Prof. Louafi Bouzouina (p)

Despite its well-documented benefits, cycling accounts for only 5% of home-to-work journeys of less than 5 km in France. Toward sustainable transportation, the French government is embarking on a national target of 12% modal share by 2030. However, the limited knowledge of the quantitative impact of additional bicycle infrastructure on bicycle commuting and heterogeneity in municipalities makes it difficult to achieve an equitable nationwide distribution of bicycle infrastructure. To fill these
gaps, this study investigates the impact of additional cycle lanes and public parking spaces on bicycle commuting in mainland France. Census data with 6.7 million observations are enriched with spatial information to build four clustered standard error logit models with municipality correlated randomeffects.
The results show that a one-unit increase in the rate of cycle lanes increases bicycle commuting by approximately 21% and 15% in the municipality of residence and work, respectively. A one-unit
increase in public parking space increases bicycle commuting by 5% and 1% in the municipality of residence and work, respectively. From a policy perspective, there are several conclusions: (1) there
is potential for cycling in high-density areas given additional cycle lanes and parking spaces in the municipality of work; (2) medium and low-density areas would require more infrastructure in the
municipality of residence; (3) reaching the national target would require jointly increasing the supply of cycle lanes and parking spaces by twofold. If treated as mutually exclusive, the target is achievable by increasing the length of the cycle lane 2.3 times or the parking spaces 17 times. These findings provide a strong policy basis for additional national bicycle infrastructure according to population density and cycling patterns.

Nolwenn Chapellon (p), Nicolas Ovtracht, Louafi Bouzouina

Transport is the world’s largest source of CO₂ emissions. In France, the transportation sector accounts for about one-third of CO2 emissions, 53% of which are attributable to passenger cars (Format Secten, Citepa, 2022). The car remains the dominant mode of transport for everyday journeys in general, and for commuting in particular. It accounts for 69% of commutes, compared with 15% for public transportation (INSEE, RP 2022). In response to climate challenges and other negative externalities, public policies are focused on expanding public transportation to reduce this dependence on cars, particularly by improving its accessibility and service coverage.
While the literature has extensively documented the determinants of public transportation use, most of this research has been conducted at the urban level. By utilizing INSEE’s housing database at the national and IRIS levels, this paper aims to measure the combined effect of socioeconomic and spatial factors on public transit use in France. Particular attention is paid to accessibility and service coverage, distinguishing between different levels of service (subway, tram, BRT, and types of stations).Several models were successively applied: a logistic regression, two multilevel models, and then a within-between model.
Preliminary results show that the biggest barrier to public transit use is owning one or more vehicles, particularly in rural areas. Conversely, the presence of a subway system reduces car dependence, with a particularly marked benefit for those with lower levels of education. Furthermore, when other factors are held constant, women and those with higher levels of education are significantly more likely to use public transportation. However, this trend among women diminishes as population density decreases, particularly in rural areas. The distance of the commute plays also a decisive role: the longer
the commute (involving a change of municipality, department, or region), the greater the likelihood of using public transportation.
Accessibility plays an important role in the use of public transport for work-related journeys, with varying effects depending on the different types of railway stations and transport stops:
- High-traffic, unconnected suburban stations: these stations are most effective for travel within the department and, even more notably, for intra-regional trips.
- Urban regional stations connected to a major network: These stations are highly effective for medium-distance travel within the department and for intraregional trips. However, they are less effective for very long-distance interregional trips.
- Small local stops: These are effective only for short-distance trips within the department.
The results highlight the need to improve access to public transport, including at stations serving inter-departmental and inter-regional connections where the train is a strong competitor to the car. The regional metropolitan transport service (SERM) projects in France are fully in line with this approach.

Dr. Wojciech Kisiała (p), Prof. Robert Kudłak, Dr. Bartosz Stępiński

The systemic transformation in Poland and other post-socialist CEE countries involved not only political and economic changes but also profound transformations of urban space. The abandonment of central planning and the emergence of market-driven forces fundamentally altered this pattern. In this context, Polish households began relocating from city centres to newly developed residential areas in the suburbs. This process was largely chaotic and poorly regulated and was not accompanied by the expansion of public transport or the provision of essential services. As a consequence, suburban residents became highly dependent on individual mobility, which was reflected in increasing levels of car ownership. While car ownership rates in suburbs and cities were very similar two decades ago, suburban levels are now substantially higher than those in large cities and comparable to those observed in rural areas. The aim of this study is to verify the determinants of high car ownership in the suburbs of Polish cities and to compare these determinants with the factors driving car ownership in urban and rural areas. Using econometric modelling and data on more than 13.5 million registered cars across nearly 2,000 spatial units, we empirically examine the effects of income, population density, household size, public transport policy, workrelated commuting and time accessibility to service facilities. The results indicate that, despite their spatial proximity to and functional integration with core urban areas, suburban areas in Poland resemble rural areas more closely than urban areas in terms of mobility patterns and car ownership.

Dr. Marta Szejnfeld (p), Dr. Kamila Sikorska-Podyma (p), MSc Matylda Rakowicz, Prof. Lidia Mierzejewska

This paper presents the findings of a survey study examining walking as a lived spatial experience, with particular attention to pedestrian accessibility and everyday mobility practices. The study was conducted as part of a broader project aimed at developing accessibility standards, including standards for pedestrian infrastructure. The survey results constitute an integral component of the standard-setting process, providing empirical evidence to inform the formulation of pedestrian accessibility guidelines.
The research is grounded in the assumption that walking is not merely a mode of transport, but a fundamental dimension of spatial experience shaping perceptions of safety, comfort, orientation, autonomy, and social inclusion. From the perspective of regional development and spatial planning, pedestrian accessibility plays a crucial role in fostering inclusive and resilient environments, influencing both the functional performance and the social quality of space.
The survey gathered responses from a diverse group of users, enabling the identification of perceived infrastructural, organisational, and informational barriers, as well as subjective assessments of the quality, continuity, and legibility of pedestrian routes. Particular attention is given to the relationship between spatial design and perceived accessibility, highlighting how everyday walking practices reveal structural conditions and inequalities embedded in the built environment.
The presentation discusses the most frequently reported challenges and recurring patterns in the evaluation of pedestrian spaces, drawing conclusions relevant to the development of pedestrian accessibility standards and to broader debates on inclusive design and user-oriented regional development.

Mr Wensen Luo (p), Dr. Qian Shi, Dr. Chao Xiao

While extreme heatwaves may be experienced as a temporary inconvenience by some, they constitute a life-threatening crisis for vulnerable populations, particularly older adults and individuals with chronic illnesses. When dwellings lack adequate cooling or households are constrained by energy poverty, public heat shelters become essential lifelines for survival. As heatwaves increase in both frequency and intensity, cities have expanded heat relief networks to mitigate heat exposure and safeguard at-risk citizens. Yet the question of whether these facilities are equitably accessible remains insufficiently examined. In practice, heat relief networks often evolve as an ad-hoc patchwork rather than through strategic, proximity-based planning. This pattern raises urgent environmental justice concerns, particularly regarding whether life-saving resources effectively reach those who need them most. To address this gap, this research introduces a robust analytical framework to evaluate the accessibility equity of heat shelters. The methodology adopts a building-level accessibility measure to enable a more precise assessment, moving beyond traditional planning approaches based on coarse census-tract representations. The findings expose significant spatial mismatches within the study area, demonstrating that vulnerable populations continue to be disproportionately underserved. This study provides a policy-relevant toolkit to assist cities in optimizing facility siting and designing adaptive emergency strategies. In doing so, it advocates for a shift toward proactive, justice-centered climate adaptation capable of protecting those most at risk from intensifying environmental hazards.