Tab 1
ESS SL
Internal Assessment
What are the key factors influencing Lima residents’ choice to use bicycles as a form of
sustainable transport, and how does perceived air quality compare to other motivations?
Candidate Number: lvq821
Word Count: 2, 240
Exam Session: November 2025
1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 Environmental Issue: .................................................................................................................. 2
1.2 Research Question: ..................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Connection between Research Question and Environmental Issue:........................................... 2
2.0 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Variables:.................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Materials: .................................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Sampling Strategy: ..................................................................................................................... 4
2.4 Procedure:................................................................................................................................... 4
2.6 Risk Assessment & Ethical Considerations................................................................................ 6
3.0 Results and Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 7
4.0 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 12
5.0 Discussion and Evaluation .............................................................................................................. 12
6.0 Application...................................................................................................................................... 14
1
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Environmental Issue:
Lima, the capital of Peru, faces a growing environmental crisis driven by urban air pollution.
According to the World Health Organization, Lima has some of the highest levels of PM2.5 air
pollution in Latin America, largely caused by vehicle emissions1. This pollution contributes to serious
public health problems, including respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.However, the issue goes
beyond environmental concerns; social and economic factors also play a critical role. A lack of
affordable and reliable public transport, increasing car ownership, and limited cycling infrastructure
have all contributed to the dominance of motorized transport.
In recent years, sustainable transport alternatives, such as bicycles, have gained visibility in areas like
Barranco and Miraflores. Barranco is frequently featured in guides to Lima’s best bike paths, with
cycling routes through its bohemian streets and along the Malecón being popular among both locals
and visitors.2
These modes offer not only environmental benefits, but also advantages in cost, flexibility, and
convenience. However, the extent to which Lima residents choose these modes because of
environmental awareness, such as concern over air quality, remains unclear.
1.2 Research Question:
What are the key factors influencing Lima residents’ choice to use bicycles as a form of
sustainable transport, and how does perceived air quality compare to other motivations?
1.3 Connection between Research Question and Environmental Issue:
This investigation explores how Lima residents make transportation choices in a city suffering from
severe urban air pollution, and whether their decisions are influenced by environmental concerns,
specifically air quality, or by more practical motivations such as affordability, convenience, and traffic
avoidance. Lima faces severe urban air pollution, with PM2.5 levels among the highest in Latin
America.3 The World Health Organization identifies vehicular emissions as the primary contributor,
1
“Air Quality Database,” https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/air-pollution/who-air-quality-database.
“Exploring Lima: A Bike Ride Through Miraflores and Barranco,” The Abroad Guide,
https://theabroadguide.com/exploring-lima-a-bike-ride-through-miraflores-and-barranco/.
3
“Air Quality Database,” https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/air-pollution/who-air-quality-database.
2
2
driven by an aging fleet of cars and buses, poor emission regulation, and geographical conditions that
trap pollutants.4 While industries exist, studies confirm that transportation is the dominant cause of
poor air quality in Lima.5
Bicycles, as a zero-emission transport option, offer a sustainable alternative. This investigation
examines whether Lima residents choose bicycles because of environmental concerns like air quality,
or due to practical motivations such as affordability, traffic avoidance, or convenience. By linking
transportation behavior with air pollution, the study explores the gap between environmental urgency
and personal decision-making. These insights could inform future strategies to promote sustainable
transport through infrastructure improvements and targeted awareness, aligning environmental goals
with urban realities.
2.0 Methodology
2.1 Variables:
Independent Variable (IV): Perceived motivations for using sustainable transport, measured by
participants’ selected main and secondary reasons in a multiple-choice survey.
Dependent Variable (DV): The perceived influence of air quality on transport choice, measured on a
5-point Likert scale, based on participant self-report.
Controlled Variable (CV):
Why its controlled
How it will be controlled
Location of participants
To ensure responses are
specific to one urban setting
Only individuals in Barranco
and the malecón will be
surveyed
Frequency of bicycle use
To ensure data reflects regular
cyclists, not occasional users
Only participants who report
using bicycles at least 2–3
times per week for transport
will be included
Time of data collection
To avoid time bias
Data will be collected during
weekend mornings and
weekday afternoons
4
“Temporal Trend of PM2.5 and the Associated Risk to Human Health in the Lima Metropolitan Area,” IIETA,
https://www.iieta.org/journals/ijsdp/paper/10.18280/ijsdp.191228.
5
Vilma Tapia et al., “PM2.5 Exposure on Daily Cardio-Respiratory Mortality in Lima, Peru, from 2010 to
2016,” Environmental Health 19, no. 1 (June 5, 2020): 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-020-00618-6.
3
2.2 Materials:
1. Interview question guide
○
Digital list of structured questions (google docs) - (Q1)
2. Electronic device with internet access
○
Laptop to transcribe responses - (Q1)
3. Spreadsheet software
○
Google sheets for data - (Q1)
4. Participants
○
Scoping participants (Q3-4)
○
Residents of Lima using sustainable transport (Q30+)
2.3 Sampling Strategy:
Purposive sampling is used for both sections of data collection. Scoping interviews (3–4 participants)
conducted in Barranco and its Malecón, a popular coastal district in Lima to ensure interactions with
active sustainable transport users. This location was chosen due to its accessible bike lanes, flat
topography, and frequent cycling observed during weekends and late afternoons, making it suitable
for obtaining relevant insights.
Based on these findings, a targeted survey of 30+ participants was distributed to individuals who
actively use sustainable transport. This sample size balances feasibility with the need for sufficient
data to identify consistent trends across users’ motivations. It is adequate for a small-scale field study
focused on behavioral patterns and exploratory analysis. This approach ensures both detailed insights
and broader quantifiable data while maintaining relevance to the research question.
2.4 Procedure:
1. A list of structured interview questions is prepared (see Appendix 1).
2. Scoping interviews (3–4 participants) are conducted in areas with high bicycle use (10:00 AM
– 5:00 PM, weekdays and weekend mornings).
3. Participants are approached while using sustainable transport, given a brief verbal
introduction, and asked for consent.
4
4. Responses are recorded digitally. Each interview is designed to be concise yet detailed.
5. A Google Forms survey (30+ participants), informed by the interviews, is distributed to active
sustainable transport users.
6. Survey responses are collected and organized in Google Sheets for analysis.
Why this method was chosen
This method ensures data is collected directly from individuals actively using sustainable transport,
making it highly relevant to the research question. Scoping interviews provide in-depth insights,
which are then used to design a targeted survey for further data collection. Structured, yet open-ended
questions allow for comparable responses while capturing individual perspectives. Conducting
interviews in Barranco maximizes efficiency.
2.5 Google forms questions:
Figure 1
Figure 2
5
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
2.6 Risk Assessment & Ethical Considerations
The researcher will be accompanied by an adult and remain in a safe area while conducting the
interviews, as well as wear sunscreen to prevent sun exposure. There are no significant environmental
risks associated with this study. For ethical considerations participants will provide verbal consent
before participating and their identities will remain anonymous. The investigation does not disturb nor
alter the natural environment, as it involves non-invasive methods such as interviews and digital
surveys.
6
3.0 Results and Analysis
Graph 1: Bar chart showing primary reasons for bicycle use in Lima (n = 30)
The most frequently cited reason was affordability, with 15 respondents selecting it as their primary
motivation, which represents 50% of the total sample (n=30). This suggests that economic practicality
is the dominant factor driving sustainable transport choices in Lima. Convenience/flexibility and
health/exercise followed, each with 5 participants (16.7%), while time-saving was reported by 4
individuals (13.3%). Only 1 respondent (3.3%) selected fun/enjoyment as their main reason. The
average frequency per option is 6, which makes affordability stand out significantly, receiving more
than double the average. This suggests a skew in motivations toward financial necessity over lifestyle
or environmental considerations. There is a clear pattern where affordability outweighs less tangible
benefits such as fun or environmental concern.
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Graph 2: Bar chart showing additional factors influencing bicycle use in Lima (n = 30)
The most cited reason was traffic avoidance, selected by 43.9% of respondents, well above the
average selection rate of 16.7% across all six options. This highlights how daily urban
congestion strongly shapes transport decisions. Participants selected on average 1.1 secondary
motivations each, suggesting that most cyclists had one dominant secondary concern. Avoiding
crowded public transport (13.6%), concerns about physical health (12.1%), and the cost of
alternatives like gas or taxis (9.1%) followed. Only 9.1% selected environmental awareness.
This reinforces the idea that while biking is environmentally friendly, most people prioritize
urban challenges like traffic and crowding over sustainability.
8
Graph 3: Bar chart showing perceived influence of air quality on bicycle use in Lima (n = 30)
Graph 3 illustrates how strongly bicycle users in Lima feel that air quality influences their transport
choices, using a scale from 1 to 5. Responses are widely distributed, but most fall in the middle range,
with 9 participants (30%) selecting a 3, suggesting moderate influence. 8 respondents (26.7%) chose
4, indicating relatively high awareness of air quality’s impact. Only 1 participant (3.3%) chose 1,
meaning few cyclists felt air quality plays no role. 6 selected 2 (20%), and 4 chose 5 (13.3%). The
mean score is approximately 3.1, statistically supporting the idea that air quality has moderate
influence. The 1–5 range indicates diverse perspectives, suggesting air quality is a polarizing factor
for some but irrelevant for others. These results suggest air quality is a secondary consideration for
most bicycle users in Lima, acknowledged, but ultimately outweighed by practical motivations like
cost, time, and traffic avoidance (see Graphs 1 and 2).
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Graph 4: Bar chart showing the biggest challenges bicycle users face in Lima (n = 30)
Graph 4 illustrates the main challenges bicycle users face in Lima. The most common issue was safety
concerns, reported by 9 participants (29%), likely due to a lack of protected lanes and Lima’s
aggressive traffic. Lack of infrastructure followed closely with 8 responses (25.8%), suggesting that
poor road conditions and limited cycling networks make bicycle use more difficult. Parking issues
(19.3%) and difficulty carrying things (16.1%) also highlight practical barriers. Weather was not cited
by any participants, likely due to Lima’s dry climate. Only 2 respondents (6.5%) reported facing no
challenges. On average, each participant selected approximately 1.2 challenges, reinforcing that most
cyclists face at least one obstacle. Overall, these results highlight the need for improved infrastructure
and cyclist safety if Lima is to promote sustainable urban transport effectively. This aligns with the
improvements requested in Graph 5, particularly more bike lanes and public parking spaces.
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Graph 5: Bar chart showing desired improvements to encourage bicycle use in Lima (n = 30)
Graph 5 presents the improvements respondents believe would encourage more bicycle use in Lima.
The most selected was “more bike lanes” (26.7%), reinforcing Graph 4’s findings that infrastructure
and safety are key concerns. Cyclists view dedicated lanes as essential for safer, more accessible
biking. Public parking followed with 20%, reflecting a need for secure storage. Cleaner air was
chosen by 18.3%, suggesting environmental quality could gain importance if improved. Safety
campaigns (15%) and awareness of benefits (16.7%) were moderately supported, indicating a role for
education. The least chosen option was lower equipment cost (3.3%), suggesting cost isn’t a major
barrier. Participants selected an average of 1.6 improvements, showing most see multiple areas
needing attention. These findings imply that infrastructure-focused urban planning may be more
effective than awareness campaigns in promoting bicycle use.
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4.0 Conclusion
The results of this investigation show that practical motivations, such as affordability, convenience,
and avoiding traffic, are the primary reasons why people choose sustainable transport in Lima. These
practical motivations consistently outweighed environmental concerns across all graphs. For example,
50% of participants chose affordability as their main reason for biking, while only 9.1% cited
environmental awareness as an additional factor, and air quality was rated as a moderate influence by
most respondents.
Although Lima suffers from significant air pollution, this issue is not a primary motivator for current
users of sustainable transport. However, participants did view cleaner air as a key improvement that
could encourage broader adoption. This suggests that while people may not bike because of
environmental concerns, they still recognize the value of cleaner conditions.
The study’s findings are well-supported by the survey data, and they highlight a gap between personal
motivations and environmental priorities. If Lima hopes to promote sustainable transport more
widely, urban planning efforts must prioritize infrastructure and safety, alongside raising awareness of
environmental benefits.
5.0 Discussion and Evaluation
The findings of this investigation support the conclusion that bicycle use in Lima is primarily
motivated by practical needs, such as affordability, convenience, and avoiding traffic, rather than
environmental concerns like air quality. This aligns with broader trends, which highlights that in
many Latin American cities, environmental awareness remains secondary to economic and logistical
priorities when it comes to behavior within transportation6. While Lima has one of the highest PM2.5
levels in Latin America7. This highlights a gap between the severity of the environmental issue and
6
Simon Upton, “Outdoor Air Pollution Will Cause up to 9 Million Premature Deaths a Year by 2060, Says the
OECD,” World Economic Forum, August 17, 2016, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2016/08/air-pollutiondeaths-oecd/.
7
“Air Quality Database 2018,” https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/air-pollution/who-air-qualitydatabase/2018.
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the personal factors influencing behavior, which appears to be shaped more by daily urban challenges
than long-term environmental considerations
This contrast may be explained by socio-economic realities: limited cycling infrastructure, safety
concerns, and the high cost of living constrain residents' choices. While the data does not suggest
strong environmental motivations, it does indicate that improving urban infrastructure and safety
could indirectly foster more sustainable habits. The methodology used in this study included several
strengths. The use of purposive sampling ensured that only individuals actively engaged in sustainable
transport were surveyed, increasing the relevance and focus of the data. Scoping interviews in
Barranco helped design locally grounded survey questions, and the use of structured multiple-choice
and Likert-scale formats allowed for clear trend analysis through quantifiable results.
However, the method also presents key limitations. The sample size of 30 participants, although
manageable for a small-scale study, limits the generalizability of findings to the broader Lima
population. Participants were all drawn from a single district, Barranco, which may not reflect the
diversity of transport behavior or socio-economic conditions found in other areas of the city.
Moreover, the investigation relied entirely on self-reported data, introducing potential response bias;
participants may have overstated environmental motivations due to social desirability. Another
methodological weakness was the lack of differentiation between regular and occasional bicycle
users, as no question asked about the frequency of cycling. Without this information, it is difficult to
interpret whether the motivations cited reflect consistent transport habits or occasional preferences.
This limits the depth of behavioral insight the data can provide.
To improve the reliability and scope of future investigations, several modifications could be made.
Including a question to assess frequency of bicycle use would help distinguish between habitual and
casual cyclists, making findings more meaningful. Expanding the sample to include participants from
additional districts, or stratifying it by demographic factors such as income, age, or gender, would
allow for more representative and comparative analysis. Additionally, complementing self-reported
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surveys with observational data or follow-up interviews would help reduce bias and capture a fuller
picture of transport behavior. While this study successfully revealed practical motivations driving
bicycle use in Lima, addressing its methodological weaknesses would allow for stronger, more
reliable conclusions and understanding how environmental concerns affect decisions.
6.0 Application
Based on the findings of this investigation, the most effective solution to promote and enforce
sustainable transport in Lima is to invest in expanding protected cycling infrastructure. This directly
addresses the main challenges identified in the study, specifically safety concerns and lack of
infrastructure, which were cited by over half of all participants. Improving bike lanes and ensuring
safer travel conditions would make cycling more appealing, not only to current users but also to those
disencouraged by safety risks or inconvenience. A successful example of this approach is Bogotá,
Colombia, where the city expanded its bike lane network to over 550 km. This led to a 20% increase
in cycling from 2015 to 2020 and helped reduce traffic congestion and emissions.8.
The primary obstacle to implementation in Lima is funding and long-term political commitment.
However, this solution is more realistic and impactful than awareness campaigns alone, as it responds
directly to users' motivations. In the long term, enhanced cycling infrastructure could lead to reduced
vehicle use, improved public health, and meaningful reductions in urban air pollution, which
addresses both practical and environmental concerns.
8
“Institute for Transportation and Development Policy,” Institute for Transportation and Development Policy Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide, October 26, 2018, https://itdp.org/.
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Bibliography
“Air Quality Database.” https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/air-pollution/who-air-qualitydatabase.
IIETA. “Temporal Trend of PM2.5 and the Associated Risk to Human Health in the Lima
Metropolitan Area.” https://www.iieta.org/journals/ijsdp/paper/10.18280/ijsdp.191228.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy - Promoting sustainable and equitable
transportation worldwide. “Institute for Transportation and Development Policy,” October 26, 2018.
https://itdp.org/.
IQAir. “Lima Air Quality Index (AQI) and Peru Air Pollution.” https://www.iqair.com/us/peru/lima.
Middeldorf, Dirk. “Cycling Infrastructure in Cities: Bogotá’s Ambitious Bicycle Network
Expansion » TUMI.” TUMI, June 14, 2022. https://transformative-mobility.org/cycling-infrastructurein-cities-bogotas-ambitious-bicycle-network-expansion/.
Tapia, Vilma, Kyle Steenland, Bryan Vu, Yang Liu, Vanessa Vásquez, and Gustavo F. Gonzales.
“PM2.5 Exposure on Daily Cardio-Respiratory Mortality in Lima, Peru, from 2010 to 2016.”
Environmental Health 19, no. 1 (June 5, 2020): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-020-00618-6.
———. “PM2.5 Exposure on Daily Cardio-Respiratory Mortality in Lima, Peru, from 2010 to 2016.”
Environmental Health 19, no. 1 (June 5, 2020): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-020-00618-6.
The Abroad Guide. “Exploring Lima: A Bike Ride Through Miraflores and Barranco.”
https://theabroadguide.com/exploring-lima-a-bike-ride-through-miraflores-and-barranco/.
Upton, Simon. “Outdoor Air Pollution Will Cause up to 9 Million Premature Deaths a Year by 2060,
Says the OECD.” World Economic Forum, August 17, 2016.
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2016/08/air-pollution-deaths-oecd/.
Appendix 1
Scoping interview questions:
a. What is your primary mode of transportation?
b. Have you always used this mode of transportation, or did you switch from a different one?
Why?
c. Why do you choose this mode of transport?
d. Does air quality affect your transportation choices?
e. What do you think would encourage more people to use renewable transportation in Lima?
f.
If major improvements were made to air quality or public transport, would that change how
you travel? Why or why not?
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