Polycentric spatial structure and travel mode choice: the case of Shenzhen, China

Many Chinese cities are becoming more polycentric during the last decade of rapid urban expansion. In this study, we attempt to explore the relationship between travel behaviour and polycentric built environment for both work and non-work trips by multiple multinomial logit mode choice models for work and non-work travel. The choice set is comprised of: driving a private car, taking the bus and taking the subway. The empirical analysis in this paper is based on the 2005 Shenzhen Personal Travel Survey. The model specifications tested a set of variables describing trip mode attributes, household socio-demographics, and polycentric centre types such as regional centres, district centres, district subcentres and suburbs. The results indicate that urban form is an important factor in affecting mode choice: people living or working in a regional city centre are more likely to take public transportation, compared to those living in subcentres and suburbs. The results also imply that people perceive a higher influence of built environment on mode choice for work trips than non-work trips. These research findings support the contention that different types of urban centres can meaningfully influence how residents travel, even after controlling for socio-economic characteristics.