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With the worsening of low fertility and ageing in China, the proportion of elderly people is gradually increasing, and the government is placing greater emphasis on addressing the social needs of the elderly. In the Shanghai metropolitan area, Shanghai is the first city in China to experience population ageing, with the highest degree. Some cities, such as Nantong, have also entered a severely ageing society. The travel needs of the elderly are increasing, so building an age-friendly and inclusive society has become a key focus in urban planning.
Current research on the travel behaviour characteristics of elderly people mostly concentrated in cities, with less attention paid to rural elderly people. In towns that serve as a link between urban and rural areas, due to the frequent out-migration of young labour forces, there is a large number of elderly people left behind. The elderly in these areas face more complex geographical, social and transportation conditions when travelling. Compared with cities that are rich in various resources, the elderly in towns deserve more attention, which is also an aspect that should be taken into account in building an inclusive society. With the development of mobile signalling data, it has become possible to analyze the travel characteristics of rural elderly people, which also provides a basis for the government to allocate urban and rural resources and build elderly-friendly towns rationally.
This study employed network analysis methods, integrating mobile signalling and traffic travel survey data. By constructing urban-rural and rural-rural population mobility networks, it deeply explored the spatial distribution characteristics of the travel frequency, distance, duration, and destinations of the elderly aged 65 and above in rural areas during their daily lives. It also investigated the relationship between these features and towns' economic and social development and summarised the main influencing factors. The research found that the elderly's travel mainly focuses on short-distance and regular daily life needs, such as medical visits, shopping, and visiting family and friends. In towns, elderly people's mobility is more limited, with a small travel radius and low frequency. However, for some elderly people with specific medical needs or whose children live in urban areas, the frequency of cross-regional travel has increased. In terms of travel modes, rural elderly people generally rely on public transportation, with less use of private cars, and this is closely related to their age and health conditions. Regarding influencing factors, this study analyzed the impact of economic conditions, transportation facilities, and social support on the travel of the elderly. In towns with higher economic levels, the travel frequency and range of the elderly are relatively larger. However, elderly people in less developed towns face problems such as inconvenient transportation and limited medical resources, which makes their travel more dependent on social support and family care. The differences in travel patterns among different towns also reflect the quality of life gap among the elderly in different regions and suggest that in future urban planning, more attention should be paid to the travel needs of the elderly in towns and the areas at the urban-rural interface.
This study provides a clearer understanding of the spatial mobility and cross-regional interaction of elderly people's travel, revealing the special needs and behavioural patterns of the elderly group in towns. The travel characteristics of elderly people in towns are influenced by multiple factors and show complex spatial distribution and social network effects. In the future, the government should carry out differentiated planning according to the characteristics of the elderly groups in different regions to build an inclusive society and cope with the challenges of ageing.
| Keywords | Elderly travel; Town; Urban-rural population mobility; Shanghai Metropolitan Area |
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| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
