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Distance between Home and Work: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual Workers, Neighbourhoods, and Employment Sites in Northern Ireland

Author

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  • Ian Shuttleworth

    (School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland)

  • Myles Gould

    (School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, England)

Abstract

We explore the distances between home and work for employees at twenty-eight different employment sites across Northern Ireland. Substantively, this is important for better understanding the geography of labour catchments. Methodologically, with data on the distances between place of residence (566 wards) and place of work for some 15 000 workers, and the use of multilevel modelling (MLM), the analysis adds to the evidence derived from other census-based and survey-based studies. Descriptive analysis is supplemented with MLM that simultaneously explores individual, neighbourhood, and site variations in travel-to-work patterns using hierarchical and cross-classified model specifications, including individual and ecological predictor variables (and their cross-level interactions). In doing so we apportion variability to different levels and spatial contexts, and also outline the factors that shape spatial mobility. We find, as expected, that factors such as gender and occupation influence the distance between home and work, and also confirm the importance of neighbourhood characteristics (such as population density observed in ecological analyses at ward level) in shaping individual outcomes, with major differences found between urban and rural locations. Beyond this, the analysis of variability also points to the relative significance of residential location, with less individual variability in travel-to-work distance between workers within wards than within employment sites. We conclude by suggesting that, whilst some general ‘rules’ about the factors that shape labour catchments are possible (eg workers in rural areas and in higher occupations travel further than others), the complex variability between places highlighted by the MLM analysis illustrates the salience of place-specific uniqueness.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Shuttleworth & Myles Gould, 2010. "Distance between Home and Work: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual Workers, Neighbourhoods, and Employment Sites in Northern Ireland," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 42(5), pages 1221-1238, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:42:y:2010:i:5:p:1221-1238
    DOI: 10.1068/a41372
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chris Lloyd & Ian Shuttleworth, 2005. "Analysing Commuting Using Local Regression Techniques: Scale, Sensitivity, and Geographical Patterning," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(1), pages 81-103, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin A. Carree & Kristin Kronenberg, 2014. "Locational Choices and the Costs of Distance: Empirical Evidence for Dutch Graduates," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(4), pages 420-435, October.
    2. Elldér, Erik, 2014. "Residential location and daily travel distances: the influence of trip purpose," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 121-130.
    3. Andrew R. Watkins, 2016. "Commuting Flows and Labour Market Structure: Modelling Journey to Work Behaviour in an Urban Environment," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 612-630, December.

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