PAPERS 48 DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA
Daily mobility in the Regió In the framework of this section, reference Barcelona make only one out of every two Metropolitana de Barcelona is also made to the time dimension of connecting journeys, whereas on days the journeys undertaken, both in terms off this rises to three out of every four Carme Miralles-Guasch of the time of day when they take place connecting journeys made. Laia Oliver Frauca and the duration of the journeys. This study enables us to see the time given to Despite the high percentage of journeys mobility for undertaking different activities, undertaken via non-motorised means, Introduction in addition to knowing at which times which in the interior of the region comes to of the day people undertake different over 45% of the daily total, most journeys Mobility is closely linked with each region’s activities and satisfy their travelling undertaken in the Barcelona area social and territorial characteristics and requirements. are undertaken via motor vehicles. Due to it becomes a factor that enables us to the increased distance involved, motorised interpret the spatial distribution of urban Finally, the article addresses the mobility means of transport are used in practically activities, the availability of transport characteristics of different population all connecting movements, in which the services and their infrastructure, and segments according to the age, sex and quota for private transport use is very high. the functional relations that are set up social/professional category of each group. In this way, whereas on working days between different geographical areas. In Here our aim is to discover the impact of almost 20% of connecting journeys are the same way, mobility guidelines are also these variables on the average time taken undertaken via public transport, on days influenced by working hours, the opening for travelling, the reasons that lie behind off this percentage falls to little over 10% hours of commercial establishments the journeys and the means of transport of the journeys undertaken via motorised and services and the places where that each group employs. means. people undertake their daily activities. In addition, people’s individual and family Above and beyond the distance involved circumstances also more or less decisively 1. Territorial relations between daily activities, which limits condition individual mobility patterns, both the possibilities of managing without as a result of timetable constraints and the motorised means of transport, the means of transport used in order to meet 1.1. Mobility patterns and territorial differences observed in the modal the individual’s mobility requirements. dynamics distribution between public and private Data from the Survey of Daily Mobility transport bring about two mobility This article, which concentrates on the (SDM) 2006 give a figure of 147.9 patterns that reveal the marked territorial Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona (RMB) million journeys1 per week in the Regió imbalances in the public transport network deals with mobility behaviour patterns Metropolitana de Barcelona, which and the availability of its services. Thus, in this territorial area, paying particular represents over two thirds of the number whereas the central city and its most attention to the social and geographical of journeys recorded for Catalonia as immediate surroundings are integrated in features of its overall pattern. a whole. The concentration of mobility a more or less optimum manner through in the Barcelona area is due to the high transport services such as the Generalitat The first section therefore deals with the population figures and the activities de Catalunya Railway Network (CGR) the territorial relations that arise within the concentrated in and around the Catalan Renfe Commuter Train Network, daily and Barcelona region and with the remaining capital, in which 68% of the population night-time bus services, the underground territorial areas of Catalonia. After studying of Catalonia live and 68% of its business or the tramway, public transport operations basic mobility characteristics in this activities take place2.This movement fall off where communications with the area, flows on the municipal, district and density is constant throughout the week rest of Catalonia are concerned, with Catalonia-wide scales are analysed from with an average of 16 million journeys on the exception of the main centres of both internal and connecting perspectives. working days and 11 million journeys on population. As is outlined in the second The article in this way seeks to discover days off. part of the article, the network’s arterial the level of territorial integration of the character, the restricted nature of the different areas in relation to the reasons Over 90% of these journeys have routes and the limited timetable scope for travelling and the means of transport their origin and destination within the of public transport services outside available. boundaries of the metropolitan area, the metropolitan centre account to a although a significant increase in making significant degree for the variations in the Additionally, the mobility of the resident connecting journeys (with their origin abovementioned modal distribution, which population in the metropolitan area is or destination outside the metropolitan for connecting journeys, especially on days analysed. This second section focuses area) is recorded for days off, a figure off, favours the private vehicle. on the reasons for individual journeys, that doubles in absolute terms as a result both as regards occupational activities of people undertaking more personal, 1.2. The Regió Metropolitana and for personal reasons, as well as the leisure activities far from their place de Barcelona: functional relations means of transport employed in order of residence. Thus, the high capacity and territorial integration to meet travelling requirements and the for self-containment in the area on configuration of the modal networks. After working days lessens on days off, during Mobility is an activity that enables us to dealing separately with each one of these, which the potential attraction of other identify the functional relations set up on the text then focuses on the relationship Catalan regions increases. Indeed, if different territorial scales, both within the between the two variables in order to the connecting journeys between the metropolitan area and with the rest of understand the link between the reasons Barcelona region and other territorial Catalonia. and the means for mobility used by the areas3 are taken into account, it can be population. seen that on working days people from a. Municipal and district relations
DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA / 161 On the local level, 70% of the journeys As for journeys between the different For days off, however, mobility behaviour that take place on working days in the metropolitan districts, which represent in Barcelona’s municipalities and districts Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona are of 12% of the remaining movements, the changes, a phenomenon being recorded an intra-municipal nature, with insignificant demographic influence and concentration which matches what happens between differences recorded as far as the self- of activities in the Barcelonès district the whole of the metropolitan area and the containment capacity factor of the also makes this the district from which remainder of Catalonia. Not only is an different localities is concerned. In most most connecting flows originate, with overall decrease in the self-containment cases, the latter works out at percentages a total of 708,000 movements, slightly capacity of the municipalities recorded, but of around 60%, with the highest indices below 40% of the inter-county journeys this is especially marked in the case of the recorded in the municipalities of the undertaken in the Regió, a figure to which conurbation, which falls to a figure of 71%. Vallès Occidental district and the lowest the 633,000 connecting movements This decrease, which is also recorded in the Vallès Oriental. However, the recorded for the Baix Llobregat closely significantly in the Vallès Oriental, Vallès municipalities of the central Barcelona approximates, motivated above all by the Occidental and Alt Penedès districts, is conurbation4 must be excepted, where abovementioned close link with the city due above all to the increase in people the self-containment capacity factor is of Barcelona. undertaking leisure activities or other close to 80%, a value marked by the journeys of a personal nature towards presence of the city of Barcelona. These In fact, taking both directions of movement places outside the municipality where they differences between the central area and into account, the main relations between normally live. the metropolitan surrounding area can the districts of the Regió Metropolitana be explained by the urban and territorial are recorded with the Barcelonès district, At the district level, despite the important structure proper to each of the two areas, particularly with Barcelona itself. Thus, decrease in the volume of journeys, as well as by the location patterns for the relation with the highest two-way working days maintain the close relation residential, economic and service activities flow is also the one recorded between between the Barcelonès district and the in the heart of the metropolitan area. the Barcelonès and Baix Llobregat Baix Llobregat, Vallès Occidental and These are factors which, at the same districts, with 38% of the inter-county Maresme districts. However, a decrease time, are linked with the level of municipal, movements of the region. The second is recorded where journeys between the district and metropolitan integration of the highest inter-county flow by order of more urbanised districts are concerned whole of the region. magnitude is that between the Barcelonès (the Barcelonès, Baix Llobregat and Vallès and Vallès Occidental districts, with Occidental districts); whereas for journeys On a different scale, the data involving 421,000 movements, whereas the taking in the whole metropolitan area district self-containment (which indicate relations between the Barcelonès and the towards rural areas with more natural the percentage of journeys that have their Maresme, Vallès Oriental, Garraf and Alt surroundings, whether on the coast or origin and destination within the same Penedès districts fall to under half of this inland (Alt Penedès, Garraf, Maresme and district) also reveal differences between latter value. Vallès Oriental districts), an increase is the territorial units that make up the recorded. region. District self-containment records Conversely, the main inter-county relation its highest level in the Barcelonès not linked with the Barcelonès district is This fact is accompanied by modifications district, with a capacity factor of 90%; that recorded for the two Vallès districts, in modal behaviour, which now slants the lowest figure is recorded, however, with a flow of 110,000 movements per day basically in favour of the private car. In for the Baix Llobregat district, with 74%. caused to a high degree by the number of relations involving the central Barcelona This difference is due, to a considerable workers travelling between both districts area, the percentage use of private extent, to the geographical proximity of in order to get to their place of work, vehicles comes to over 20% in the Baix both districts and to the strong functional above all on industrial estates or in the Llobregat and Vallès Occidental districts, attraction between the Barcelonès and service sector. but in the three inter-county flows that Baix Llobregat districts, particularly in exclude the Barcelonès district (which the area nearest the coastline. The Vallès Of the remaining inter-county relations, altogether come to 190,000 motorised Occidental district has the second highest only the movements between the Baix journeys), those using public transport self-containment level, with internal Llobregat and Vallès Oriental districts only come to 3% of the total for motorised journeys reaching 85%, whereas the figure reach 50,000 journeys per day, also journeys (Vallès Occidental - Vallès recorded is slightly lower for the remaining motivated by the presence of important Oriental, Baix Llobregat - Vallès Occidental districts. In global terms, the sum total of urban centres and numerous industrial and Maresme - Vallès Oriental). intra-county movements which take place areas. The relations between the Garraf on working days in the Barcelona region and Alt Penedès districts record very low This pattern, which clearly responds comes to 88% of all journeys undertaken volumes of movement. to the morphology of communication in the metropolitan area. These values infrastructures within the metropolitan therefore indicate the existence of a In similar fashion, there are significant area, reveals the arterial character of the metropolitan conglomerate made up of territorial differences as regards the regular public transport network in the districts with a significant functional self- modal behaviour of journeys made at Barcelona context, especially as regards supplying factor, despite their articulation the district level, which varies according transport means of a fixed nature (like the within the overall Barcelona context. to the place of origin and destination. Generalitat de Catalunya Railway Network On working days the highest use of and the Renfe train service), which are the It should also be underlined that these public transport is recorded between the ones that offer a greater service capacity intra-county movements record different Barcelonès and the Garraf, Alt Penedès, and therefore absorb a greater number of volumes for each of the districts. 6.5 Baix Llobregat and Vallès Occidental passengers. The remainder of the country, million journeys take place each day in the districts, with percentages of over 40% however, is served mainly by inter-city bus Barcelonès district; in the Vallès Occidental, recorded for motorised journeys. Yet in routes that can carry much lower numbers the second highest district in terms of the case for journeys not involving the of travellers. internal movements, the figure is 2.4 million; Barcelonès district, the quota of public and in the Baix Llobregat, 1.9 million. Lower transport use is much lower, even when Thus, as can be seen also on the down the scale come the Maresme large volumes of movement are recorded; Catalonia-wide scale, the deficiencies district and that of the Vallès Oriental, such is the case of relations between within the metropolitan region in a with 1.2 million and 1 million movements, the Vallès Oriental and Vallès Occidental basically radial, fixed, public transport respectively; and, finally, the Garraf and districts, where only 8% of motorised network designed to serve the central Alt Penedès districts, with 362,000 and journeys are made via collective public city and offering few connections of a 278,000 internal movements each. transport. transversal nature, are simply reproduced.
162 / Papers 48 / In this way, inter-county relations within With reference to the abovementioned beyond the administrative boundaries the wider Barcelona context are organised flows, it is worth underlining the increase of the city of Barcelona. It becomes a into two markedly contrasting scenarios; in the volume of movements recorded dynamic region, articulated via flows that whereas radial routes can be catered for on days off to and from the Comarques bring into contact more or less distant via collective public transport, the flows Gironines, the Camp de Tarragona and areas and populations that functionally recorded for other directions display a the Terres de Ponent, for which the complement one another. modal combination that slants basically in figures recorded for weekdays double; favour of the private car. whereas in the case of the Alt Pirineu i Thus, on the one hand, an area of influence Aran district they triple. As regards the around Barcelona is articulated into which For this very series of reasons, only in the Central Catalan districts, the increase in its most immediate neighbours integrate. case of the central Barcelona nucleus is journeys made on days off is much more This area, which brings together areas with the percentage for journeys using public modest, emphasising their greater daily more direct communications and a more transport on working days higher than that integration with the metropolitan area. The urban character, includes a large part of the for private vehicles, with a quota of 60% Terres de l’Ebre district is the only one for districts Comarques Gironines, Comarques of journeys made via motorised means. which a significant variation between the Centrals and Camp de Tarragona, for which In the remaining cases, the use of public connecting flows, either for working days most flows of an economic and personal transport as the means of travelling is far or days off, is not recorded. nature are recorded. However, on days off, less significant. The highest values are the radius of the extent of metropolitan around 15% for the Vallès Occidental and Consequently, bearing in mind the flows, which reach far more distant and far Baix Llobregat districts, which drops to 5% different intensity in relations recorded less well communicated areas, undergoes in the case of the Alt Penedès. between the metropolitan area and the an expansion. In this way, undertaking remaining areas of Catalonia, a decline in activities of a personal nature (leisure- b. The functional region, according to the the daily functional integration of these oriented activities, particularly) far from day of the week areas can be observed as the distance the Barcelona area leads to a far greater from the Barcelona area, and the central functional integration of the Alt Pirineu i Above and beyond the administrative city in particular, increases. In this way, Aran and the Terres de Ponent with the boundaries of the metropolitan region, during the week the majority of flows Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona, whose mobility flows also enable us to identify taking place from or to the metropolitan area of influence spreads with the arrival of the functional relations set up with the region are recorded between the nearest, the weekend. remaining geographical areas and their most built-up and best-connected areas. degree of integration with the Barcelona It is on days off that the relations map area, which is directly linked with the bringing in the remaining areas records 2. Resident population mobility spatial/temporal distance separating the an increase in the number of connecting metropolitan region from other Catalan journeys with the more distant areas, regions. particularly towards mountainous and rural 2.1. Reasons for making journeys areas. Mobility is an activity that varies according By closely examining the total number of to the purpose behind the journey and journeys in the Regió Metropolitana de As regards journeys with an origin it therefore becomes a reflection of Barcelona and the remaining territorial or destination outside the Regió daily activities. In the case of weekdays, areas it can be observed that the main Metropolitana de Barcelona, it is also worth almost 7.1 million journeys involving work connecting relations are recorded for recording that in most cases only half of and study are recorded, which counts areas that border on the Barcelona region: the journeys made on weekdays have an for almost half the journeys undertaken the Comarques Centrals, Comarques occupational reason, with a maximum throughout the day. On the other hand, Gironines and the Camp de Tarragona figure of 63% for the Comarques Centrals on days off the mobility generated for (reaching 58% of the total for working and minimum values of 37% for the occupational reasons drops significantly, days and 83% for the total on days off). Terres de l’Ebre and Alt Pirineu i Aran, with only 0.8 million journeys recorded, Worth noting in particular is the volume above all due to the distance separating less than 10% of all the movements of relations with the districts bordering them from Barcelona and their more rural, undertaken on non-working days. Thus, on the Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona, and agricultural, character. On days off, a dichotomic behaviour pattern emerges, which gradually integrate into the however, occupational journeys fall to with marked contrasts between mobility dynamics of the metropolis. Thus, the between 2% and 4% of all journeys linking on weekdays and on days off, especially Selva, Baix Penedès, Anoia, Bages and other territorial areas; with the exception for the type of activity undertaken. Osona districts record between 30,000 of the relations with the Terres de l’Ebre and 60,000 connecting movements with district, which come to 7% of the total. Unlike occupational mobility, journeys the metropolitan area on working days; It is worth noting, however, that most of for personal reasons record less marked connecting volumes that come close to the the connecting movements undertaken variations, despite their increase figures recorded between the Barcelona by the inhabitants of the Barcelona region (especially their relative increase) on districts themselves. Likewise, above and have occupational purposes, above all days off. Thus, if on working days slightly beyond the areas most immediate to the jobs; although personal mobility increases over 8.7 million journeys are recorded metropolitan area, the intensity of territorial for days off. Conversely, most connecting for personal reasons, for days off these exchange flows greatly decreases; not movements undertaken by the non- figures increase by 20%, and reach 10.3 only as a result of the increased distances resident population of the metropolitan million. This increase takes on special involved and the decrease in the main area involve personal reasons, independent relevance from a global point of view: if, communication routes, but also from the of the day of the week. This fact is on working days, journeys for personal lower numbers of population and activities explained by the significant availability of reasons represent 53% of all movements, recorded for these areas. In this services and activities of different character on days off this figure takes in 93% of the way, journeys with their origin or destination concentrated in the city of Barcelona, total. The daily activities that generate this outside Catalonia, with a figure of 4% where a part of the population from outside number of movements, however, present on working days and 8% on days off, the metropolitan area go to satisfy their significant differences according to the represent a much higher volume of cultural and leisure activities, go shopping, particular day of the week. On working movements than those recorded between undertake administrative business or visit days, people tend to undertake journeys the Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona the doctor, among other reasons. involving, above all, daily shopping and the Terres de Ponent, Terres de l’Ebre activities, accompanying other persons, and Alt Pirineu i Aran, areas with which In this way, a metropolitan area takes personal business, health and non- territorial relations are greatly minimised. shape with a genuine scope that goes regulated training activities; all of these are
DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA / 163 activities of a more or less obligatory and/ made as car passengers come out well It should also be underlined that most of or necessary nature for individual or family below this latter figure, with under these journeys consist of only one modal purposes. On the other hand, on days off one tenth of journeys for working days stage; in other words, in over 90% a there is a higher proportion of journeys (although on working days this type of single type of means of transport is used, involving leisure activities, visits to friends journey increases significantly, reaching whether public or private, collective or and relatives and non-daily shopping almost 20% of the total). Thus, taking individual. Thus, bi-modal journeys do activities, options of a relatively voluntary these behaviour patterns into account, not reach 5% of all movements, whereas and/or optional nature. the average figures for private vehicle movements requiring the use of three or occupancy come to 1.22 and 1.42 persons more means of transport come to under When it comes to studying how the sum for cars on working days and days off – 3%. Of these combinations, the most total of these movements throughout values that in the case of motorcycles are frequent ones are recorded for public the day is organised, the data show how 1.06 and 1.13 persons, respectively. transport and non-motorised modes, they are distributed by forming multi- followed by the consecutive use of purpose chains. This guideline, which Although its service is limited to the central different means of public transport. follows the same trend on working days Barcelona conurbation, the underground is and days off, indicates a greater influence the most frequently used public transport This is due to the time spent making of movements linking up consecutively, service in the whole of the metropolitan connections, especially when the services aimed at combining tasks and activities region, satisfying approximately one in are not well co-ordinated, in addition to of different typology. Therefore, multi- every twenty journeys undertaken in the the awkwardness involved in having purpose movements take shape with area. This average is thus higher than to change from one means of transport to the aim of optimising the distance, time that for city buses which, although for another. Thus, the demotivation involved and cost of the journeys involved, which working days it comes close to the figure in combining different journey modes are variables that usually increase with for underground use, falls markedly on means that people who can travel in their undertaking journeys of a pendular nature. days off due to the reduction in the service own vehicle opt to make the whole journey available. Other transport services like using this means, especially when it is the Renfe Commuter Rail service, the necessary to make more than one modal 2.2. Means of transport Generalitat de Catalunya railway service change. and modal chains and inter-urban bus services are less widely used, and absorb 5% of journeys in As has been explained above, over 45% 2.3. Reasons and means of travelling of mobility in the Regió Metropolitana each case. Journeys using other means of de Barcelona is satisfied via non- transport are residual and total under 1% The reason why the population needs motorised means; whereas the remaining of the whole. to make journeys is one other factor percentage, corresponding to motorised influencing the choice of one means of means, is shared out between the 34% of As has been suggested in the first part transport as opposed to another. This fact journeys that use public transport and the of the article, this diversity by means of is related to the different distances to be 66% using private vehicles. transport can be explained by factors covered when it comes to undertaking of a different nature, among which the the different types of journeys and the In particular, of all forms of transport, the availability of means of transport in each possibilities everyone faces when most frequent one is to travel on foot, with locality is especially relevant. Whereas choosing where to undertake their over 40% of journeys on both working there is a great deal of mobility around daily activities. This range of options days and days off. This is a figure that is the Barcelona area on foot, the most depends on each individual’s personal well above that for other non-motorised frequently used metropolitan centre and characteristics, the flexibility offered by the means such as bicycles which, despite inter-municipal routes are served by a availability of urban, productive activities the high number of users of this form more or less diversified and efficient in the area and the infrastructures in their of transport, only totals 1% of journeys public transport network that enables immediate surroundings. made. This high percentage of non- travellers to make a high percentage of motorised journeys is a differential feature journeys via collective means, unlike the Thus, it can be seen how journeys for of the metropolitan area, particularly in peripheral areas of the region, where personal reasons tend to be undertaken the Barcelona conurbation and the main the lack of public transport services (the via non-motorised means, three out of urban centres such as Sabadell, Terrassa, railway, particularly) obliges travellers to five journeys being satisfied via these Granollers or Mataró, among others. This use private cars. This situation leads to means. This is due to people being free fact is closely linked with the existence different mobility models that are defined to choose where they wish to undertake of multi-functional spaces, where the in relation to the presence/absence of daily activities of a personal or family simultaneous availability of different uses means of public transport, whereas the nature, where the desire to optimise the and activities enables travellers to meet use of these means of transport in terms spatial, temporal and economic cost of the their daily needs by means of relations of of their availability marks the degree of journeys is of major importance. This is proximity. The presence of this sustainability of the models of mobility and a fact that leads them to opt for relations model of territorial and functional planning accessibility for each area. of proximity, facilitated by the models of therefore permits the development of compact, mixed cities in the metropolitan more sustainable forms of mobility, However, this set of circumstances, which region. This is a feature that is reflected in from environmental and socio-economic inclines the population of the central the motive-related journey time involved, perspectives. In this sense, it must be Barcelona conurbation towards a greater which will be analysed later. borne in mind that half of all journeys use of public transport on working days, recorded for the city of Barcelona are changes on their days off. As has been Conversely, mobility involving occupational undertaken via non-motorised means. seen above, with the increase in the activities is usually undertaken via public This is a figure that becomes especially proportion of journeys for personal and or private motorised transport. In this way, relevant, particularly if we consider that leisure reasons, on days off there is a more than two out of three journeys made 33% of the inhabitants of the metropolitan significant flexibilisation in the journeys for work or study reasons are undertaken region and 22% of the inhabitants of undertaken (both from a timetabling and via motorised means, as the serious Catalonia live in this municipality. geographical standpoint), parallel with an restrictions imposed on the population increase in journey distances, a situation to when it comes to choosing where they Secondly, we have the journeys which must be added the lower availability wish to work or study often compels them undertaken by people driving their cars, of public transport in every sense, to undertake longer journeys. This is a fact which total almost 25% of all journeys especially outside the central city and the that then leads to the greater length of undertaken. On the other hand, journeys metropolitan area. journeys for occupational reasons.
164 / Papers 48 / For these journeys the public or private between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Of the journeys made for personal option depends on the area of residence. and between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., reasons, the activity to which most time Journeys in the metropolitan area linked with around 2.9 million and 3.9 million is devoted is walking, with an average with work and study can be undertaken journeys during each span. Specifically, figure of 35 minutes. Next to this, with more or less easily on public transport, the activities usually undertaken in the values between 20 and 25 minutes, come which satisfies almost one third of the morning are the ones involving daily activities such as going to the doctor, occupational journeys undertaken using shopping activities, personal business and undertaking personal business formalities, motorised means. This can be explained medical visits, whereas in the afternoon visiting friends or relatives and making because on weekdays, when most most time is given over to undertaking non-daily purchases. The activities to occupational journeys take place, more non-daily shopping and leisure activities, which less journey time is devoted are: fixed itineraries are usually followed and going for walks, visiting friends, visiting attending non-regulated training courses, public transport services are more widely relatives and undertaking non-regulated leisure activities, eating in restaurants for available (both as regards time span and training activities. Eating in restaurants reasons not involving leisure and, lastly, service frequency, and the maps of the for reasons not involving leisure is an daily purchasing, to which a period of only routes involved), although the routes used activity that is particularly noticeable at 13 minutes is devoted. As for days off, for driving in private vehicles are highly midday for those people that have no time the most significant time differences are congested at peak hours and it proves to return home and then return to work, recorded for journeys to undertake leisure difficult to find parking spaces in the city and journeys to accompany other persons activities and accompany other people, centre. are undertaken mostly in the mornings or which undergo an average increase of in mid-afternoon, coinciding with school almost 8 minutes, as is also the case with opening and closing hours. undertaking non-regulated training courses 2.4. Mobility - the timetabling and eating in restaurants for reasons other dimension than leisure, for which increases of up to Changes are also detected in the timetable The timetabling dimension displays 5 minutes are recorded. The only case for guidelines behind people’s movements on important oscillations throughout the day, which a significant decrease in journey their days off, as well as the differences with a small number of journeys during time is recorded is that for undertaking in absolute terms where different types night hours and more or less continuous medical visits, with a decrease of of journeys are involved. Thus, as well movement during the day. Journeys 3 minutes. as there being a relative decrease in are irregularly distributed across this occupational journeys and an increase in time segment, although the differences In other words, when personal activities the proportion of personal journeys, the between peak and non-peak hours tend are involved, people are prepared to spend latter also occur over other time spans. As to be reduced. This is due to the fact that more time when it comes to making for journeys to work or study, the highest people’s working and living arrangements journeys of a sporadic or a highly specific concentrations are recorded from 8:00 to lead to making journeys for different nature, whereas they try to shorten the 10:00 a.m., a conclusion that is repeated reasons at different times of the day, duration of the journey time necessary to for the case of non-regulated training. resulting in a high volume of journeys undertake activities that they have to carry Journeys made in order to undertake the being recorded across the whole out more regularly. remaining activities, of a personal nature, working day. take place above all during the central Despite this, it must be borne in mind morning and afternoon spans, except for During the week, the highest volume of that journey duration is closely linked leisure activities, journeys involving which flows takes place in the period between with the distance and means of transport stretch into the early morning hours, or 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., when 93% employed. First comes the inter- for accompanying other persons, which of daily mobility is recorded. During this relationship between distance and time stretch throughout a good part of the day. 5 time span, different movement peaks according to speed factors . A further are recorded, alternating with periods of important element is distance, not only in relative reductions, giving rise to patterns 2.5. Journey duration quantitative terms (expressed in spatial of intensity that vary according to the units), but also considering the qualitative reasons for the journeys. As for their duration, journeys motivated elements of the surrounding area that by occupational questions usually mark this distance, which affect the speed The beginning and end of people’s involve a greater period of time than involved (and, therefore, the time). Finally, occupational activities are two of the those motivated by personal questions, journey time also depends on the means main conditioning factors behind a situation that is inverted on days off. of transport used: non-motorised means the temporal dimension of the mobility. During the week, movements for work (going on foot, by bicycle…) and motorised Whether for paid work or for attending and study have a duration of 24 and means (public and private transport). In classes in educational centres, most 18 minutes, respectively. These are other words, the relation between the journeys for occupational reasons are values that increase significantly for return means of transport and journey time is concentrated between 7:00 and 9:00 journeys home, as people generally travel expressed in terms of speed, which in a.m., with over one million journeys for under less pressure to arrive punctually at its turn depends on the spatial distance reasons of employment and over 700,000 their destination. Thus, personal mobility involved, the structural characteristics movements for study every day. Apart works out at an average of 19 minutes of the surrounding area and the specific from the latter, return journeys from for each journey, the duration for return circumstances of each moment. the place of employment or study are journeys to their place of residence also undergoing a slight increase. mainly distributed between 1:00 and 2.6. Travelling by population segment 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., with On days off, however, the time spent on around 500,000 journeys per hour, either In addition to the region’s geographical and journeys for working purposes decreases, when the working day ends or time off is functional characteristics, the availability to a good degree because of the greater granted. of communication infrastructures and the ease of mobility in private transport; existing availability of transport services, unlike journeys for study purposes, a Moreover, the opening hours of personal mobility is strongly conditioned good percentage of which is undertaken commercial establishments and the time by the population segment to which on public means of transport. In addition, available for catering to the general public people belong, whether in terms of sex, the fact of having more free time available in the majority of services also greatly age or social and occupational situation, for leisure activity, making orders and condition the timing of the journeys. In among others. Initially, the average undertaking other activities means that number of journeys undertaken by each accordance with the latter, mobility for the journey time for personal reasons also group only oscillates slightly (around personal reasons is recorded mainly undergoes a sharp increase.
DAILY MOBILITY IN CATALONIA / 165 3.41 journeys per person on working days involved. As regards the latter, men tend the case of retired people, pensioners and and 2.39 movements per person on days to undertake a much higher proportion persons involved in non-paid domestic off), but significant differences for reasons of journeys of an occupational character work, with levels of around 70% of the and modes of transport employed are over the total of movements undertaken total, unlike students and active persons recorded. (52%), whereas for women a much without a job, who make around 55% of higher proportion of personally-motivated their journeys via non-motorised means. In this sense, the diversity of personal journeys is the case (62%). In a parallel circumstances means that the number way, as age increases, the percentage of However, aside from the factors adduced of daily journeys differs according to sex, movements motivated by occupational thus far, two elements that often prove age and socio-professional situation. In questions gradually decreases and this decisive when it comes to explaining general, on working days the population reaches a minimum after age 65, when the reasons lying behind population groups that record greatest mobility are the retirement stage begins for many mobility patterns should be taken into those for women of an active age (16 to professional persons; meanwhile, the consideration: holding a driving licence, 64), with averages ranging from 3.63 to relative weight of journeys for personal and the availability of a private vehicle. In 3.71 journeys per person, whereas for reasons evolves in the opposite direction, the Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona over children and elderly people, it is males reaching a maximum for this latter age one quarter of the population aged over 14 who make most journeys, with 3.58 and group. As for days off, most journeys are have a moped license and almost one fifth 2.97 journeys in each case. This situation of a personal nature. Of the population of those over 16 have a motorcycle license, is explained by the fact that women are taken as a whole, the only groups that while two thirds of the population over often the ones who undertake domestic record a relatively significant percentage of 18 have a car driving license. Taken as a duties and look after their family, thus movements for occupational reasons are whole, 67% of the population over 14 have often undertaking a double working day. those corresponding to women between some kind of driving license, meaning that Therefore, above all for cases of working 16 and 29 and between 30 and 64, with the remaining 33% have no kind of license. women, in addition to journeying to their proportions of 11% and 7%, respectively; place of work, they also undertake a high these are values that are inverted for men However, if two thirds of those over 14 number of journeys geared to satisfying in the same age groups. have some form of driving license, only the requirements of the home. Men, 54% of the population in the metropolitan on the other hand, usually undertake In addition, the data obtained on the area have some kind of private vehicle. journeys of a much more pendular nature, means of transport used by the different It can therefore be deduced that there is basically between their place of residence groups also reveal the existence of various a high proportion of the population that, and place of work. patterns. In broad terms, age is the despite having a driving license, have no factor that most conditions the type of vehicle of their own. On days off, however, when more time means. On the one hand, it is observed is available to undertake leisure activities, that children and elderly people tend to Consequently, there are many persons there is a prevalence for journeys move using non-motorised transport, who either because of having no driving undertaken by men, independent of their with a quota of journeys made on foot licence or no vehicle of their own on a age. Divergences minimise in the group ranging from 65% to 71% of the total. daily basis, cannot use or gain access between 16 and 29, ages at which there is Young people and adults, conversely, to different destinations in the area, a less marked dualisation as regards taking make the majority of their journeys on especially those areas insufficiently responsibility for tasks involving the family, motor transport, although particularly catered for via public transport services whereas these increase as age increases, significant gender differences are and infrastructures. This situation, which reaching a maximum for persons over the observed for persons of greater age, has a greater effect on groups composed age of 65. when differences between men and of younger people, elderly people, women for journeys using this form of women and unemployed persons or those In addition to the influence of variables like transport are accentuated. Thus, where with lower purchasing power, among age and sex, changes are also evident in men from 16 to 64 and women from 16 to others, contributes to a worsening of the people’s mobility pattern in accordance 29 use motorised means in over 65% of disparities existing between the different with their social and occupational situation. occasions, women from 30 to 64 use them social segments. During the week, the population segment on only 51% of occasions. that undertakes a greater number of journeys is that of active people without a Women, in addition to older persons, 3. Conclusion job, with an average of 3.76 journeys per usually make a more daily use of public person, due to the fact that they usually transport, and worthy of particular note is The data emerging from the Survey of have more time available than people in the fact that the group of women over 65, Daily Mobility 2006 indicate that in the jobs and a better state of health than the which is the only group that uses public Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona there majority of pensioners and elderly people. transport more often than private vehicles, are over 4.3 million persons who make Next come groups of students, active records 69% for motorised journeys. This journeys on working days and almost persons in jobs and those involved in non- is a value that is markedly above its male 3.7 million persons who are mobile on paid domestic work, with an average of equivalent, the percentage for which only their days off, an average of 3.6 and 3.5 and 3.6 journeys, respectively. Retired comes to 45%. The other main users of 3.0 journeys per person, respectively. persons and pensioners are the two public transport are women from 16 to 29, groups with least mobility, which works with a figure of 49% of the total motorised Over 90% of these journeys have out at 2.79 and 2.58 journeys per person figure. This is due to the fact that women, their origin and destination within the in each case. On working days there are particularly in these age brackets, have a metropolitan region itself, although on no great differences in the order occupied vehicle of their own to a lesser degree than days off a certain increase is recorded by the different groupings in the mobility their male counterparts. for connecting journeys, leading to an hierarchy; it can be seen, however, that extension of the functional metropolitan active people in jobs make most journeys The model division for journeys is also region. This is a pattern that repeats itself on non-working days, whereas non- linked to social and occupational standing. on the local and district levels, showing the occupied persons display lower mobility Thus, it can be seen that the main users existence of a metropolitan conglomerate patterns, conditioned by the lower of motor vehicles are persons in jobs, for made up of territorial units with a purchasing power of this latter group. whom 72% of journeys are made using significant functional self-supply factor that private transport; remaining groups, on is articulated, at the same time, for the The purpose behind the journey also the other hand, undertake journeys mainly whole of Barcelona. In this sense, worthy changes according to the social group via non-motorised means, especially in of special emphasis are the links between
166 / Papers 48 / the different metropolitan population a driving license and, especially, the good series running from 1981 (the first centres and the city of Barcelona, which availability of a private vehicle, a situation time the question about the workplace or are well above those recorded for other in which only one half of the population place of study was introduced in Catalonia) localities. in the Regió Metropolitana de Barcelona to 2001, mobility analysis has been reduced finds itself. Therefore, the mobility to only a part of all journeys, and not even As regards the modal distribution, over model is shaped not only in accordance the largest part, as will be seen later. 45% of mobility in the metropolitan region with territorial features and the existing is satisfied via non-motorised means; the availability of transport services and The extension of the Survey of Daily remainder, involving motorised means is infrastructure, but also from the personal Mobility 2006 to the whole of Catalonia shared out between the 34% of journeys characteristics of each individual and social makes it possible, for the first time for the made on public transport and the 66% group. Comarques Gironines, to have a very large made in private vehicles. However, the sample which, as well as updating the analysis of modal behaviour patterns information, extends the field of analysis for journeys in the Barcelona region 1 This figure takes into account all the journeys and gives important details of the type of recorded for the Regió Metropolitana de reveals different mobility models, which movement going on, how and where it is Barcelona, whether undertaken by residents or denote the marked territorial imbalances non-residents in the area. With the exception happening and the characteristics of the in the public transport network and of those cases that do not state the contrary, population making it. The lack of the availability of services on a regular the article throughout makes no analysis of comparable information reduces the basis. Thus, the consequences of an the journeys undertaken by the non-resident analysis to an initial description of the infrastructure system mainly designed population of the metropolitan area, because starting situation, in the hope that future of the fact that this represents an insignificant to serve the central city, with a basically percentage of the total number of movements editions of the Survey of Daily Mobility will radial projection and few connections of a recorded for the area —around 1.1% of the whole. also consider the Comarques Gironines and transversal character, can be seen. 2 The population data correspond to 2006; the that it may have more elements of study data for business activity corrrespond to 2002 making it possible to mark developments Despite this, consideration must be given and refer to the sum total of business entities within the same region and compare according to their legal status: natural persons, to the differences between mobility on public limited companies, limited liability them with other regions. working days and on days off, particularly companies, co-ownership companies, co- as regards the activities undertaken. In operatives and others: Source: IDESCAT [on-line]. A first extrapolation from the sample for this sense, if 47% of journeys made on
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