How the built environment shapes vehicle entry behavior in car-free zones: a case study of Ghent, Belgium

Hongkai Gu, Yingpeng Li, Wanghao Xiao, Lars De Sloover, Nico Van de Weghe, Frank Witlox and Haosheng Huang

Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 2026, vol. 210, issue C

Abstract: As European cities increasingly restrict vehicular access to improve urban liveability, car-free zones (CFZ) have emerged as a prominent policy tool. While CFZ might provide environmental and social benefits, it is unclear how these zones are accessed and used by permitted vehicles. This study investigates the characteristics and influencing factors of vehicle entry behaviour in Ghent CFZ (Belgium), based on 979,674 automatic number plate recognition records from 2019. Two research questions are addressed: (1) What are the spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal patterns of vehicle entry? (2) How does the built environment shape these patterns?

Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2026.105057

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