The impact of geographical context on Bikeability perception: A gender-difference analysis

Bikeability, defined as the perceived quality of a bike trip, is gaining increasing attention due to the growing focus on active mobility in sustainable urban mobility plans. The higher the bikeability, the more attractive cycling becomes for short- to medium-distance urban travels. However, this relationship may depend on user profiles, trip characteristics, and the geographical context. This study explores these factors from a gender perspective (men and women) with a focus on context: large, medium and small cities; urban, extra-urban, or dedicated bike paths. To this aim, revealed preference data from the Lombardy Region (sample size: 745, observations: 1017) were analysed using Hybrid Choice Models. The results indicate that bikeability is influenced by four latent constructs, namely the perception of ‘Conflict with Other Vehicles’, ‘Quality of Urban Space’, ‘Quality of Bike Path’, and ‘Physical and Mental Fatigue’, alongside variables such as ‘Presence of Other Cyclists’ and ‘Ambient Temperature’. Gender differences emerge in evaluating these constructs. For instance, women cycling in highly populated cities perceive a higher level of conflict with other vehicles compared to both men and women cycling in less populated areas. The findings provide insights for tailored policies that take gender differences and geographical contexts into account to enhance overall bikeability levels.