Density or accessibility? A study of population density, accessibility and travel behaviour

Densification in central areas is an important measure in the development of sustainable cities. However, high density often leads to poorer lighting conditions in homes, more noise and lower residential stability. It may therefore be interesting to take a closer look at the importance of density for transport and whether there are other factors that can also contribute to environmentally friendly travel habits. We have found that the share of public transport is higher than the car share only in the 20 percent neighborhoods with the most dense population (in Viken and Oslo) We also find that the competitiveness of public transport is highly correlated with the choice of public transport over car on daily trips. This indicates that it could be beneficial to investigate further how improved public transport accessibility can contribute to lower car use, without the need for densification.