What role do intermodal practices play in local mobility? The case of the Montpellier metropolitan area

This article analyses intermodal travel practices in the Montpellier metropolitan area, based on a meticulous and exhaustive analysis of the results of the latest Enquête déplacements grand territoire (EDGT, 2014). Its innovative nature stems from the exercise itself, which to our knowledge has rarely been carried out with this level of precision on an EDGT. But, more broadly, the aim is to shed light on the behaviour of intermodal users in space and time to identify the main levers for action likely to increase the competitiveness of intermodal transport offer in the face of the dominant solo car driving practices. We show that the share of intermodal journeys is still low, but that there is considerable potential for development if we consider the modal shift of suburban car users. The analysis of intermodal chains highlights the need to arrange transfers to minimise their inconvenience (bringing modes closer together, making multimodal interchanges more accessible, etc.) and to adapt the transport offer to the specific needs of intermodal users in terms of their daily rhythms and activities (depending on where they live, their socio-professional category, departure and arrival times, etc.).