Discrete panel data are used to model the seasonal mobility within Atticaduring the summer holiday period. The study area covers 79 municipalitiesin the Greater Athens Area (GAA: 94% of Attica population) and 38 in the Rest of Attica Region (RAR: 6% of the population). Wave 1 covered the typical (spring) and wave 2 the summer period (July-August). In wave 2, a subsample of wave 1 households was re-interviewed. The same questionnaire (with small modifications for the household and person data parts) has been used over both periods. The trip diary recorded weekday trips only. In such a controlled experiment design, person-specific characteristics remain essentially the same, and the temporal variation refers to certain household and travel characteristics. The sampling rate amount to 2% of the Attica population in the typical period (27696 households), large enough to get reliable population estimates. Regarding the households that participated inwave 1, the response rate in wave 2 amounted to 68%. Ultimately 74% of the total summer sample (8002 households) had participated in both waves. The summer population reduces in GAA by 16% and increases in RAR by 58%. In the hot summer period though, numerous households migrate as a whole or asa part to a summerhouse in the RAR. Indeed, almost 150000 persons are seasonally living during the weekdays at a summer house in RAR. From wave 1 it is found that almost 10% of the households owns a summerhouse in RAR. However, linking information of both waves, only one third of such residences are occupied during the summer weekdays. Referring to travel characteristics, the summer trip rate in GAA remains virtually stable, while in RAR it increases by 5% compared with the typical period figures respectively. Due to the extended trip length, the seasonal mobility level increases as awhole. The above mentioned figures supported the planning of the 2004 summer Olympics, especially exploiting wave 2 information. Section 4 targets the population living in GAA and owning a second home in RAR. The discretionary decision to relocate during summer weekdays is modeled with logit structures. The level of car availability exerted a positive influence, the number of breadwinners and their current employment status had a negative impact, as well as life-cycle attributes such as the number of pre-school children affecting the decision in a positive way. Trip-related variables exerting a negative influence refer to the differential commuting travel time of working household members. Planned highway and rail connectors to Messogia (Rafina, Lavrio) in the East and Salamis in the West will certainly intensify the summer season mobility in this respect. For the covering abstract see ITRD E145999
Abstract