget op omkring et casestudie, som tager udgangspunkt i Århus N, hvor den nye linjeføring i letbaneprojektets første etape skal strække sig. Casestudiet omfatter 3 arbejdspladser, hvis ansatte er potentielle brugere af letbanen. For at give en dybdegående forståelse af transportmiddelvalgets kompleksitet omfatter undersøgelsen både kvantitative og kvalitative metoder. Den ene del af analysen er baseret på en spørgeskemaundersøgelse, som de ansatte fra de arbejdspladser har deltaget i. Den anden del af analysen er baseret på kvalitative interviews med 3 af de respondenter, som har besvaret spørgeskemaet. Til at supplere disse metoder er der foretaget e-mailkorrespondancer med internationale eksperter, som har erfaring med letbaner og disses påvirkning af pendlere. Det konkluderes, at letbanen har potentiale for forandring af transportadfærden i Århus, idet hovedparten af pendlerne stiller sig positivt over for forbedringer af den kollektive trafik. Et flertal af pendlerne indikerer samtidig, at de vil benytte letbanen, dog ikke nødvendigvis på daglig basis. Undersøgelsen viser dog også, at der ikke nødvendigvis er overensstemmelse imellem pendlernes nuværende intentioner og fremtidige handlinger. Der argumenteres derfor afslutningsvis for, at hvis letbanen for alvor skal have en effekt på pendleres transportmiddelvalg, er det nødvendigt at supplere den med både tilskyndende og restriktive virkemidler, såsom høje parkeringsafgifter i midtbyen, bilfri zoner, forkørselsret for letbanen og intensiv markedsføring af letbanen.

This topic of this report is the future light rail in the Aarhus area and its influence on modal choice for commuters’ choice. The purpose of implementing a light rail system in Aarhus is to enhance public transport in the region, in order to attract more passengers to the public transport system. This study seeks to investigate whether such a modal switch seems likely to take place, which is done by conducting from a survey of commuters’ current transportation habits, their possibilities to change habits, and their opinions on transport and mobility. In the report two different approaches to the study of transportation habits and modal choice is described, a conventional and a mobility-sociological. The latter will form the basis for the analytical framework employed in this study, but elements from the former will be included as well. Methodologically the study is based on a case study in Aarhus N, where the new section of the light rail project's first phase will be constructed. The case study covers 3 workplaces whose employees can be considered potential users of the light rail. To provide a thorough understanding of the complexity involved in people’s choice of transport mode, the study includes both quantitative and qualitative methods. The first part of the analysis is based on a questionnaire answered by employees at the 3 workplaces. The second part of the analysis is based on qualitative interviews with 3 respondents to the previously mentioned questionnaire, who are chosen based on differences in demographic characteristics as well as modal choice and attitudes towards transport. To complement these methods I have consulted a set of international experts who are experienced with light rail implementation in urban settings and its impact on commuting patterns. It is concluded that the light rail has a potential to change the transport behavior in Aarhus, as the majority of commuters are in favor of improving the public transport in Aarhus. A majority of commuters also indicate that they would use the light rail, but not necessarily on a daily basis. The study further demonstrates that there is not necessarily any consistence between commuters’ attitudes towards transport and their willingness to make use of the future light rail system. Therefore it is argued that it is necessary to supplement such a system with both push and pull mechanisms if the light rail is to truly have an impact on commuters’ transport choices, such as high parking fees in the city center, car-free zones, to give the light rail priority at junctions and intensive promotion of the light rail in general.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Forandringspotentialet i Århus: En mobilitetssociologisk analyse af den kommende letbane i Århus-området

[The potential of change in Aarhus: a mobility sociological analysis of the future light rail in the Aarhus area]