Speaker
Description
(1)Background: In the context of global entry into the post-growth era, climate change and resource constraints pose unprecedented challenges, necessitating a reevaluation of conventional growth-driven development. The rapid industrial suburbanization in metropolises has led to the expansion of residential, employment and public service functions, with Shanghai being a typical case. Especially, the peri-urban zones surrounding central district are areas where spatial development conflicts concentrate, both generating and attracting a large amount of commuting traffic. However, due to their location at the end of public transport network, there is a shortage of public transit supply, causing a mismatch in commuting demand and supply. This prompts more suburban residents to commute by private cars, against the green transformation of transportation and sustainable development. In Shanghai Master Plan (2017-2035), the "Town Clusters" mode is introduced to organize suburban space, streamline industrial layout and reduce long-distance commuting, and is anticipated to offer novel solutions for optimizing commuting patterns in peri-urban areas.
(2)Content: This research endeavors to assess the opportunities of existing green commuting options in peri-urban town clusters, including bus and rail transit. We focus on five typical town clusters located in Shanghai peri-urban areas. Our study integrates job-housing relationships derived from mobile phone signaling data, along with multi-source data on road network configuration and public transportation network. By leveraging the route-planning capabilities of online map platforms, the average commuting time cost of different transportation modes are computed. Employing key metrics such as the Public Transit Commuting Feasibility (PTCF), Commuting Time Competence (CTC) and Commuting Mode Competence (CMC), the study evaluates the distribution patterns of green commuting opportunities levels within each town cluster under diverse time thresholds and spatial extents, thereby identifying areas with sub-optimal green commuting opportunities. By means of the Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) approach from perspectives of commuting demand and supply, the study dissects the core determinants of green commuting opportunities in peri-urban town clusters and attempts to formulate optimization strategies accordingly.
(3)Findings: ①Results of green commuting opportunities identification: Temporally, on weekday morning peaks, the opportunities of green commuting is typically lower compared to evening peaks. Geographically, areas in close proximity to rail transit stations exhibit markedly higher green commuting opportunities. The central zones of town clusters, benefiting from dense public transportation routes, tend to offer higher green commuting opportunities than peripheral areas. Residential communities within 3 kilometers of large industrial parks also display relatively high green commuting opportunities. At different hierarchical levels of town clusters, those with higher levels of development and greater industrial and population agglomeration generally demonstrate better green commuting opportunities. Within town clusters, central towns with nodal characteristics enjoy higher green commuting opportunities than ordinary towns. ②Crucial influencing factors: In terms of commuting demand, commuting distance exerts a profound impact on green commuting opportunities. Our survey in the "Nanxiang-Jiangqiao Town Cluster" reveals that when the commuting distance exceeds 10 kilometers, the proportion of commuters choosing green options drops significantly. Additionally, the uneven spatial distribution of workplaces and residences also counts. Regarding commuting supply, the density of public transportation stations and the connectivity of routes are crucial factors. Areas with high-density stations and well-connected routes exhibit stronger green commuting opportunities. ③Optimization strategies: Simulation results indicate that augmenting public transportation routes and frequencies, optimizing bus route layouts, and enhancing the connectivity of public transportation stations can effectively boost the overall green commuting opportunities within peri-urban town clusters.
(4)Summary: This study broadens the scope of research on green commuting and explores the evaluation methodology for green commuting opportunities within the peri-urban town cluster model, furnishes policy recommendations for facilitating the green transformation of commuting modes in metropolitan suburban areas.
| Keywords | peri-urban areas; town cluster; green commuting opportunities; Shanghai |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
