Sustainable perspectives on transportation: Public perception towards odd-even restrictive driving policy in Delhi, India

Abstract

The odd-even restrictive driving policy to reduce smog pollution in Delhi, India was implemented for the third time from November 4–15, 2019. This policy aimed to not only reduce personal vehicles on the road, but also motivate commuters toward sustainable transportation. In this paper, we examine public perception toward odd-even restrictive driving and its acceptance based on value-belief-norm (VBN) theory. Further, this study investigates the role of trust in local government in relation to the acceptance of the restrictive driving transport policy. Survey data from 317 responses from the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) was analyzed with partial least squares structural equation modeling, and results indicate that personal norms, policy effectiveness, and policy complexity significantly influence policy acceptance. The findings suggest that trust in local government reduces the inverse relationship between policy complexity and acceptance. The results emerged as possible insights for policymakers in the effective design of restrictive driving policies and sustainable transportation.