A NEW IMAGINARY FOR URBAN TRANSPORT IN VIENNA: Understanding transport mode choices as to effectively de-normalise car usage for enhanced sustainability – A Case Study –

Abstract

This thesis argues that the current urban transport in Vienna, which is characterized by extensive usage of cars, is too material-intense (both in terms of input and output) and from a social perspective inherently un-urban. It therefore concludes that effective transport policy should aim at following a new imaginary, one that is based on the aim of de-materializing and “re-urbanizing” the mobility within Vienna. On an applied level, this means that, first, mobility services should be offered by using a minimum amount of non-renewable natural resources and producing a minimum amount of emissions and waste. Second, it should aim at following the ideals of urbanity, meaning (a) high density, (b) creativity, (c) collectiveness/conviviality and (d) democratic decision-making.
This goal as such might sound desirable to many people, yet to reach it requires substantial behavioural change from the part of consumers, hence transport users at the individual but even more at the cultural or collective level. Thereby, most current policies are guided by the Rational Choice Theory (RCT) and based on the assumption that humans act individually and rationally. With that assumption, a focus on infrastructure expansion and price mechanisms seems totally reasonable. Reality has shown however that these policies alone can only show a limited success compared to the financial investments they require. It is therefore argued that a further investigation of human decision-making in terms of transport mode choices and their potential application in policy-making is highly needed. This thesis will thereby focus on the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as used by Jillian Anable (2005) as contrasted to the Rational Choice Theory (RCT) as to analyse its usefulness for improved policy-making. 186 quantitative surveys have been conducted to test whether Anable’s segmentation model based on the TPB is applicable to the specific case of Vienna (RQ 1). This being successful, it has then been analysed using cluster analysis in SPSS whether similar meaningful groups of travellers with distinct attitudes, motivations and worldviews can be derived using the same statistical methods with the data generated from the surveys (RQ 2). Thereby, five car-owning and two non-car-owning groups could be identified. These groups have then been used to identify relevant starting points for policy-making towards the new imaginary (RQ 3). At a last stage, one exemplary policy measure (diminish convenience of driving) has been included in a system-map in MapSys in order to identify useful starting points for effective policy-making and to visualize the manifold impacts a policy can have on different actors within a particular societal frame.
Thereby, this thesis has aimed at making new contributions in various ways: first, by connecting it to the work of Anable. The fact that the results are so similar uplifts her contributions and confirms mine. The fact that these cluster groups are actually formable confirms the theoretical importance of this topic and the used approach. Second, by introducing the rather new methodologically approach of system-mapping. It has been proven highly valuable for analysing and understanding complex systems such as transport. Third, by illustrating the importance of top-down approaches in transport policy-making.

• author: Juschten, Maria
• supervisor: Erik Jönsson
• organization: Department of Human Geography
• course: SGEM04 20141
• year: 2014
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Social Sciences
• keywords: Sustainable transport, dematerialisation, urbanity, Theory of Planned Behaviour, cluster analysis, system-mapping, policies, Vienna
• language: English
• id: 4627737
• date added to LUP: 2014-09-08 08:48:54
• date last changed: 2014-09-08 08:48:54