Traffic congestion and economic context: changes of spatiotemporal patterns of traffic travel times during crisis and post-crisis periods.

This paper aims to evaluate the impacts of the economic context on traffic congestion and its consequential effects on private vehicle accessibility. We conduct a long-term analysis of spatiotemporal traffic congestion patterns in Madrid (Spain), comparing two urban realms: the 2008 economic crisis and the following post-crisis situation. We apply TomTom Speed Profiles data to assess daily variations in traffic congestion and their changes between both periods, and Twitter data to capture spatial patterns of the daily pulse of the city. Increased traffic, a by-product of economic recovery, resulted in higher congestion, particularly during peak hours. Nevertheless, these changes are spatially uneven. In the city core, an increase in congestion is relatively temporally homogeneous, while in the peripheral suburban zones, there has been only a marginal increase in travel times. On the other hand, in the urban outskirts, increased traffic congestion is more severe but visibly different between north and south. These differences have strong social connotations: over 40% of the population experienced a dramatic increase in travel times (more than 25%) during peak hours. Moreover, low-income groups are more likely to live in the more affected southern districts, suffering most the negative consequences of increased congestion.

The city turned off: Urban dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic based on mobile phone data.

Due to the rapid expansion of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries ordained lockdowns, establishing different restrictions on people's mobility. Exploring to what extent these measures have been effective is critical in order to better respond to similar future scenarios. This article uses anonymous mobile phone data to study the impact of the Spanish lockdown on the daily dynamics of the Madrid metropolitan area (Spain). The analysis has been carried out for a reference week prior to the lockdown and during several weeks of the lockdown in which different restrictions were in place. During these weeks, population distribution is compared during the day and at night and presence profiles are obtained throughout the day for each type of land use. In addition, a spatial multiple regression analysis is carried out to determine the impact of the different land uses on the local population. The results in the reference week, pre-COVID-19, show how the population in activity areas increases in each time slot on a specific day and how in residential areas it decreases. However, during the lockdown, activity areas cease to attract population during the day and the residential areas therefore no longer show a decrease. Only basic essential commercial activities, or others that require the presence of workers (industrial or logistics) maintain some activity during lockdown.

Acceptability of sustainable mobility policies under a post-COVID-19 scenario. Evidence from Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly modified the lifestyle of a large portion of the population around the world. This pandemic is also the first one in decades that has severely impacted many countries of the Global North. Governments have had to adopt wide-scope and desperate measures to face the abnormal situation and to reduce the stress of their health care systems. These measures have been based on reducing the physical-social interaction and mobility (closing schools and some economic activities, or fostering telework, among others), increasing the physical distance between people, and recommending washing hands frequently and wearing masks. Thus, the COVID-19 may change many habits of people and the ways we interact with others after the current pandemic. It would also imply changes in mobility habits. Many questions arise about the willingness and acceptability of changes, and who would have to impulse them and how. This paper aims to study and understand individuals' acceptability towards a set of generic measures related to urban mobility in Spain, one of the countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, we conducted an online survey during the lockdown in Spring (2020). More than 75% of respondents would accept restrictions on car use after the return to normal, and more than 90% agree on increasing the space for pedestrians and cyclists on streets. Furthermore, 75% of respondents would change the primary transport mode towards a more sustainable transport mode if it would decrease the incidence or severity of the COVID-19. These results show that the respondents are overall in favor of a new urban hierarchy that gives more importance to the most sustainable modes, reducing the public space devoted to the car, which means the possibility of turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity to make Spanish cities more sustainable.

Post-COVID-19 travel behaviour patterns: impact on the willingness to pay of users of public transport and shared mobility services in Spain.

Background: The COVID-19 crisis has meant a significant change in the lifestyle of millions of people worldwide. With a lockdown that lasted almost three months and an impulse to new normality, transport demand has suffered a considerable impact in the Spanish case. It is mandatory to explore the effect of the pandemic on changes in travel behaviour in post-COVID-19 times. Methodology: A nationwide survey was carried out during the lockdown in Spring 2020 to overview the recent changes. The survey collected both stated preferences (socio-demographic characteristics and mobility-related attributes), and revealed preferences (individuals' habits, especially in the frequency of the trips according to the trip purpose, and opinions regarding the willingness and acceptability of these changes, and which actors would have to drive them, and how) of individuals. This paper aims to study and understand the willingness to adopt a set of measures to improve the safety conditions of public transport and shared mobility services against possible contagion from COVID-19 and the willingness to pay for them. Results: The results obtained show that some measures, such as the increase of supply and vehicle disinfection, result in a greater willingness to use public transport in post-COVID-19 times. Similarly, the provision of covers for handlebars and steering wheels also significantly increases individuals' willingness to use sharing services. However, respondents expect that these measures and improvements would be implemented but maintaining the same pre-COVID-19 prices. The results of this research might help operators deploy strategies to adopt their services and retain users.