"A car as a luxury good or a necessity? Actual and perceived car dependence: a case study in Ghent (Belgium)."
Car dependence of individuals may be composed of two elements: the absolute need for a car, and the perception of reliance on a car. As Farrington et al. (1998) argued, in the case of structural car dependence there is absolutely no reasonable alternative for the car available. In the case of conscious dependence, alternative transport modes are present but are not actively considered (Farrington et al., 1998). Lucas (2009) labelled this distinction as perceived versus actual car dependence. By means of focus group research, I aim to disentangle the thin line between the two. I use the city of Ghent as a case study, as in recent years the city implemented car restrictive measurements and invested strongly in bicycle infrastructure. I discuss how car drivers differentiate between essential and convenient car trips, for which destinations they consider alternative modes feasible, and what arguments they develop to legitimate excessive car use. In the suggestions for mobility and urban planning policy, I pay specific attention to equity concerns. What policy measures are more suited to tackle excessive car use and how can we reduce the number of captive car users?
in person: room F4.66 | Brussels Humanities, Sciences, & Engineering Campus, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels
or online: via the TEAMS link
Eva Van Eenoo holds a master degree in History (Ghent University, 2003) and a master degree in Urbanism & Spatial Planning (Ghent University, 2018). Currently she is a PhD-student at Cosmopolis. Before joining the VUB Eva worked as a bicycle advocate at the Fietsersbond (cycling association in Flanders and Brussels). Her master thesis focused on tracing opportunities for Bicycle Oriented Development.
At Cosmopolis Eva is conducting research on car dependency in the urban fringe. She is interested in how to define car dependency and how it can be measured, and if there is a discrepancy between perceived car dependency by inhabitants of the urban fringe and the actual car dependence.