Spatial patterns of commuting in South Wales, 1951–1971: A factor analysis definition

Abstract

Davies W. K. D. and Musson T. C. (1978) Spatial patterns of commuting in South Wales, 1951–1971: a factor analysis definition, Reg. Studies 12, 353–366. Data from the 1951 and 1971 Censuses are used to examine the changing patterns of journey to work in South Wales. Although total employment has grown only slightly, the volume of commuting has increased substantially. The spatial pattern of commuting flows in the region is complex, and is inadequately expressed by previous studies which have produced conflicting results. Since they have stressed the nodality of a small number of employment centres or sought to identify self-contained labour market areas they impose a structure on the region. In view of these problems Higher Order Factor Analysis is employed to define regions at successive levels of generalisation, highlighting the nesting and overlap of the functional regions based on journey to work flows.