Abstract:

The most common forms of active transportation are walking and cycling. Many cities of the world have given substantial emphasis to the promotion of active travel with a series of reports from government and other bodies making walking or cycling for short journeys more popular among people. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceptions of students attending secondary education schools in Orestiada regarding the use of bicycles and motorcycles as a means of transportation. The research involved 454 students who attended four high schools in Orestiada municipality. A self-managed questionnaire was used to collect the data, while the Loglinear Analysis was used to examine the relationships between preferences and perceived benefits of transportation modes. The results showed that most students prefer to travel on foot or by bicycle, while the majority of the participants own a bicycle. They consider it an easy and ecological way of traveling, which in addition improves their physical health. The negative elements identified in the study are the lack of respect of drivers for bicyclists and the lack of knowledge about the traffic code. The results of this study raise awareness among authorities about local projects that can promote sustainable urban mobility and encourage behavioral change in favor of active mobility. In order to develop the full potential of the active modes of transport, cycling and walking infrastructure must be designed appropriately.