Rural Transition and Transport in China

This book examines the rural transition and transportation in China. It covers demographic change, settlement transformation, and infrastructure development in rural areas, as well as changes in transportation expenditures, travel behavior, and accessibility of basic public services among rural Chinese residents.

The book contributes to the new body of knowledge from an international perspective in three ways. First, it explores the changes in travel behavior of rural residents and related factors. Second, it provides new evidence on the relationship between rural social transformation and transportation infrastructure development. Third, it discusses the impact of transportation investments on rural poverty reduction.

The book enhances our understanding of the changes in travel behavior of rural residents. In particular, the results of the multi-source big data analysis will provide new evidence on the link between social transformation and changes in travel behavior in rural China. It also helps planners and politicians to develop policies aimed at improving quality of life, rural poverty, and the efficiency of transportation investments in rural areas. The book is of great interest to scholars interested in rural transformation and development, sustainable transport, regional planning, and environmental policy and is relevant to China and other developing countries.

Introduction.- Research progress in rural transport.- Transition in the rural population and settlements of China.- Match between rural transport and population.- Transport expenditure of rural residents.- Accessibility and its spatial equity of rural settlements.- Travel behavior of rural residents.- Rural residents’ travel behavior in mega-city region.- Rural residents’ travel behavior in rural countries.- Build Inclusive transport system for rural China.- Conclusions.

Pengjun Zhao obtained his Ph.D. degree in Spatial Planning at University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He is now Editor-in-Chief of Cities (Elsevier, IF 5.8), Vice Chair of the Commission on Transport and Geography of the IGU (International Geography Union), and Guest Professor of Department of Land Economy at University of Cambridge. He is Full Professor and Dean of School of Urban Planning and Design of Peking University. His research mostly focuses on urban and transport planning, transport geography, and sustainable mobility.

Haoyu Hu is Ph.D. Researcher in the Centre for Urban Planning and Transport Studies of Peking University. His research interests include application of big data in human mobility, transport equity, and regional development.