Regular Car Commuters Employed in Central Brighton and Hove, 2004-2005

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>Despite the increasingly urgent need to reduce car use through psychological and behavioural strategies, to date there have been few in-depth analyses of car use motives based on drivers' experiences. This research sought to explore the multiple reasons drivers have for preferring car use to public transport and the relationship between utility and affective motives. The study adds to existing literature by documenting misconceptions regarding journey times and control in relation to car and public transport use, systematic under-estimation of car-related monetary costs, and the importance of self- and identity-relevant consequences in policy acceptance.<br> <br> The research was conducted by means of grounded theory analysis, performed using semi-structured interviews conducted with 19 regular private car commuters living in the Brighton and Hove area. The sample was drawn from employees of four major organisations with offices in Brighton city centre: a life assurance organisation, a college of further education, a utility company, and a banking corporation. All four destinations are served by frequent bus or train services. No respondents had a physical condition requiring car use, and none would have a timetabled journey of longer than one hour by public transport between their places of residence and employment. Thus, all interviewees had access to public transport alternatives for commuting purposes.<br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>Interviews typically lasted 30 to 45 minutes, and covered a set range of topics: monetary costs of driving; driving experiences; driving in Brighton and Hove; motives for car purchase; public transport experiences; and attitudes towards a range of existing, proposed or hypothetical transport demand management initiatives.<br>