Transport disadvantage and suppressed travel among low-income older adults: Lived experiences of social housing tenants in Ghent

Abstract

Transport disadvantage is widely researched, yet less is known about how mobility constraints translate into suppressed travel: desired but unrealised trips. This paper examines suppressed travel among low-income older adults, focusing on social housing tenants in Ghent, Belgium. While urban environments are often assumed to offer favourable accessibility due to dense service provision and public transport, this study questions whether proximity alone is sufficient to prevent forgone travel for vulnerable groups. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 16 social housing tenants aged 54–83, the study adopts a qualitative lens to explore mobility barriers, coping strategies, and the lived experience of unmet travel needs. The findings show that transport disadvantage emerges from the interplay between financial, health-related, cognitive, and emotional constraints. Declining public transport provision, stress associated with driving and parking, health limitations, and the emotional burden of planning and uncertainty all contribute to transport disadvantage, and in some cases, forgone travel. Although urban proximity plays a mitigating role, it does not eliminate suppressed travel, particularly for leisure activities and family visits outside the city. The study highlights how suppressed travel persists even in highly accessible urban settings and underscores the importance of qualitative approaches to uncover the multiple dimensions of transport disadvantage. In terms of policy implications, the paper points to the significant effects of austerity measures in public transport, particularly for captive users, and underscores the need for strong public services to ensure that mobility, care, and social participation remain accessible and equitably supported across society.