The effect of ease of travel on travel behaviour and perceived accessibility: A focus on travel to university campus

Ease of Travel (EoT), referring to people's travel skills and motivations, and available travel options and quality can influence how people travel and how easily they can reach out-of-home activities. In this study, we explore the new concept of EoT and analyse its underlying structures using a sample of 2,593 students and staff members of University College London (UK). Subsequently, the determinants of EoT elements are examined, while we also analyse how EoT affects travel to campus and the perceived accessibility of the campus. Results suggest that EoT is effectively composed of the four elements motivation, skills, options and quality. These EoT elements are mainly affected by the residential location, travel disabilities, and the proximity of public transport and shared (e-)bikes. Finally, we found that EoT significantly impacts travel mode choice, travel distance and duration when travelling to campus, while positively affecting the perceived accessibility of the campus. Improving EoT levels, and making it easier for people to travel around, can result in shorter and more active trips and can also increase accessibility to out-of-home activities (improving people's well-being). This could be realised by creating more compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods with easy access to public transport and shared (e-)bikes.