Will citizen participatory transport policies affect people to use cars less? Empirical evidence from car-free day project in South Korea

Many cities worldwide are beginning to focus on the Car-Free Policy to increase urban spaces and create sustainable cities considering the public demand for open space. However, existing studies suggest that the car-free day’s operating factors and guidelines focus solely on quantitative data of effectiveness. However, existing studies suggest that the car-free day’s operating factor and guidelines only bring quantitative data of effectiveness to a halt. Therefore, the analysis of the user perception and behavioral change according to the car-free day operation, and the impact of each factor of the event is insufficient. This study analyzes the user perceptions and behavioral changes according to 10 car-free days in Suwon. Using the data collected from the research, we propose improvement strategies by verifying behavioral changes with user perception. We divide 24 measured variables into six categories: types of event, event operation, infrastructure, change in perception, mobility patterns, and visiting hours. Further, this research sets three premises for the proposal, followed by nine hypotheses to determine the further study of the relationship between customer satisfaction, user perception, and behavioral changes according to the car-free day operation. Using structural equation models and examining path analysis, the user perception is mainly influenced by user satisfaction, satisfaction with transportation and infrastructure, and behavioral change is mainly influenced by factors such as visiting hours and changes in perception. This research identified the detailed factors influencing user perception and behavioral change according to a car-free day operation and aims to contribute to the establishment of activating car-free streets. Moreover, the car-free days in Suwon city increased, and by including cohort research methods, further research can be conducted to determine whether car-free days actually cause behavioral changes and whether user perception is improved every year.