The role of car ownership in attitudes towards public transport: A comparative study of Guangzhou and Brisbane

Car ownership has often been linked to a strong commitment to car use and a tendency to undervalue alternative transport modes, thereby potentially biasing people away from using more environmentally friendly transport modes such as public transport. Although a considerable body of research has shed light on the attitudinal dimensions of car ownership and usage, few have investigated the potential influence of car ownership on attitudes towards alternative transport modes from an international comparative perspective. Across cities with distinct mobility cultures and economic backgrounds, car ownership may have differentiated influences on how people view various transport modes, yet little research exists in this area. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by investigating the relationship between car ownership and attitudes towards public transport in two vastly different metropolises, Guangzhou, China and Brisbane, Australia, while taking account of environmental concerns, past behaviour and socio-demographic characteristics. Drawing on two survey data sets, we derived measurements that directly compare the perceived difference between bus transit and cars, and constructed latent attitudinal variables based on loose-matching and strict-matching criteria to enable a more robust test of hypotheses. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), our analysis shows that car ownership appeared to contribute significantly to the perceived disparity between public transport services and car use in Guangzhou, but less so in Brisbane. Furthermore, environmental concerns were found to have a stronger influence on transport-mode attitudes in Brisbane. Recommendations are developed to inform local policies to promote more sustainable urban transportation. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.