This study investigates public attitudes toward 30 km/h (20mph) speed limits in urban areas and their liveability dimensions. It specifically examines two key aspects: (i) the public acceptance of the policy; and (ii) perceived impacts on city-centre liveability. A two-stage integrated modelling framework was developed and adopted. First, latent attitudinal factors underlying public perceptions were extracted through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Second, these latent factors, alongside observed socio-demographic and travel characteristics, were incorporated into advanced random parameter models with heterogeneity in the means: an ordered probit model for policy acceptance, and a bivariate probit model for jointly analysing city-centre attractiveness for living and working. Focusing on Greece, where a default 30 km/h speed limit was recently introduced, the empirical results showed that latent factors relating to safety, sustainable travel, driving behavior, and urban accessibility, alongside socio-demographic characteristics and travel habits, shape policy acceptance. Expectations for enhanced road safety, sustainable mobility, and improved neighbourhood accessibility are strong determinants of public support. Conversely, perceived implementation barriers, low-speed driving frustration, and environmental scepticism reduce acceptance. Socio-demographic characteristics, including education, age, gender, and residential context, are found to mediate the impact of attitudinal factors on public support. The bivariate probit model reveals distinct determinants for perceived city-centre attractiveness for living versus working. While safety and sustainable travel consistently matter, environmental attitudes, household composition, and employment sector exert differential effects. Overall, public attitudes surrounding the 30 km/h policy are driven by road safety considerations alongside broader expectations related to quality of life, urban functionality, and liveability.

Social media platforms, online reviews, app store feedback, and complaint records are important sources of user-generated textual data for understanding passenger experience in public transport and related mobility contexts. This paper reviews how social media data mining and natural language processing have been used to transform such data into evidence on service quality and satisfaction. The review focuses on public transport while selectively drawing on adjacent mobility domains, including aviation, ride-hailing, micromobility, and app-based mobility, which offer transferable methodological insights. Public transport studies are treated as the core empirical evidence base, whereas adjacent mobility- and methods-oriented studies support conceptual and methodological interpretation rather than direct claims about public transport. The review examines how textual sources are converted into analytical outputs, including sentiment, topics, aspects, emotions, and composite indicators. It shows that sentiment should not be treated as a direct measure of satisfaction but as an intermediate signal of passengers’ expressed perceptions. Key risks include sampling bias, negativity bias, linguistic ambiguity, class imbalance, weak spatial and temporal attribution, platform effects, and limited validation. The paper proposes a validation-oriented framework that maps text-derived signals to service aspects, anchors them in spatial–temporal context, triangulates them with survey, complaint, and operational evidence, and translates them into service-quality-relevant decision-support outputs.

This study investigates public perceptions in Greece regarding the implementation of citywide 30 km/h (20 mph) speed limits. Based on survey data from 718 respondents and using ordered probit models, the analysis explores the public acceptance of the speed limit intervention as well as its perceived impact on the attractiveness of downtown areas for residential living. The findings of the statistical analysis suggest that perceived air quality improvement, noise reduction, enhanced neighbourhood safety and better access to urban amenities significantly increase support for the 30km/h limit. Public transport users and individuals with higher educational attainment are more likely to support the speed limit intervention, while frequent drivers tend to oppose it. Young respondents show mixed attitudes: they are less likely to support the policy overall but view downtown living more positively under the new speed limit. Perceptions of liveability in downtown areas improve under 30 km/h schemes, especially among youth and those valuing social interaction. Overall, the results show that public support is driven not only by safety considerations but also by broader expectations for urban quality-of-life. The findings of the study are relevant for policymaking and urban planning in the Greek context.

Despite the urgent need to improve urban mobility and ensure the safer co-existence of vehicles and road users, significant challenges remain. In Greece, the persistently high number of severe road traffic crashes highlights the urgent need to better understand the factors contributing to crash severity, particularly among the most affected groups—vulnerable road users (VRUs). This group typically includes pedestrians and cyclists who frequently face elevated crash and injury risks in the event of a collision. In this context, this study examines injury severity outcomes in road traffic crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists in Thessaloniki, Greece. Utilizing historical crash data (2019–2021) derived from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, a total of 906 injury crashes were analyzed, involving 764 pedestrians and 142 cyclists. The dataset contains detailed information on vehicles, individuals involved, road and environmental conditions at the time of each crash. To identify the factors associated with injury severity, binary logistic regression was applied, using the Backward Likelihood Ratio (LR) method for variable selection. Road characteristics, driver socio-demographic characteristics, and driving behavior were identified as significant determinants of injury severities. Our work provides a robust analytical framework for enhancing road safety analysis and supporting policymakers in their efforts to protect vulnerable road users.

This study presents a comparative analysis of pedestrian behavior and perceived safety among university students at two signalized intersections in Thessaloniki, Greece. While both locations serve high pedestrian volumes, one intersection permits vehicle left-turns during the pedestrian green phase (signified by flashing yellow arrows), whereas the other maintains a protected phase that restricts all conflicting vehicle movement. Utilizing data from two questionnaire-based surveys (N1 = 304 and N2 = 301), the research examines the interplay between infrastructure design, demographic factors, and behavioral traits. A K-Means clustering algorithm was applied to segment the target group into four distinct behavioral profiles based on levels of haste, distraction (e.g., mobile phone use, social interaction), and signal compliance. The results indicate that intersections permitting vehicle conflict are associated with significantly lower levels of perceived safety and a higher propensity for risk-taking behavior, such as crossing against the signal. The identified clusters, “The Distracted Law-Breaker,” “The Anxious Rusher,” “The ‘Lost in Device’ Waiter,” and “The Attentive Observer”, illustrate that individuals’ behavioral tendencies significantly moderate the impact of intersection’s operational phasing. The findings suggest that signal phasing that eliminates vehicle-pedestrian conflicts is the most effective intervention for increasing compliance and safety confidence. This research provides a methodological framework for urban planners to develop targeted safety interventions by understanding the diverse behavioral profiles within the student population.

This study explores the determinants of crash injury severity of police-recorded crashes involving e-scooters in the UK, with crash severity outcomes referring to the most severely injured individual involved in each crash. To that end, latent classes binary logit models were estimated using crash-level data from the STATS19 database. Due to their differences in the injury generation mechanism, separate statistical models were estimated for single- and multiple-vehicle crashes. The analysis accounted for unobserved heterogeneity by allowing the identification of unobserved (latent) classes within the crash population where determinants exert homogeneous effects within each class but varying effects across different classes. Key socio-demographic characteristics, including rider’s age and gender were critical in defining class membership in both crash types, with crash characteristics being also pivotal for defining latent classes in multiple-vehicle crashes. The results revealed that lighting conditions have pronounced effects in both crash types, but with divergent effects across classes. For single-vehicle crashes, interactions of pedestrians with e-scooters, are found to significantly influence crash severity outcomes, even though such events are often associated with slight injuries. In addition, older male riders tend to be associated with factors linked to greater crash severity. In multiple-vehicle crashes, the involvement of bicycles and e-scooters significantly increases the likelihood of severe injuries, especially if the crash occurred at a roundabout or on a non-dry road surface. The role of socio-demographic characteristics in defining the latent classes highlights the need for policy interventions tailored to the characteristics and behavioral nuances of different user groups. Infrastructure improvements, targeted education and clear legislative communication can enhance e-scooter safety, ensuring a safer integration of e-scooters into urban transportation systems.

Shopping mobility accounts for a significant share of total travel, while the growth of e-commerce is reshaping consumer purchasing behaviour and retail dynamics. Comprehending how territorial and sociodemographic factors shape the choice between physical and digital retail channels is therefore a key issue for transport planning and sustainable urban mobility. In this context, it is important to understand how accessibility to different classes of retailers is configured and how it can impact purchasing choices. Through a discrete choice analysis, this study examines the sociodemographic and territorial determinants of purchasing behaviour, focusing on the clothing market. Four purchase alternatives are considered: medium-sized and small urban retail stores, shopping malls, online purchasing, and no purchase. This multi-alternative framework enables the direct estimation of substitution patterns not only between physical and digital retail, but also between distinct forms of physical retail. Data were collected through a survey conducted in Southern Italy, providing empirical evidence from a territorial setting that is structurally underrepresented in the existing literature. A multinomial logit model and a two-level hierarchical logit model incorporating pedestrian accessibility—measured as walking time from residence to the nearest clothing store—alongside sociodemographic and territorial attributes were calibrated to analyse alternative choice behaviour. The calibrated models show interesting results, highlighting the role of pedestrian accessibility in the choice of clothing stores in city centres. Age, income, and territorial variables further differentiate channel preferences across population segments. The findings offer relevant implications for policymakers, governance managers, urban planners, and researchers concerned with retail location, sustainable accessibility, and consumer behaviour. These insights are highly valuable for developing planning that addresses the United Nations 2030 Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The development of nautical tourism is an opportunity for the economic growth of coastal regions. However, the construction of nautical ports could potentially lead to adverse environmental impacts on coastal ecosystems. For this reason, it is essential to gain more knowledge and insights into this sector and its implications for sustainability. Despite its relevance, there is a lack of data and systematic research on nautical tourism. In this context, the primary objective of this paper is to examine the relevance of nautical tourism at the national level, by focusing on nautical facilities (e.g. nautical berths) in coastal regions. Two national case studies are studied and compared: Italy and Greece. A comprehensive investigation is conducted for each of these European countries to identify the available data sources. The key findings of the analysis of nautical tourism with reference to marinas are presented. The comparison between the two case studies is based on a set of indicators that measure the availability of nautical facilities and services (e.g. the quantity and quality of nautical berths) in relation to socioeconomic and territorial data (e.g. population and coastal extension). From the comparison, two principal findings emerge: 1) the necessity to generate more evidence and insights into the availability of nautical facilities at the regional level, starting from the existing data and 2) the presence of common and non-common factors characterizing nautical tourism in the two case studies. The results are useful for regional planners, decision-makers, and scientists involved in the nautical tourism sector.

In this study, we investigate the determinants of the perceived importance of environmental considerations in travel behaviour and the intention to use public transport in response to the introduction of Zero-Emission Buses (ZEBs) in the UK. Drawing data from the UK National Travel Attitudes Survey (NTAS) Wave 9 (n=1,954), we estimated ordered probit and logit models grounded in an integrated theoretical framework, which combines the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and an adaptation of Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour. The model estimation results show that while the majority of respondents do consider environmental impact in their mode choice, only a minority express willingness to use Zero Emission Buses (ZEBs), indicating a potential value-action gap. Sustainable travel habits, pro-environmental attitudes and lower car dependency positively influence both travel attitudes, whereas high-income individuals do not seem willing to adapt their travel choices in light of their environmental considerations. The findings of the study highlight the critical role of demographic characteristics and perceived behavioural control in shaping sustainable mobility choices. They underscore the need for targeted measures to support widespread adoption of Zero Emission Buses and to promote climate-conscious mobility by improving accessibility and raising environmental awareness.

Urban environments face increasing challenges in ensuring pedestrian safety, particularly at signalized crosswalks where traffic lights grant pedestrians the right of way and vehicles are required to stop. These challenges, driven by growing traffic volumes and complex mobility systems, necessitate a careful balance between safety and efficiency. This study investigates pedestrian safety at signalized crosswalks in Thessaloniki, Greece (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) and Enna, Italy (Kore University of Enna) focusing on students as a key demographic. This research is based on a structured questionnaire survey administered to university students at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and Kore University of Enna (Italy). The survey gathered information on demographic characteristics, crossing habits, perceived safety, and preferences for infrastructural improvements. Respondents also identified factors influencing their crossing decisions, such as urgency, signal duration, and vehicle speeds. The findings reveal that short green-light durations and vehicle non-compliance significantly compromise pedestrian safety. Issues such as inadequate crosswalk visibility and poor markings were also noted. Participants emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, improved lighting, and tactile pathways to enhance accessibility. This research highlights the importance of addressing both behavioral and infrastructural aspects of pedestrian safety. Recommendations include optimizing signal timings for diverse pedestrian speeds, raising driver awareness of pedestrian rights, and employing monitoring systems like traffic cameras. By integrating these measures, urban planners can create safer, more inclusive environments that prioritize pedestrian mobility while maintaining traffic efficiency.

The rapid growth of e-scooter usage in urban environments has introduced new safety challenges, particularly in shared spaces with pedestrians. This study investigates near-collision interactions between e-scooter riders and pedestrians in a pedestrianized area in Thessaloniki, Greece, based only on 100 observed near-miss incidents. A multidimensional approach is adopted to analyze behavioral responses and interaction dynamics. Ordinal Logistic Regression is employed to examine the factors influencing changes in e-scooter speed (acceleration, no reaction, and varying levels of deceleration) when riders encounter pedestrians. Subsequently, behavioral personas for both e-scooter riders and pedestrians are identified, and a Firth Logistic Regression model is applied to assess the likelihood of high-risk conflicts arising from different persona combinations. The results reveal that while most riders adopt defensive behaviors, a significant proportion of risky responses persists, particularly in the presence of inattentive or unresponsive pedestrians. The findings indicate that near-collision risk is primarily driven by behavioural interactions, while environmental conditions such as congestion further amplify these effects. The results are particularly relevant for urban planners, transport engineers, and policymakers, as they provide evidence to support the design of safer shared spaces and the development of targeted interventions addressing both rider and pedestrian behaviour.

Research on Parcel Lockers (PLs) in last-mile delivery (LMD) has gained significant academic attention over the past decades. While spatial factors such as population density, transport infrastructure, and commercial proximity are well-explored in determining PL allocation, less attention has been given to digital aspects critical to their effective deployment. PLs are predominantly deployed in urban areas, with limited availability in suburban and rural regions. Existing studies have primarily examined their socio-economic benefits and freight optimization, yet research on strategic spatial allocation-particularly user accessibility-remains scarce and fragmented. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a mix-approach. Firstly, we conduct a literature review using Scopus, identifying 37 relevant research papers based on keyword searches (parcel AND locker AND digit OR techn* AND accessibility OR proximity OR location/spatial location**). Secondly, we identified the main challenges in urban, non-urban contexts regarding accessibility, proximity and digital use of PLs. Preliminary findings highlight two key challenges: the lack of research on PL deployment in non-urban areas and a widespread digital divide among potential users, emphasizing the need for targeted awareness campaigns to promote equitable adoption. The results provide a foundation for researchers, city planners, and logistics companies to develop context-specific strategies aimed at bridging socio-economic disparities, improving spatial accessibility in underserved areas, and enhancing digital literacy initiatives to support PL adoption.

A critical component of urban transportation, especially in places with heavy traffic, like university campuses, is pedestrian safety at signalized crosswalks. Crosswalks are places set aside for people to safely cross streets, but their efficacy frequently depends on how well traffic signals are followed, how drivers behave, and how the crosswalk is designed. Common issues include red light running, short durations of signal phases, and pedestrians and vehicles interacting simultaneously, which can lead to risky conflicts, and in turn, dangerous situations. For specific groups, such as university students navigating busy areas like campuses, tailored road safety policies-such as targeted interventions near educational institutions-can significantly reduce risks. By fostering a safer environment, cities can encourage walking as a sustainable and health-conscious mode of transport. This paper explores university students' pedestrian behavior and perception of safety at signalized crosswalks, emphasizing interactions between pedestrians and vehicles near the campus of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece. The paper evaluates variables affecting pedestrian decisions, including traffic volume, vehicle speed, and signal compliance using data from an in-situ questionnaire-based survey addressed to AUTh university students. The results underline the necessity for improved crosswalk design and enforcement strategies to enhance pedestrian safety. Practical recommendations include optimizing signal timing, increasing crosswalk visibility, and raising public awareness of pedestrian rights and responsibilities. This research provides valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers aiming to create safer and more accessible urban spaces.

This study investigates the applicability of the 15-minute city concept in Limassol, Cy-prus, through a spatial analysis of accessibility to essential urban functions. Limassol has experienced significant urban sprawl over the last two decades, driven by unregu-lated economic growth, real estate speculation, and planning policies that favored ex-pansion over densification. Using georeferenced Points-of-Interest (POIs), road net-works, and land use data, the study generates 15-minute walking and cycling iso-chrones for various social functions, such as education, health, shopping, and green spaces, to evaluate the percentage of residential area coverage. Findings indicate that while cycling offers relatively high accessibility to many amenities, walking accessibil-ity is significantly lower, especially in peripheral areas. The spatial distribution of POIs remains centralized for critical services, underscoring challenges for achieving equita-ble access across the city. The fragmented micromobility infrastructure and limited pedestrian-friendly planning hinder the transition toward a more inclusive and sustainable urban model. The results highlight the need for decentralization of services, better infrastructure for active travel, and planning reforms to support mixed-use, compact development. Limassol’s transformation into a 15-minute city requires integrated strategies, participatory planning, and the adoption of digital tools like Digital Twins to simulate outcomes and support long-term sustainability.

The e-commerce sector has recently undergone considerable growth, causing various challenges related to last mile logistics and the accessibility of pick-up points (PUPs). In general, they enable the mitigation of certain crucial challenges facing the logistics sector, such as delivery fails and returns. The purpose of this article is to examine an example of a network of PUPs in Southern Europe, despite the fact that there are noteworthy examples from Northern Europe in the literature. The proposed methodology involves the analysis of the accessibility of PUPs, taking into account the 5-min isochrone, as well as the characterization of the activities that host them. The article uses as case study the network of pick-up points of the main e-commerce operator in Italy, in a medium-sized city in Sicily (<60,000 inhabitants) such as Acireale. According to the results, there is a reasonable distribution of pick-up points in the central areas that are easily accessible on foot, but there is a poor distribution and, for the most part, a need of using private vehicles in the suburbs. It is worth mentioning that the inhomogeneity of distribution is related to geographical reasons. The work lays the groundwork for further research; the formulation of resilient strategies and actions to be carried out by logistics companies, ideas concerning the optimization of deliveries, and concurrently, the attention given to accessibility aspects related to the last mile delivery by public administrators and planners.

This study evaluates Limassol’s readiness to adopt the 15-minute city model through a spatial accessibility and urban-form analysis. Using openly available geo-referenced Points of Interest (POIs), road network data, land-use records, and census information, we generated 15-minute walking and cycling isochrones for eight essential urban functions: Education, Food, Green Areas, Health, Services, Shopping, Tourism, and Transport. Residential coverage within each isochrone was calculated to assess accessibility equity across the city. Urban sprawl was quantified using size, density, and fragmentation metrics derived from historical planning zones. Results show that while cycling accessibility is high for most categories (85–95% of residential areas), walking accessibility is considerably lower and unevenly distributed, with several critical functions, particularly Green Areas, Education, and Transport, serving less than half of the residential zones. The analysis also reveals increasing spatial fragmentation and outward population shifts consistent with low-density sprawl, driven by planning policies and development pressures. These findings indicate that Limassol is only partially aligned with the principles of the 15-minute city, with significant gaps in walkable access and decentralized service provision. The study concludes that targeted planning reforms, improved active-mobility infrastructure, and polycentric redistribution of amenities are necessary for enhancing accessibility equity and advancing the city’s transition toward a more sustainable and human-scaled urban model.

In the city of Lexington, Kentucky shared e-scooters made their appearance in the summer of 2019. This paper aims to examine which factors and how they affect the e-scooter demand based on data related to Lexington, KY. The data were obtained from two e-scooter sharing companies, Bird and Spin, and covered the entire year of 2022. Using this data, the characteristics influencing demand were analyzed, and behaviors and patterns were identified. Specifically, the analysis was conducted both in terms of the general and temporal characteristics of the recorded trips through graphs, and spatially through the creation of appropriate maps. The findings showed that e-scooter usage is greater in the city center and is affected by months, weather, days, and hours. In addition, by depicting points and areas of interest and comparing them with areas with increased demand, the main reason of a trip undertaken with an e-scooter, can be determined. The University of Kentucky community, although constituting 14

Climate change is one of the most pressing global threats, endangering the sustainability of the planet and quality of life, whilst urban mobility significantly contributes to exacerbating its effects. Recently, policies aimed at mitigating these effects have been implemented, emphasizing the promotion of sustainable travel culture. Prior research has indicated that both environmental awareness and regulatory efforts could encourage the shift towards greener mobility; however, factors that affect young people’s travel behavior remain understudied. This study examined whether and how climate change impacts travel behavior, particularly among Generation Z in Greece. A comprehensive online survey was conducted, from 31 March to 8 April 2024, within a Greek academic community, yielding 904 responses from Generation Z individuals. The design of the survey was informed by an adaptation of Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behavior. The study also incorporated a comparative analysis using data from the UK’s National Travel Attitudes Survey (NTAS), offering insights from a different cultural and socio-economic context. Blending an Exploratory Factor Analysis and latent variable ordered probit and logit models, the key determinants of the willingness to reduce car use and self-reported reduction in car use in response to climate change were identified. The results indicate that emotional factors, social roles, and norms, along with socio-demographic characteristics, current behaviors, and local environmental concerns, significantly influence car-related travel choices among Generation Z. For instance, concerns about local air quality are consistently correlated with a higher likelihood of having already reduced car use due to climate change and a higher willingness to reduce car travel in the future. The NTAS data reveal that flexibility in travel habits and social norms are critical determinants of the willingness to reduce car usage. The findings of the study highlight the key role of policy interventions, such as the implementation of Low-Emission Zones, leveraging social media for environmental campaigns, and enhancing infrastructure for active travel and public transport to foster broader cultural shifts towards sustainable travel behavior among Generation Z.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of pedestrian behavior and perceived safety among university students at two signalized intersections near the campus premises of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Although both intersections include pedestrian crosswalks and traffic lights, one permits vehicle left turns during pedestrian phases via flashing yellow arrows, while the other restricts all vehicle movement. Two questionnaire-based surveys (n1 = 304 and n2 = 303) recorded demographic information, crossing behavior, perceived risk, and preferred safety interventions. Results indicate that the intersection permitting vehicle conflict is associated with significantly lower levels of perceived safety and higher instances of risk-taking, such as crossing “at any time”. Conversely, the vehicle-restricted intersection fosters greater compliance with pedestrian signals and a stronger sense of security. Key factors influencing crossing decisions included vehicle speed, signal duration, pedestrian group presence, and urgency. Respondents prioritized safety improvements such as pedestrian countdown timers, enhanced signage, and enforcement cameras. These findings underscore the critical role of signal phasing in shaping pedestrian behavior and safety perceptions. Evidence-based recommendations are offered to urban planners and policymakers to enhance pedestrian safety through targeted infrastructure upgrades and enforcement strategies.

Assessing people’s satisfaction with diverse modes of transportation is complex yet crucial. This paper delves into the pivotal outcomes derived from analyzing survey data. The surveys, conducted at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), gauged student satisfaction with the available transport options in the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area during 2021 and 2022, thus providing insights into trends in satisfaction levels, allowing for a deeper understanding of evolving mobility preferences. Through a comparative analysis of the data, we discerned attributes influencing participants’ transportation choices. Our research contributes to the literature by applying a standardized methodology using an algorithm developed by the European Commission; the satisfaction levels among university students for private car and public transport in those years were determined. Notably, the findings underscore that, despite a marginally higher usage of public transport, university students exhibit a greater satisfaction level with private car transportation. This implies a nuanced preference for private car usage among students, as opposed to a mere emphasis on the higher popularity of public transport within this demographic. The findings aim to provide transport operators and policymakers with valuable information in terms of ways to enhance sustainable urban mobility and improve public transport services.