THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF LUAS ON TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR

The Irish government is determined to provide a better and efficient transport service for everyone, no matter where they live. It is recognised that the impacts of transportation and its travel behaviour on the environment is crucial. One way to try and control road traffic growth in Dublin is through the introduction of a new light rail system called LUAS. Predicting the impacts of this system on travel behaviour is complicated, in particular given the lack of experience of this type of mode in Ireland. It is important to emphasize that the people's modal choices of whether to use or not to use any of these modes of transportation (bus, car, bike, train and LUAS), is an important factor in determining and predicting travel behaviour. In this research, a method borrowed from social psychology called Theory of Planned Behaviour is used to examine the people's modal choices, travel decisions, changes in travel behaviour and also, predicting their travel behaviour.