Changes in Urban Transport Behaviour and Preferences of Residents in Employment: Gdynia Case

Urban transport policies are currently determined by sustainable mobility. The selection and application of appropriate tools, which takes into account transport behaviour and preferences of residents, as well as the analysis of their willingness to change those, are necessary in order to achieve the goals of sustainable mobility. The identification of these determinants and trends requires research to be carried out among the entire cross-section of residents, as well as on particular groups of consumers targeted by the services offered. Working people constitute one of the basic segments of consumers, regardless of the way in which urban trips are completed. The article presents an analysis of changes in transport preferences and behaviour of the aforementioned group of employed consumers resident in Gdynia. It compares results of comprehensive research into transport behaviour and preferences carried out in 2008 and 2015 and shows to what extent over a 7-year period those preferences and behaviour of people in employment changed compared to the entire cross-section of residents between 15 and 75 years of age. During this period an increase in the number of cars per household (from 64% to 72%) as well as an increase in their share in urban trips (from 47% to 58%) was noted. It also evaluates the effectiveness of measures applied in order to achieve more sustainable transport.