By 2020 The Netherlands will face the situation of a shrinking and older population. These demographic developments have, in combination with other trends (e.g. economic, technological, health), an impact on activity patterns of older people, their travel behaviour and the future configuration of the transport system. The effects of demographic changes in population size and composition are relatively easy to estimate. Changes in behaviour (such as activities and travel behaviour), however, are much more difficult to estimate. The activity patterns and travel behaviour of the elderly of today may also be different from the elderly of the future. Now and in the future, however, there are specific changes in older persons lives (i.e. transition points) that significantly affect their opportunities, behaviour, everyday practice and thus everyday mobility. This report addresses an in-depth study of the impact of two transitions points (i.e. transition to retirement and to a one-person household) on older persons activity patterns and travel behaviour. As the group of older persons is heterogeneous significant regional, gender and age differences can be expected. In June 2009, 32 in-depth interviews have been carried out. The respondents have been recruited from the questionnaire-study carried out in 2008 in The Netherlands. The form of the interviews was semi-structured. The interviewer had an outline of topics or issues to be covered but was free to vary the wording, content and order of the questions to some extent. This study found that especially the effects of the transition to a one-person household on daily activities and travel behaviour were experienced differently by men and women. While men walk and cycle less for recreation and keep using the car, women have to (re)learn how to drive and use public transport more often after their partners die. Changes in daily activities and travel behaviour patterns seem smaller for the transition to retirement. Most respondents reported that their retirement only resulted in them not travelling to work (and work-related destinations) anymore. Besides that, they continued using the same transport modes and visiting the same destinations as before their retirement. In general, after the transition to retirement, respondents walk and cycle more for transportation as well as for recreation due to more spare time. The results of this in-depth study will form the basis for development of different scenarios that take into account the demographic changes (i.e. ageing, changes in composition, and changes in population size) and the effects of specific transition points in older persons’ lives, namely retirement and becoming a widow(er). The outcomes of these scenarios will provide the basis for recommendations for politicians on how to achieve sustainable improvement in mobility for elderly people. (Author/publisher)
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