To put an end to car dependence - Final report of the scoping review of the literature on the modal shift from the car to alternative modes 2010-2020

Abstract

This research answers the following question: what are the main modal shift strategies discussed in the literature of the last 10 years? It also undertakes to analyze the impacts of each of the strategies present in the literature. It presents a scoping review of the literature aiming to draw an up-to-date portrait of the abundant literature on modal shift in order to synthesize it and present it in an organized manner and draw conclusions for future research and transport and development policies aimed at reducing automobile dependence and inducing a modal shift from the automobile to alternative modes of transport. We reviewed 2,872 studies published between 2010 and 2020 and retained 108 that we analyzed in detail. More than two thirds of studies report positive results of modal shift from the car towards alternative mobility. This leads us to believe that it is possible to implement public policies to facilitate modal shift and thus help reduce car dependence. A large majority of research on public transport reports positive examples. However, for studies on active transportation, we note that almost all of the research (92%) reports successes. By paying attention to the degree of coercion of the interventions investigated in the literature, we see that the “carrot” measures which seek to induce the modal shift by offering a benefit are more successful than the “stick” type measures which aim to restrict certain choices (pricing, tolls, reduction of parking spaces). However, research on the “carrot and stick” combination approach reports the most positive results. This leads us to conclude that research on this type of intervention should continue to be developed, even encouraged, and to suggest that public decision-makers take into account the beneficial effects for modal shift resulting from the combination of the two types of interventions simultaneously “carrot and stick”