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Exploring Differences in Commuting Behaviour among Various Income Groups during Polycentric Urban Development in China: New Evidence and Its Implications

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  • Dong Lin

    (Urban and Regional Planning Discipline, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
    Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia)

  • Andrew Allan

    (Urban and Regional Planning Discipline, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia)

  • Jianqiang Cui

    (Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia)

Abstract

Income status is an important variable that is strongly associated with certain commuting behaviours of workers. This paper presents new evidence on how polycentric development impacts on workers’ commuting behaviour among various income groups in Beijing, China. This study suggests that three key influencing factors—the public transport network, the location of affordable housing projects and the process of employment decentralisation—have played significant roles in affecting workers’ commuting behaviour. The results of regression analysis indicate that subway and bus transport significantly and negatively influenced the commuting times of low- and middle-income workers, but the two transport modes did not have a significant influence on the commuting times of high-income workers. The findings from this research suggest that policies for promoting employment decentralisation during polycentric development have the potential to reduce workers’ commuting times through promoting jobs-housing balance in the sub-centres. The results of this study indicate that a balanced jobs-housing relationship can be achieved through adjustment of affordable housing locations, and this can be effective in shortening low-income workers’ commuting times in the sub-centres of Beijing.

Suggested Citation

  • Dong Lin & Andrew Allan & Jianqiang Cui, 2016. "Exploring Differences in Commuting Behaviour among Various Income Groups during Polycentric Urban Development in China: New Evidence and Its Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:11:p:1188-:d:83192
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    5. Islam, Md Rabiul & Saphores, Jean-Daniel M., 2022. "An L.A. story: The impact of housing costs on commuting," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Qi-Li Gao & Qing-Quan Li & Yan Zhuang & Yang Yue & Zhen-Zhen Liu & Shui-Quan Li & Daniel Sui, 2019. "Urban commuting dynamics in response to public transit upgrades: A big data approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Anzhelika Antipova, 2020. "Analysis of Commuting Distances of Low-Income Workers in Memphis Metropolitan Area, TN," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, February.
    8. Hu, Beibei & Zhang, Shuang & Ding, Yang & Zhang, Min & Dong, Xianlei & Sun, Huijun, 2021. "Research on the coupling degree of regional taxi demand and social development from the perspective of job–housing travels," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 564(C).
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