Abstract
Intuitively, weather plays an important role in everyday mobility. How often do we not expose ourselves to cold, heat, sun, rain, snow or wind when we are travelling on foot or by bicycle; waiting at a bus stop; walking towards a parked car; or driving under slippery road conditions. Recently,
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weather has also emerged as an important policy aspect, with climate change, urban microclimates, health, accessibility, liveability and subsequent aims to reduce car mobility and promote healthy but weather-exposed active transport modes and physical activities high on the agenda. Yet, although the influence of weather on daily mobility in everyday life has been pervasive and its societal relevance never more pronounced, scientific debate on the relationships between climate, weather and transport has so far largely been focused on the effects of extreme weather events on road, air or rail infrastructure maintenance, accident rates and traffic flows. In contrast, we still know much less about how climate and weather shape individual mobility in everyday life. It is the aim of this thesis to develop a comprehensive understanding of the impact of current and projected weather on mobility choices and of subjective experiences of weather, place and emotions during daily mobility in the Randstad Holland. Hereto, first, a systematic review of the existing literature reveals that rain, snow, cloudy, windy, cold and hot weather negatively affect outdoors activities and active transport mode usages. However, several important discrepancies, shortcomings and climate-related geographical differences are identified. Second, a climate change analysis on existing Dutch National Travel survey data for the Randstad Holland, reveals a projected increase in active over motorised transport mode shares and distances year-round for milder 2050-winters, but opposite effects for hotter 2050-summers. Third, a daily weather analysis on purposely-designed Greater Rotterdam travel diary data (n=945) reveals linear negative effects of precipitation sum and wind speed and nonlinear bell-shaped effects of thermal conditions on cycling shares, frequencies and durations. Out of three thermal variables investigated, mean radiant temperature (radiant heat exchange between humans and the environment) and physiological equivalent temperature (an index combining the effects of air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air humidity, and wind speed) better explain cycling behaviour than just air temperature. Finally, an innovative conceptual framework is developed to analyse the simultaneous relationships between objectively observed weather conditions and subjective experiences of weather, emotions and place while travelling by different transport modes. Dry, calm, sunny and warm but not too hot weather conditions stimulate cycling over other transport modes and – via mechanisms of thermal and mechanical comfort – lead to more positive emotions and place valuations en-route. Public transport users have less pleasant emotional experiences than users of other transport modes, while active mode users appear most weather sensitive. Implications of these findings are drawn for urban and transport theory, policy and planning. Policy makers are advised to plan for a projected increase in cycling in a warmer future climate and to consider climate-sensitive designs for urban public places and infrastructures frequented by pedestrians and cyclists.
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