ABSTRACT
Neighbourhoods are advocated in UK planning policy in order to foster social capital, combat obesity and reduce transport greenhouse emissions. Yet travel behaviour trends, and the continuing decline of local facilities, are working in the opposite direction. This chapter examines the pattern of access to local facilities, and the factors which influence it, reporting on the results of a household survey in suburban and exurban localities in four English cities. The focus is particularly on modal choice, comparing the behaviour of different social groups in different situations. The findings point to the danger of assuming all communities and places are alike. Attitudes stated by respondents are a poor predictor of behaviour, but cultural attitudes of whole communities are important. Implications for planning policy are drawn out.
