Lifestyles, spatial configurations and quality of life in daily travel: an explorative simulation study

The aim of this study is to compare a number of local spatial configurations of land use and transport facilities in a Dutch new town to address the question what impact these configurations have on the quality of life of different population categories. The results suggest that concentrating services near public transport nodes and increasing urban density, do have the potential to increase travel time and travel distance efficiency. High density offers the best opportunities to realize daily activities. More generally, this study highlights the necessity of a life-style oriented approach in planning the spatial configurations of residential areas.