Jayalath, C. D. and Kulatunga, U. (2026) Bridging human behaviour and public transport policies: Applying the extended theory of planned behaviour for sustainable urban mobility. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, pp. 1-21. ISSN 2046-6099
Abstract
Purpose – Urban areas worldwide face major sustainability challenges, particularly in transport, which significantly impact economic, environmental, social, and mental well-being. These issues are intensified by policies that overlook human behaviour. This study seeks to enhance public transport, an essential element of sustainable urban mobility, by examining behavioural influences and promoting effective public engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Following a comprehensive literature review, a focus group discussion was conducted to validate and contextualize key variables influencing transport mode choices. A subsequent questionnaire survey assessed the relative importance of each variable and validated the applicability of the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB), supported by expert interviews. Findings – Public transport extends beyond physical infrastructure to encompass social and cultural dimensions. The study emphasizes addressing behavioural and cognitive patterns and provides a context-specific prioritization of key influencing factors to inform strategic development. Research limitations/implications – This study is grounded in a tropical, lower-middle-income urban context. However, the extended TPB framework offers transferable insights for similar socio-economic settings. Practical implications – The study provides practical insights for urban planners and policymakers to prioritize investments that align with human needs and behaviours. Social implications – It promotes inclusive and sustainable urban mobility solutions that address diverse societal needs and enhance public well-being. Originality/value – This study addresses an underexplored area by extending the TPB to six grounded variables, integrating both subjective and objective factors and providing an empirical prioritization to inform strategy and investment decisions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | human behaviour; public transport; sustainability; theory of planned behaviour; transport mode choice; urban mobility |
| Index terms: | relative importance, interview, human behaviour, literature review, mobility, sustainability challenge, focus group, public engagement, public transport, urban area, planned behaviour, questionnaire, survey, planner, public well-being, physical infrastructure, influencing factor, income, strategy, face, methodology, well-being, dimension, investment decision |
| Subjects: | data analysis and analytics, political science, health monitoring assessment and metrics, data collection methods, participation process, infrastructure and transport systems, behavioral psychology, risk assessment, mental health and wellbeing, management, research methods, profession, psychology, economic analysis, environmental issues, health behaviours and lifestyles, urban form and morphology |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Governance, Roles and Professions, Urban Studies, Sustainability, Organizational Design, Research Practice, Risk Management, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here