This study investigates problem awareness, possible behaviour change, and the evaluation of policy measures for reducing car use. The research method consists of in-depth interviews with 539 car owners. They were selected as living within 7 kilometres, between 7 and 15 kilometers, and further than 15 kilometres away from the centres of Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Groningen. These three Dutch cities have rather different mobility profiles. Within each geographic condition, respondents received systematically different kinds of prior problem information in a brochure. On average, respondents appear to perceive car use as `a problem'. However, most people are not willing to reduce their car use. their car use. Respondents evaluate current Dutch policy measures as rather ineffective, but acceptable. Data analysis reveals a significant regional variation in problem awareness. This is related both to regional differences in people's willingness to change and to their policy evaluation, as hypothesized. However, there were no differences between respondents who did or did not receive prior problem information. Women have a higher problem awareness, and evaluate policy measures less favourably than men. The older the respondents and the lower their educational level, the lower their problem awareness and the less favourably they evaluate policy measures.
Abstract