COMMUTING PATTERNS IN EUROPE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

This report summaries a study carried out by TRRL on behalf of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. That study reviews research on commuting and on its consequences in all member countries of the European Community. This report contains a description of basic commuting patterns and of the policies that are concerned with commuting in each member country, noting where similarities and differences occur. It examines research on the processes involved in modal and residential choice, to show how the present pattern of commuting has evolved and how people respond to change. The report also examines the social consequences of commuting, looking at its effects on community structure and social and family life, and particular attention is paid to the effects of long and difficult journeys on behavior at home or in the workplace.