Is it really impossible to change transport mode behaviours? An experiment for sustainable urban mobility

The cycling road world championship hosted in Florence in September 2013 offered a unique opportunity for testing a completely different mobility pattern from the usual one. The observation of individual behaviours during the event and the comparison with the customary behaviours of the same subjects allowed to analyze their adaptability to the changed circumstances caused by the big event and their willingness to shift mode of transport. Basically, the event provided the necessary analytical conditions for a natural experiment in which to examine individual behaviours. This work describes the event and the measures taken by the Municipality to smooth the initiative. It investigates the impact of the event on mobility, also looking at the effects of urban pollution. The survey confirms how people in Florence have a high propensity to use the car and find hard to change means of transport, notwithstanding the disincentives posed by local administration and the altered relative costs.