Introduction

The valuation of travel time savings and the valuation of health effects are crucial in the economic appraisal of infrastructure projects that affect cycling and walking for transport. Current practices treat the two in separate; but if individuals perceive the positive health effects from active transport, then they should also be expected to factor in these benefits in their valuation of time savings. There ought to be a downward-adjusting effect on their valuation of travel time savings. While this is widely acknowledged within transport economics, there is little empirical evidence on how large the effect from health benefits on the value of travel time savings is.

Method

We have applied two types of choice experiments. The first was a travel mode choice, that enabled a quantification of the effect of cyclist's/pedestrian's motivation for additional physical activity on their valuation of travel time savings. In the second choice experiment, cyclists/pedestrians chose between alternatives that differed in “negative” and “positive” side effects of the physical activity, like sweating and burning calories, as well as differing in travel time.

Results

Based on the first choice experiment, we find that cyclists/pedestrians motivated by health benefits have significantly lower valuation of travel time savings. From the second choice experiment, we find that the valuation of travel time savings decreases as the levels of positive side effects of physical activity in the choice set increase. Taken together, we estimate the decreasing health-benefit effect on the value of travel time savings in active transport in the range of 20–65 percent.

Conclusions

The results support the notion that expected health benefits are influencing the decisions to cycle and walk, with a subsequent negative effect on the valuation of travel time savings. Our study offers new evidence on this relationship as well as new methods for quantifying it.

中文翻译：

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健康收益对主动运输中节省旅行时间价值的影响

介绍

节省旅行时间和评估健康影响对基础设施项目的经济评估至关重要，这些项目对骑自行车和步行交通产生了影响。目前的做法将两者分开对待；但是，如果个人认为主动运输对健康有积极的影响，那么也应该期望他们在节省时间的评估中考虑到这些好处。应该对他们节省的旅行时间进行向下调整。尽管这在运输经济学中得到了广泛认可，但很少有经验证据表明健康益处对节省旅行时间的价值有多大影响。

方法

我们已经应用了两种类型的选择实验。首先是出行方式选择，可以量化骑车人/行人进行额外体育锻炼的动机对他们节省的出行时间的影响。在第二选择实验中，骑自行车的人/行人在身体活动的“负面”和“正面”副作用（例如出汗和燃烧卡路里）以及旅行时间不同的替代方案之间进行选择。

结果

基于首选实验，我们发现受健康益处激励的骑自行车者/行人的出行时间节省价值明显降低。从第二选择实验中，我们发现，随着选择集中体育活动的积极副作用水平的提高，节省旅行时间的价值下降。两者合计，我们估计对健康的影响对主动交通节省的旅行时间价值的影响在20-65％的范围内。

结论

结果支持以下观点：预期的健康益处会影响骑自行车和步行的决定，从而对旅行时间节省的评估产生负面影响。我们的研究为这种关系提供了新的证据，并为量化这种关系提供了新的方法。