Transport planning and the human activity approach

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on the development of the human activity approach in geography and the use of activity approaches in understanding individual and household behaviour in response to travel need and demand. The activity approach studies travel in the context of daily household activity patterns, as a link in the process of fulfilling travel needs through the formation of daily sets, or chains, of activities. The review covers a number of activity approaches, including behaviour pattern studies, time budget analysis and scheduling models and simulation techniques.