Speaker
Description
Planetary crises of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic inequalities are being accelerated by urbanisation patterns prioritising economic growth over ecological sustainability and social justice. A prominent example of such a phenomenon in the Czech Republic (and the whole Central Europe region) is suburbanisation, a long-ignored problem attributed to the idea of “free market growth.” Unlike integrated transport and land-use planning in Western Europe, the rapid post-socialist suburban growth in the Czech Republic is marked by spatial fragmentation and car dependency, deepening environmental and social concerns. This has reinforced socio-spatial inequalities, reduced access to essential services, and fostered unsustainable transport reliance. Rethinking suburban mobility strategies is urgently needed as urban areas aim for sustainable, just development models. In response, the Czech planning discourse started discussing accessibility-centred interventions to reduce car dependency and promote equitable mobility. These strategies are based on frameworks of 15-minute city, transit-oriented development (TOD), and low-traffic neighbourhoods. By integrating local amenities and enhancing public transport, planners hope to build resilient communities that reduce car reliance. However, these interventions need strong empirical support tailored to the unique socio-economic and spatial contexts of post-socialist cities. While international studies offer insights, their relevance to the Czech context is limited due to differing urban structures, policies, and economic conditions.
This paper contributes to addressing this gap by applying an advanced structural equation model (SEM) to analyse the relationship between built environment characteristics, socio-economic factors, and travel behaviour in suburban Prague. Specifically, the research examines the impact of local amenity accessibility on car dependency, measured through person miles travelled (PMT). Unlike conventional regression models, SEM captures the complex interdependencies between socioeconomic conditions, urban form, and mobility choices by incorporating latent variables and indirect effects. It offers a deeper understanding of mobility behaviours and their underlying structural relationships. The study includes a comprehensive set of amenities—such as educational facilities, healthcare services, retail, sports infrastructure, and community centres—while utilising geolocated travel diary data to provide detailed insights into individual mobility patterns. Findings are further contextualised through case studies of selected suburban areas around Prague, assessing their implications for Czech planning practice.
The results reveal that socio-economic characteristics play a crucial role in shaping travel behaviour, often outweighing the direct influence of the built environment. Factors such as income levels, household composition, and employment status significantly determine mobility choices, including car dependency. This suggests that accessibility-centred interventions alone may have limited impact unless they are accompanied by policies addressing socio-economic inequalities. In particular, lower-income households often face constrained mobility options despite living in areas with high public transport accessibility. Therefore, strategies aiming to reduce car reliance must consider the broader socio-economic landscape to ensure that planning interventions effectively influence travel behaviour in post-socialist suburban contexts.
References
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Neutens, T., Witlox, F., Demaeyer, P., 2007. Individual accessibility and travel possibilities: A literature review on time geography. European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research Vol 7 No 4 (2007). https://doi.org/10.18757/EJTIR.2007.7.4.3403
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Ouředníček, M., 2018. Zóny rezidenční suburbanizace v obcích Česka 2016.
| Keywords | 15 minute city; suburbia; centra europe; mobility; amenities |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
