Mobility constraints of residents in marginal rural areas of megacities: Evidence from Beijing, China

Abstract

The mobility of rural residents in urban fringe to permit them to access public services is an important issue in promoting urban–rural equity and contributing to sustainable development. However, marginal rural residents of fast-developing megacities, often trapped in neglected mobility disadvantages, remain conspicuously absent from mobility research and policies. This paper addresses this gap by exploring their mobility features and determinants using first-hand survey data from 40 marginal villages in Beijing. The results show that the rural-to-urban mobility of these residents is unexpectedly lower than their counterparts in more remote rural areas of China. Villagers' travel destinations are mostly confined to neighbouring villages and townships, especially for shopping and recreation. They do not have good access to public services in the city centre. Transport availability, service accessibility and household income are the most influential factors undermining the mobility of rural residents. Some institutional factors within megacities, such as restrictions on car purchase and electric vehicle usage, population and industrial dispersion, and village-level service facilities withdrawal, may exacerbate mobility challenges for those residing in marginal rural areas. These insights underscore the imperative for more policy attention on differentiated land use, transport and industrial policies in marginal rural areas to sustain inclusive transport development of megacity regions.