Mediating Role of Perceptions on Built Environment and Walking Synergies.

Abstract

The article describes the relevance of GIS spatial data in a multi-method approach exploring a comparative analysis of the correlation between the perceived and objectively measured built environment features and whether the perceived environment mediates the effects of the objective environment on actual walking within the neighbourhoods of Durban Central and Chatsworth. By systematically exploring the relationship between the walking and the built environment features, this article presents a better understanding of the structural mechanism underlying the built environment and pedestrian travel patterns. Through various statistical analysis methods methods—such as ANOVA tests, factor analysis, Pearson correlations, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), the findings of the study revealed that there is a mismatch between perceived measures with their objectively measured counterparts, models of walking behaviour reveal that individuals making frequent walking trips had a high chance of accurately perceiving walkable built environments compared to those who engage less in walking activities. The findings of the mediation model performed through SEM affirm that the objectively measured environment influence walking behaviour indirectly by shaping pedestrians’ subjective assessment of their neighbourhoods. The objectively measured built environment demonstrates a positive and significant relationship with the perceived walking environment, illustrating that a walkable and pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood improves pedestrians’ perceptions of their surroundings. These findings provide an opportunity to implement potential urban design interventions aiming at improving sustainable active travel modes. The mediation role of pedestrian’s perceptions of the built environment in various urban space typologies warrant further research.