CROATIAN URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN 2020: SUSTAINABLE URBAN MOBILITY SURVEY

Abstract

Faced with a variety of challenges generated by growing urbanization, cities
worldwide aim at redesigning their transportation systems and making them more
efficient, better integrated and sustainable. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the
current state of Croatian urban transportation systems in such a context. The survey
of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Project 2.0 by the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development was implemented in capturing the perspective of the local
population (N=2484). Transportation systems’ users are key stakeholders in achieving
urban transportation system sustainability. Their behaviour provides useful input for
city planners, transportation service providers and destination management. The
mobility patterns, behaviour and attitudes of urban residents are therefore used as
indicators of the functioning, accessibility, multimodality and integration of urban
transportation systems. Regardless of the fact that most respondents commute daily,
the majority of respondents do not feel restricted by the available urban mobility
options. Reliance on cars in everyday travel is not surprising, and this option is
followed by a substantial share of respondents using public transportation (PT) and
walking. Other alternative options are only partially utilized (bike sharing, car sharing
and combinations of modes are not considered a viable option for most) and only a
small proportion of respondents display intermodal habits. Practical and social
implications based on research findings also take research limitations (foremost the
convenience sample) into consideration. Further research should build on this research
and emphasize urban transportation options in the context of urban tourism.
Key words: urban transportation systems, urban mobility, mobility patterns, Croatian
urban mobility systems